In the hunt
In 11th place at 53 points, Syracuse (22-23-4-5) is 13 points out of a playoff spot with one game in hand on eighth-place Albany (66pts). The Crunch have two games in hand on ninth-place Hershey (65pts) and 10th-place Bridgeport (57pts). The sixth and seventh-place teams, W-B/Scranton and Providence, have 67 points. Against the four teams below Syracuse in the standings (Worcester, Hartford, Adirondack and Portland), the Crunch have played only two games, winning both vs. Adirondack.
Last time out
Syracuse took leads of 1-0 and 4-1 but Adirondack never backed off and forced overtime with three goals in the third period including two in the final three minutes.
Richard Panik scored on the power play 1:37 into the extra frame to secure two standings points for the Crunch, the team's first overtime win this season (1-4). Four Crunch players had multi-point nights as Syracuse collected five goals for the third time in the last four contests.
Cedrick Desjardins earned his second consecutive win with 32 saves on 36 shots opposite his former teammate in Hamilton Yann Danis who made 32 saves on 37 shots. Syracuse's penalty kill allowed two goals for the first time since Jan. 26 at Bridgeport as Adirondack's 29th ranked power play was 2-for-4. Syracuse was 0-for-5 with a man up until converting in overtime.
Saturday's scorers
Panik, who scored Syracuse's last overtime game-winning goal at the War Memorial in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Portland last season, now has nine points in his last four games (3g, 6a) including three consecutive multi-point performances. He scored his first game-winning goal Saturday and assisted on the second of
Dana Tyrell's two goals;
Tanner Richard assisted on both of Tyrell's tallies.
Jon DiSalvatore also collected two points on the night, scoring the Crunch's fourth goal and assisting on Panik's game winner.
Mike Angelidis extended his season-long scoring streak to five games with an assist on a Phil Paradis goal in the second, a tip in a of a P.C. Labrie point drive.
Cedric Paquette marked the score sheet for the first time in five games with an assist on DiSalvatore's goal;
Brett Connolly also assisted, but his most notable play in the contest was a diving effort during Syracuse's overtime power play to keep the puck in the zone for
Matt Taormina who had a second assist on Panik's game winner.
Scouting the Phantoms
Kyle Flanagan, the nephew of Syracuse University women's hockey coach Paul Flanagan, impressed his uncle with two points Saturday vs. Syracuse. He and defenseman Mark Alt each had a goal and an assist. Tye McGinn scored his 17th of the season Saturday, one short of the team lead held by Jason Akeson. Also the team's leading scorer at 49 points, Akeson was held off the score sheet Saturday with a minus-1.
Kris Newbury, the Phantoms' second leading scorer at 33 points, is eligible to play Sunday after serving a four-game suspension following a brawl vs. Portland Feb. 16 for leaving the penalty box during the altercation.
The Phantoms have lost nine of their last 10 and sit 14th in the Eastern Conference. They have only three wins since Jan. 16 at 3-13-1-1 in 28 games during that span. They had won six of seven before that.
Special Teams
After going 1-for-27 on the power play in their previous five games, the Phantoms were 2-for-4 Saturday vs. Syracuse. Adirondack remains 29th in the AHL at 13.5% with the man advantage.
Syracuse's penalty kill, which ascended to 11th prior to Saturday's action with an 18-for-21 stretch, dropped to 14th (83.0%) after allowing two goals in four PK situations.
The Phantoms' second ranked penalty kill stopped the Crunch's first five chances, including an extended 5-on-3, but it surrendered the game-winning goal in overtime during Syracuse's sixth chance. That tally dropped Adirondack to third in the AHL at 87.0% on the kill.
Syracuse remains 23rd on the power play at 15.9%. The Crunch have generated three power play goals on 19 chances during their four-game win streak (15.8%)
