Sabres 2022 top pick is one of four Buffalo first-rounders playing in Rochester
Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie played for the Rochester Americans in the first game of his 14-day AHL conditioning stint, and the 19-year-old registered an assist in a 4-3 victory over the Charlotte Checkers at Blue Cross Arena on Wednesday.
The game was the forward’s first action since suffering an upper-body injury at the Sabres prospect tournament in mid-September and in the first period, he set up linemate Michael Mersch for a power play goal.
“(It was) a very good pass, but also good execution.” Amerks head coach Seth Appert said after the game. “You like the offense that (Savoie)showed on the pass and a great finish by Mersch, but also an ability to take in information and be able to go and apply it and execute it, which is an underrated skill of a young player.”
First-rounders Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen each had a goal and assist in the victory, where Rochester trailed 3-1 in the third period and scored three times in a span of 2:42. Savoie was used in the final minutes of regulation with Charlotte goalie Spencer Knight pulled for the extra attacker.
“It’s a big thing to be a good two-way player, be good defensively. At the pro level, that is going to be one of the biggest adjustments I’ll have to make,” Savoie said. “In junior, I was always out there protecting the lead, and I feel pretty comfortable out there.”
Savoie is expected to play in most of the six games for Rochester during the two-week stint before returning to the Sabres when they will have to make a roster decision to either activate him off of injured reserve or send him back to Wenatchee of the Western Hockey League.
Buffalo is expected to keep Savoie through November and into early December, when he will likely be loaned to Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden.
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