Game Notes: 2/27/08 v. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Crunch Stymied by Penguins in a Shootout
Wilkes-Barre, Pa (January 27, 2008) – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight, 2-1 in a shootout at Wachovia Arena in front of 7,012 fans.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were looking to score their first goal in over 60 minutes on Crunch starter Karl Goehring, who turned in a 21-save performance in Saturday’s 1-0 Crunch victory. They were able to do that on the power play when Tim Brent’s wrist shot from the left point eluded Goehring and found the back of the net just seven and a half minutes into the first period.
The Crunch had an answer at the 13:30 mark. In an odd-looking play, Brett Motherwell’s floater from the point was gloved by Penguins starter John Curry. Curry went to seemingly play the puck to one of his defensemen, but gave the puck away to Alexandre Picard. Picard took a couple of whacks at it and was able to stuff his second attempt past Curry to tie the game at 1-1.
After a shaky start, Goehring came up big for the Crunch the rest of the first period. He stopped Crunch killer Nathan Smith on a breakaway in a 4-on-4 situation with about five minutes to go in the frame. He turned aside 12 of 13 shots in the period.
The second period got a little heated about five minutes in. Derek Dorsett and Paul Bissonnette had a scrap just over four minutes into the period. Just 30 seconds later, Jon Mirasty and Dennis Bonvie went toe to toe. The Penguins ended up with a power play as Mirasty took an extra minor for roughing, but could not convert.
It appeared that the Penguins re-took the lead late in the period when Tim Brent’s wrister seemed to go in and out of the net as the goal light came on. Referee Francois St. Laurent ruled that the puck never crossed the line and the game stayed tied.
With one minute to go in the frame, Connor James was awarded a penalty shot as he broke in shorthanded and fell to the ice after a stick check from Clay Wilson. Goehring was there to stone James and deny Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s second breakaway opportunity of the night to keep it even through two.
Neither team could break through on the score sheet in the third period as Goehring and Curry were both good, turning away 14 and 7 shots, respectively. The score was deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation.
Both teams had chances in overtime, including a backhand shot by Zenon Konopka that he thought he had scored on but was denied by Curry. After a scoreless overtime, the game went to a shootout.
In the shootout, Joakim Lindstrom notched the only goal for Syracuse on his first attempt. Curry denied Crunch shooters in each of the next eight rounds and Dave Gove and Kurtis McLean each beat Goehring to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the 2-1 win. Goehring stopped 36 of 37 shots in regulation and overtime and 7 of 9 shootout attempts in the loss.
CRUNCHABLES: Alexandre Picard broke a 10-game goal draught with his first period tally…Center Derick Brassard played his first game for the Crunch since being returned by Columbus yesterday…Crunch left wing Joakim Lindstrom wore the ‘A’ as an alternate captain in place of Derek MacKenize, who was called up to Columbus…Brett Motherwell recorded his first point in 14 games with an assist on Picard’s first period goal…The Crunch have now played five extra-session games in their last 10…The Crunch are now 1-5 in shootouts this season.