Syracuse, NY (February 4, 2012) –  Multiple point games from Patrick Maroon and Kyle Palmieri were not enough to lift the Crunch over their I-90 rivals, as the Crunch fell 5-4 in overtime to the Rochester Americans tonight at the War Memorial Arena.

Rochester's Paul Szcezechura recorded a hat-trick as the Crunch fell to 19-18-4-3 on the season.

The Americans took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission thanks to a goal from Szcezechura. With less than four minutes to play in the opening frame Szcezechura tapped a cross-crease pass from Marcus Foligno past Crunch netminder Marco Cousineau for the game's first tally.

With Rochester's Dennis  Persson serving a two minute high-sticking penalty, Maroon evened the score with a power-play goal at the 4:47 mark of the second period. Luca Caputi added an even-strength goal just 40 seconds later to put the Crunch ahead 2-1.

Crunch left winger Josh Brittain extended the Crunch's lead to 3-1, with his first career AHL goal, at the 13:08 mark of the second stanza. Rochester closed the gap less than a minute later, when a goal from Phil Varone made it 3-2.

Peter Holland sent the Crunch into the locker room with a two-goal lead thanks to his 16^th goal of the season at the 14:25 mark of the second period. Maroon registered his team leading 14^th multiple-point game of the season by picking up the second assist on Holland's goal.

Rochester made it a one-goal game when Travis Turnbull's shot beat Cousineau  at the 7:49 mark of the third period and Szcezechura  tied the game, with his second goal of the night, at the 15:53 mark of the third.

Szcezechura capped his hat trick with the game-winning goal 3:53 into the extra session.  

Crunchables:  The Crunch have points in three of their last four games…Matt Smaby has an assist in two consecutive games…Luca Caputi has 13 points in 13 games with the Crunch…Drew MacIntyre has allowed eight goals in his past two starts against the Crunch