As time in Sabres organization possibly nears end, Lukas Rousek starring for Rochester Amerks

ROCHESTER – In what could be his final game here, Americans winger Lukas Rousek displayed the talent and smarts that helped him play 17 contests for the Buffalo Sabres and earn a one-way NHL contract.

To wit: in Friday’s 5-3 come-from-behind win in Game 2 of the AHL North Division final, Rousek, 26, scored the tying goal late in the second period before his slick pass created center Jiri Kulich’s go-ahead power-play goal in the third.

“I can’t say enough,” coach Mike Leone said after the Amerks evened the best-of-five series against the Laval Rocket at 1-1. “He got the game puck tonight. He was awesome.”

Of the 800 or so players in the AHL, Leone, whose Amerks play Game 3 on Wednesday in Laval, believes only three or four can pass the puck as skillfully as Rousek did to Kulich.

From the bottom of the left circle, Rousek deftly fed Kulich above the right circle, floating the puck through traffic into his wheelhouse. Kulich unleashed his wicked one-timer, putting the Amerks up at 12:07.

“He’s always making those plays,” Kulich said following the game in Blue Cross Arena. “… From my first year, I know just give him the puck and (he’ll) find a hole, so I wasn’t surprised.”

Passing is Rousek’s forte. He registered 35 assists during the regular season, the team’s second-highest total behind defenseman Zachary Metsa’s 39.

Rousek would rather distribute the puck than shoot it. He scored seven goals in the regular season and recorded just 40 shots on goals in 72 games.

“Most of the time I’m just a passer,” said Rousek, who recorded two assists in Game 1. “It’s my job doing this.”

Three years ago, Rousek’s surprising contributions as a scorer and playmaker in the Calder Cup Playoffs established him as one of the Sabres’ top forward prospects. After a torn ACL sidelined him most of his rookie campaign, he emerged as a key contributor as the Amerks won two rounds.

In 2022-23, his first full season, he scored 16 goals and a team-high 56 points in 60 regular-season games and added five goals and 12 points in 14 postseason outings.

In between, the Czech, a sixth-round pick in 2019, 160th overall, earned a two-game recall to Buffalo, scoring one goal and two points in his first taste of the NHL.

“You look at Rous’ playoff, his stats two years ago, he had (five) goals in the playoffs,” Leone said. “Like, he’s a big-game player. (I) trust him. Great team guy.”

The Sabres rewarded his breakout campaign by signing him to a two-year contract that became a one-way deal this season, paying him $775,000.

Clearly, they believed Rousek would graduate to Buffalo someday.

Last year, he scored 41 points in 51 games for the Amerks and registered two assists in 15 contests with the Sabres.

This year, however, Rousek fell out of Sabres’ plans, spending the entire season in the minors. Forwards Josh Dunne, Tyson Kozak, Brett Murray, Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen all received recalls instead of Rousek, who became an afterthought.

“I’m sure he probably wanted to get called up and things, but he was here all year,” Leone said. “He’s the only guy that played every game. Team guy.”

The 5-foot-11, 202-pound Rousek said he “didn’t look for himself.”

“I play here or play in Buffalo,” he said. “I just try to win, play my best.”

He’s also playing through an undisclosed injury, according to Leone.

“(The) kid’s playing through a lot right now, where a lot of guys wouldn’t play,” he said.

Rousek said he’s “feeling good.”

“Everybody has something a little bit sore because a couple hits during the game, a couple fights,” he said.

Rousek can become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent following the season because he’s 26 and has played less than 80 NHL games and accrued three professional seasons, according to PuckPedia.

The chances of him returning to the Sabres organization appear to be slim. Perhaps he will continue his career in Europe.

The final games of the series are in Laval, meaning it’s possible he has played his last contest for the Amerks in Rochester.

If that’s the case, he went out with a bang Friday, enjoying one of his best nights in the AHL. When he charged to the net and backhanded the puck in 19:20 into the second period, he scored just his second goal in the last 42 games.

“I love Rous. Love him,” Leone said. “He’s a big-time player. He’s a warrior. Makes plays. When the game’s on the line, I trust him.”