Apr 29, 2024
The Rochester Americans began their quest for the Calder Cup, opening the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs with Games 1 and 2 of the North Division Semifinals at home against the Syracuse Crunch.
Both matchups saw the Amerks open with a 2-0 lead, though only the first game of the series ended on a winning note. After pulling out the 3-2 win Friday, Syracuse would battle back Sunday evening for a 4-3 overtime win to even the series, 1-1.
Michael Mersch and Mason Jobst have been linemates virtually all season, so when Amerks head coach Seth Appert decided to compliment the duo by adding 18-year-old prospect Anton Wahlberg on the wing, you knew the youngster out of Malmo, Sweden would be in good hands.
The three skated on a line together for much of the final three weeks of the regular season, and, through the first two games of the playoffs, each forward has found the back of the net.
Wahlberg pounced just 61 seconds into the playoffs Friday night, cutting to the far post to tuck home his first professional playoff goal in North America.
“That started with Mersch, our captain,” said Appert when talking about Wahlberg’s goal. “Merschy made a great hit to create a turnover, and we play best when we play fast and direct. (Ethan) Prow from there just made a real good play to Wahlberg and he used not just his skill, but the nerve to take that to the back post. There’s always risk when taking pucks to the back post because it leaves you vulnerable. I thought that was an excellent goal.”
Less than 48 hours later on the afternoon of Game 2, it was Mersch opening the scoring with a power-play goal being jammed through at the front of the net. Jobst earned an assist on the conversion, then late in the contest scored the game-tying goal with 3:54 to play in regulation.
“It’s lots of fun,” said Mersch when asked about playing with Jobst and Wahlberg. “Anton’s done a great job since he got here. He’s really mature for being an 18-year-old. It’s crazy to me when people say he’s that young. He’s a great player and he’s got a great career ahead of him.”
Mersch (31), Jobst (30), and Wahlberg (18) combined for three goals and four points over the weekend.
Speaking of lines that impressed, a trio of Sabres’ first round draft picks have generated plenty of scoring chances through games one and two. Jiri Kulich has centered a line featuring…
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