.jpg)
Crunch Edge Amerks
Syracuse, NY, (Saturday, April 4, 2009)
Syracuse, NY (April 4, 2009) – Nick Holden’s five-on-three goal at the 7:44 mark of the third period held up as the game-winner, as the Syracuse Crunch never trailed and defeated the Rochester Americans for the 11th straight time at home tonight, 3-2, in front of a raucous 6,117 fans at the War Memorial at Oncenter.
After losing to Rockford in a shootout last night despite out-shooting the Ice Hogs by a 43-29 margin, the Crunch wanted to make up ground in the North Division playoff race against their arch-rivals.
Syracuse got off to a good start when Maksim Mayorov notched his second goal in as many games just under five minutes into the opening frame.
After taking a pass from Craig MacDonald, Mayorov skated in down the right said and cut back to the middle of the ice. Mayorov was able to gain a step on the Amerks defenseman and fired a shot to the top left corner over the shoulder of David Shantz.
Kevin Lalande made 13 saves in the first period as the Crunch out-shot Rochester 14-13.
The Crunch held the lead until Randall Gelech put Rochester on the board at the 8:50 mark of the second.
Shawn Matthias’ wraparound attempt was originally denied by Lalande, but Gelech swooped in to poke in the rebound to make it 1-1.
The Crunch re-took the lead when Alexandre Picard scored his 18th goal in 19 games. The power play marker came when Grant Clitsome’s wrister from the point created a rebound. Picard used his size to get to the disk and swatted a backhand through the five-hole of Shantz to give Syracuse the 2-1 edge.
Resilient Rochester battled back to knot the game once again just under six minutes later.
Michael Caruso’s shot from the point found its way through traffic and clanged off the right post. The rebound came right to Janis Sprukts, who slipped a backhand by Lalande to make it 2-2.
Syracuse took the lead again, this time for good on a 5-on-3 advantage when Kenndal McArdle and Michal Repik were both called for hooking penalties at the 6:06 and 7:08 marks, respectively.
Holden took a pass from Mike York in the low slot and snapped a shot off the bottom of the crossbar that fell straight down and spun over the goal line to give put the Crunch up 3-2.
Lalande stopped 26 of 28 shots in the game to earn his ninth win in 13 tries for the Crunch.
CRUNCHABLES: Derek MacKenzie stretched his point streak to six games (1g, 5a) and his assist streak to five games…The Crunch moved to 20-9-4-3 in one-goal games this season…Syracuse improved its record at home against North Division opponents to 15-4-2-0...The last time the Crunch lost to the Amerks at the War Memorial at Oncenter was April 14, 2007…Nick Holden’s goal tonight was his first in 17 games.