Amerks Past Playoff Struggles Of No Concern To Seth Appert Ahead Of Wednesday

ROCHESTER, NY (WHEC) – After a week that began with highly unfavorable odds to make the postseason, a combination of strong play and luck bounced the Americans’ way. It leads to Rochester facing Belleville in the Calder Cup Playoffs Play-In.

The best-of-three series will kick off Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena before shifting to the Senators’ home ice on Saturday. If necessary, a third game would be played there a day later.

For the Amerks, this is their third straight Calder Cup Playoff appearance after COVID-19 altered last year’s structure. In their previous two trips, Toronto and Syracuse swept them in three games. Their last playoff win came against the Chicago Wolves in 2014, a series in which they fell in five games. Overall, it’s been 21 years since Rochester appeared in a Calder Cup Championship series. However, that doesn’t carry much weight in the locker room.

"If 70% of our team was was part of some of that struggle, we might need to have a cleansing or something of that nature to to get us ready," Head Coach Seth Appert said. "But, you know, we’re such a young group and most of these guys haven’t been part of any of that almost all. So there’s no reason to put that baggage, emotional mental baggage on our players because it’s not their responsibility."

Wednesday will mark the first ever meeting between Rochester and Belleville in the postseason with puck drop at 7:05pm.