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Goalie Andrey Makarov gives Amerks a boost 3 àïðåëÿ 2014 ãîäà. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Not a whole lot in hockey has come easy, or with great fanfare, for Andrey Makarov. The first junior team he played for in North America folded after his first season. Every NHL team passed him over in the draft. And this year, when he was ready to launch his pro career, the Buffalo Sabres thought another year in junior hockey might be best. Can’t do it. Not good enough. Not ready. The more Makarov hears what he’s not able to do, the more pucks he stops. “Andrey’s a super competitor,” said his New York-based agent, Jay Grossman. “He wins games.” And if he doesn’t win, rest assured the rookie goaltender did everything in his power to try to come out on top. The Rochester Americans are learning that now. Makarov and Connor Knapp were recalled by the Amerks from ECHL Fort Wayne on March 17 because their two goalies, Nathan Lieuwen and Matt Hackett, joined the Sabres on emergency recall. Over the past 10 days, Makarov has become the go-to goalie. While it took until his fourth start to get a victory — he made 24 saves in the 5-2 win over Syracuse on Wednesday — he has revived a falling-fast team. There’s less uncertainty and less hesitation from the players in front of Makarov, because he has shown he can make clutch saves. “To me, he’s been the guy who has given our team a shot in the arm,” coach Chadd Cassidy said. “He gives them a lot of confidence. They can make a mistake and they know he’ll come up big for them.” And to think that when the season began, the Sabres were suggesting he return to the Western Hockey League to play a season as an overage junior. That’s because Buffalo really didn’t have a place for the 20-year-old native of Kazan, Russia, to play. Hackett and Lieuwen would be in Rochester, and Knapp would use his second pro season to continue to learn the pro game in the ECHL. Makarov, however, said it made no sense to go back to Saskatoon or another WHL team. “It was time to move up on the stairs,” he said. “If you go to juniors, then you’re staying at the same level.” Thus, he had two options: return to Russia to play in the KHL or find a home in the ECHL. The Sabres got him on the Fort Wayne roster. That’s definitely what he wanted. He came to North America in 2010 because he wants to play in the NHL. “Lots of good goalies started in the East Coast League,” Makarov said. “I can always come back (to Russia) any time to play. I want to be here. “I came to play in the NHL, that was my dream growing up, to play at the highest level in the world.” He’s willing to deal with adversity, too. After the 2010-11 season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, his first in North America, the Lewiston MAINEiacs folded. He ended up going to the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL the next season — and playing 54 regular-season games. Last season, he played 61 games for the Blades (going 37-17-5). That’s why he saw no reason to go back as an overager. He needed to play the pro game. With Fort Wayne, he went 15-11-4 with a 2.79 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It’s pretty safe to say he knew what was best for his career. He now wants to help the Amerks climb back into the playoff picture. They enter Friday’s 7:05 p.m. home game against Binghamton three points back. “Winning always feels great,” he said. “You do your best and have accountability. You help your team win.” |
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