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Crunch Fall to Rochester in Overtime
Syracuse, NY, (Saturday, October 24, 2009)
Syracuse, NY (October 24, 2009) – After scoring the game’s first two goals, the Crunch couldn’t hang on as Rochester fought back to earn a 3-2 overtime win tonight at the War Memorial at Oncenter, the first time Rochester has defeated the Crunch in Syracuse since April 14, 2007, a span of 12 games.
The game started out well as the Crunch took a 1-0 lead almost exactly halfway through the first period when Tim Miller tipped home a shot from the point by Nick Holden past Rochester starter Alexander Salak. Jon Mirasty also picked up an assist on the play, his first point since recording a helper on March 29, 2008 vs. Lake Erie, a span of 71 games.
Maksim Mayorov extended the Crunch lead to 2-0 just over four minutes later when he beat Salak high glove-side to net his second goal of the season.
Rochester brought it back to within a goal at the 17:08 mark of the first thanks to a power play goal from Jimmy Bonneau, who deflected in a point shot from Keaton Ellerby past Dan LaCosta to make it 2-1.
The game became physical in the second period. Tom Sestito received an aggressor penalty, good for a five-minute fighting major and a game misconduct and Rochester’s Kenndal McArdle received a game misconduct for a third-man-in violation during an altercation in the corner.
On the ensuing Amerks’ power play, Crunch defenseman Mike Ratchuk took a cross-checking penalty to give Rochester a full two-minute 5-on-3 power play. Although the Amerks had the puck in the Syracuse zone for almost the entire two-man advantage, the Crunch were able to kill it off, highlighted by a spectacular glove save by LaCosta to preserve the 2-1 lead.
The Crunch led 2-1 going into the second intermission, even though they were outshot by an 11-5 margin.
Rochester broke through with an equalizing goal by Jamie Johnson with just over seven minutes to play. It was Johnson’s first goal of the season.
For the rest of the third period, neither team backed off and each loose puck turned into a hard-fought battle. The Crunch earned a late power play when Shawn Matthias went off for goaltender interference with 3:47 left in regulation, but Syracuse could not capitalize and the game went into overtime.
Although LaCosta continued his strong goaltending into overtime, he was unable to stop Rochester’s Michal Repik from slamming home the game-winning goal with only 34 seconds to play.
CRUNCHABLES: Alexandre Picard skated in his 200th AHL and Crunch game tonight…Nick Holden played in his first game of the season and notched his first point, an assist on Miller’s first period goal…The Crunch’s three-game home winning streak was snapped tonight…Johnson’s goal was the first goal allowed by the Crunch in the third period at home this season…Captain Derek MacKenzie, Jonathan Sigalet, and Tom Sestito all had their three game point streaks come to an end, and Alexandre Picard had his season-high five-game streak snapped.