Kevin Oklobzija

@kevinoDandC

On his first regular-season shift as a member of the Rochester Americans, Mikhail Grigorenko dashed toward the net on a two-on-one fast break but shot wide.

It was a sign of things to come; good things.

Grigorenko didn't score a goal in the 5-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch, but he set up the last one (by linemate Freddy Roy) and fit in with the Amerks just like he has been here for three months.

A whole lot of people want to see how Grigorenko accepts his time with the Amerks as the American Hockey League's regular season winds down. Some of those people have titles with the Buffalo Sabres, like general manager (Tim Murray) and coach (Ted Nolan).

Grigorenko played like he knows very well the Sabres are watching closely. He also played like he is determined to help the Amerks earn a playoff spot, despite how dire the situation may be due to their nine-game losing streak.

"Positionally he looked really good and it looked like he understands what we want from him," Amerks coach Chadd Cassidy said. "He was really good in his loose-puck battles. As a skill player, if you want to have success, you have to have the puck and he didn't wait for it to come find him."

Grigorenko has yet to prove he can be an effective player in pro hockey. Granted, his two auditions with the Sabres came before he was ready, and before he really understood what it will take to succeed.

First, at age 18, he was expected to help the ready-to-bellyflop franchise after the lockout ended in January of 2013. Then again this season, when the Sabres were poised to be the worst team in the NHL, Grigorenko was again given a roster spot, even though he was clearly overwhelmed.

There was pressure, there were expectations and there was a sense of entitlement.

Now that his junior career is over and he has been assigned to the Amerks, Grigorenko has a better understanding of 1) pro hockey and; 2) what the Sabres want from him.

He showed on Wednesday night that he wants to be the best he can be. He skated hard. He was often getting back deep in the defensive zone to help with coverage. He didn't shy away from traffic and contact, he went to the net and he went to corners.

Most of the time spent on the ice was in the offensive zone, not in the Amerks end.

And he made an inside-out move that Evgeni Malkin would have loved, creating the two-on-one fast break for the Roy goal.

"It was a really fun game to play," Grigorenko said. "This was just the beginning. I just need to keep working hard."

His linemates, Roy and Kevin Sundher, did a great deal of work and made it easy for him, he said. Grigorenko played on a line with Roy with the Quebec Remparts in 2011-12.

"He knows me the most and trusts me," Grigorenko said. "Hopefully he likes playing with me."

* * * * * * *

Goalie Connor Knapp remains ill so Billy Sauer was hustled in as the emergency backup for the third time this season.

Right winger Mike Zigomanis also was ill and missed his third consecutive game, but defensemen Mark Pysyk (upper body) and Matt MacKenzie (lower body) returned after stints on the injured list.

Their presence brought a whole lot more calm and normalcy to defensive-zone coverage and, especially, the breakout.

* * * * * * *

Jake McCabe bypassed his senior year at Wisconsin and signed his three-year entry level contract with the Sabres on Wednesday afternoon.

He is expected to make his NHL debut on Thursday night in St. Louis.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean the Amerks will get a defenseman back right away, or that the recall status of Rasmus Ristolainen or Chad Ruhwedel will change from emergency to straight.

Apparently there is a banged-up defenseman with the Sabres.

* * * * * * *

MacKenzie was named the Amerks Man of the Year on Wednesday afternoon. It's an honor that recognizes his work in the community.

He took part in the Amerks reading power play program; helped with the Rochester Ice Cats hockey team that is for developmentally disabled residents; worked the radiothon for Golisano Children's Hospital, helped with the Saves for Education program and also visited Lollypop Farm to promote pet adoption.