Milwaukee Admirals head coach Karl Taylor had a hunch before the deciding Game 5 of his team’s Central Division semifinal series against Texas on Sunday.
Taylor suspected that the Stars might make a change in net after Milwaukee had taken back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4.
Taylor was correct. Texas turned to rookie Ben Kraws, a Hobey Baker Award nominee with St. Lawrence University this season before turning pro in March.
“I thought they might switch the goalie just to get a little bit of a different flow,” Taylor told reporters after the Admirals’ series-clinching 5-3 win. “We were ready to try to give him some tough action and bodies and pucks early.”
Admirals rookie forward Zach L’Heureux greeted Kraws with a pair of goals in the opening 58 seconds.
Earlier in the series, Taylor had made the same move that his Texas counterpart Neil Graham did before Game 5. After falling behind 2-0 in the series, Taylor sat Yaroslav Askarov in favor of Troy Grosenick.
“You’re trying to make a little bit of energy and a different look,” Taylor said. “It doesn’t mean it didn’t work (just) because we got those two quick goals.”
With the Rochester Americans’ season ending over the weekend, the Buffalo Sabres officially announced the addition of Seth Appert to their staff as an assistant coach for 2024-25 on Monday.
Appert spent four seasons as head coach of the Amerks, leading the team to three consecutive Calder Cup Playoff berths including a trip to the conference finals in 2023.
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity, excited to get to work on a great staff with a lot of NHL experience,” Appert told the Amerks’ Andrew Mossbrooks. “It makes it more special because I get to stay within the organization. I’m proud of what we’ve done here in Rochester. Buffalo’s a lot closer to being a contending team than they were four years ago. For me it’s an opportunity to try to see it through. That excites me, because I’ve invested a lot in this organization.”
Much of Buffalo’s core of young players developed under Appert in Rochester, including Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka, Peyton Krebs, Mattias Samuelsson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Top Sabres prospects who spent time in both Rochester and Buffalo this season include Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosén, Devon Levi, Matthew Savoie, Lukas Rousek and Ryan Johnson.
“I’ll be an Amerk for life,” Appert said. “I was embraced here by our staff, by our city, and so it makes you feel at home. This is an incredibly special place.”
― with files from Patrick Williams
