Appert - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After stint with Sabres, Lawrence Pilut becomes elite defenseman for Amerks

TORONTO – Shortly after Christmas, following perhaps the best outing of his 86-game NHL career, the Buffalo Sabres waived defenseman Lawrence Pilut.

Having received two blueliners back from injury, Pilut, who had been passed on the depth chart by Kale Clague, lost his roster spot. He cleared and was assigned to the Rochester Americans, beginning another stint in the minors.

Today, Pilut, 27, ranks among the AHL’s elite defensemen. A strong argument can ... Read the full article

Brett Murray, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen help Amerks stay hot, beat Marlies

TORONTO – Brett Murray won a puck battle along the wall, knocking Pontus Holmberg down and igniting a scoring chance for the Rochester Americans. A few seconds later, the winger parked his hulking 6-foot-5, 228-pound frame in front of Marlies goalie Erik Kallgren, providing a perfect screen for defenseman Ethan Prow’s point shot.

Murray redirected the puck past Kallgren 18:16 into Thursday’s first period, putting the Amerks up 2-1 in a game they would win ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt rewards Sabres’ faith with breakout year: ‘Sense of loyalty’

BUFFALO – There was a time it felt like Casey Mittelstadt wouldn’t be around to experience a revival here. As the talented forward struggled to reach his potential and earn a spot in the lineup, the Sabres seemed to keep hitting rock bottom.

Another team might’ve jettisoned Mittelstadt, the eighth overall pick in 2017, years ago for a shiny new asset.

But the Sabres refused to give up on him and he rewarded them by ... Read the full article

Lawrence Pilut, Sabres prospects help Amerks advance in Calder Cup Playoffs

SYRACUSE – Seth Appert walked into the dressing room after the Rochester Americans imploded and blew a three-goal lead to the Crunch and told his team take a breath, calm down, and that they would win.

Usually, the coach waits to address his players. But on Saturday, with a do-or-die overtime to decide the AHL North Division semifinal ahead, he wanted to reinforce his belief in them. Later in the intermission, he reminded them their ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Isak Rosen catching fire for Amerks in playoffs

Instead of talking to Buffalo Sabres prospect Isak Rosen about his first taste of the Calder Cup Playoffs, Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert and his staff wanted to hear from the rookie.

“What did he learn? What did he take away from those experiences?” Appert said on a Zoom call Friday. “Those are the best developmental moments, is when they own their development and we can poke questions and prod them, but they’re the ones ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Noah Ostlund joins Amerks following Swedish season

Buffalo Sabres prospect Noah Ostlund, the 16th overall pick last year, has joined the Rochester Americans to practice and get a feel for the organization.

The Amerks play the fifth and decisive game of their AHL North Division semifinal series tonight on the road against the Syracuse Crunch. Ostlund, however, likely won’t be participating in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Ostlund, 19, has been battling a foot injury that forced him to miss playoff games ... Read the full article

Malcolm Subban’s terrific season with Amerks could keep him in Sabres’ plans

ROCHESTER – Americans goalie Malcolm Subban chose to talk more about the team than himself.

Subban performed splendidly in Sunday afternoon’s 4-0 win over the Syracuse Crunch, making 31 saves in the Amerks’ first shutout in the Calder Cup Playoffs in 19 years. At 29, he has enjoyed a terrific comeback season, playing a career-high 43 games, including all four playoff contests, for the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate.

Following a subpar outing in Friday’s 8-5 ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich stars again as Amerks roar back to tie series

ROCHESTER – Before the Americans began the Calder Cup Playoffs, coach Seth Appert told rookie Jiri Kulich to prepare for his first taste of postseason hockey as a pro.

So Appert had Kulich, 19, watch a Stanley Cup Playoffs game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. Then Appert challenged the Buffalo Sabres prospect to study the action as he sat out the Amerks’ first two games recovering from a lower-body injury.

“You ... Read the full article

Amerks captain Michael Mersch, Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich star in playoff win

ROCHESTER – Three goals from captain Michael Mersch, more than the Americans had in their first two playoff games. An early score from rookie Isak Rosen, whose play, coach Seth Appert acknowledged, wasn’t good enough early in the series. The late go-ahead goal from rookie Jiri Kulich, who missed the first two contests.

After falling in a 2-0 hole in their best-of-five AHL North Division semifinal series, the Buffalo Sabres’ affiliate sorely needed its best ... Read the full article

Offense, grit helping Sabres prospect Tyson Kozak stand out in Rochester

ROCHESTER – In the moment, Buffalo Sabres prospect Tyson Kozak had no idea he was fighting Tage Thompson’s brother.

“I just stood up and then we just went,” Kozak, a rookie forward with the Americans, said of his scrap with Utica Comets forward Tyce Thompson.

Kozak, 20, pummeled Thompson after getting knocked to the ice April 1, landing several uppercuts. Not surprisingly, the bout went viral because he trounced the brother of the Sabres’ ... Read the full article