Crunch Rookies Help Ground Grand Rapids
Syracuse, NY, (Wednesday, October 29, 2008)
Grand Rapids, MI (October 29, 2008) – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins in a shootout tonight, 2-1 on the first game of a four-game road trip at Van Andel Arena in front of 2,854 fans. Rookie Nikita Filatov notched the only regulation goal and scored in the shootout, as did fellow Russian Maksim Mayorov. Freshman goaltender Steve Mason stopped all four shootout attempts and denied 32 of 33 bids in regulation en route to his first win in his first professional start.
Having not played each other since March 22 of last season, the Crunch and Griffins became reacquainted quickly as the Crunch controlled the early action despite getting outshot in the first frame by a 13-10 count. Mason looked sharp, especially on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 power play with two minutes left in the period.
Syracuse stepped out to a 1-0 lead on a pretty play starting with a great outlet pass by Jonathan Sigalet. Sigalet sprung Filatov along the right wing boards to a 2-on-0 break with Steve Kelly just 2:36 into the second stanza. Filatov fed Kelly, who gave it right back and Filatov feathered the one-time pass by the dragged left pad of Grand Rapids starter Jimmy Howard.
Grand Rapids answered at the 11:16 mark when Ryan Oulahan’s shot from the bottom of the left face-off circle snuck by the right skate of Mason to tie the game at 1-1.
Neither club scored for the rest of the second and all of the third period. The teams traded power play chances in the second half of the third, but neither could convert as the game headed to overtime.
Syracuse had a golden opportunity in the extra frame, but could not cash in on the power play when Justin Abdelkader took his third minor of the game.
Three Stars:
- Steve Mason – G (Crunch)
- Jimmy Howard – G (Grand Rapids)
- Nikita Filatov – C (Crunch)
CRUNCHABLES: Nikita Filatov scored his third goal in as many games with the Crunch with his first period tally…With an assist tonight, Jonathan Sigalet now has four points (1g, 3a) in his last three games…Sigalet also has a three game point-scoring streak…With his shootout goal tonight, Mayorov remains perfect (2-for-2) in shootouts this season…Steve Mason made his professional and Crunch debut and recorded his first professional win tonight…The Crunch are now 4-1-0-0 when getting outshot.
Photo Credit: Mark Newman
Photo Credit: Mark Newman