Kulich’s defense helps Amerks hold off Utica in Sjalin’s debut

With 16 games remaining in the American Hockey League’s regular season, the playoff push is very much underway for the Rochester Americans.

Their biggest test to date came this weekend, a three-in-three endurance test that included two games with the first-place Syracuse Crunch and another with the down-but-not-out Utica Comets.

While they didn’t necessarily ace the test, they did win two of three games and, in doing so, demonstrated qualities that will be necessary to win in the Calder Cup playoffs.

Such as: Their once high-scoring young guns, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen, are developing a complete game and as a team they are capable of protecting a lead when it matters most, as they did Sunday afternoon in a 3-2 victory over Utica.

Brendan Warren scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period – just 45 seconds after the Comets tied the game – and the Amerksand goalie Devon Levi made sure the Utica didn’t score again.

The victory vaulted the Amerks back into third place (62 points), a point more than Belleville and Toronto, four more than Laval and six more than Utica. Had the Comets won in regulation on Sunday, they would have closed within two points of Rochester.

“To get two points is huge but to not give up one by getting to overtime against a team that is behind you is critical,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said.