AHL Syracuse Crunch

Chaput Shocks Former Team to Lift Crunch to 3-2 Win

Published on December 5, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY (December 5, 2010) - Stefan Chaput (sha-POO) tallied the game-winning goal with 2:23 left in regulation against his former team, while Patrick Maroon added two points (1g, 1a) and Trevor Smith scored his third goal in two games to lift the Syracuse Crunch to a 3-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers this afternoon at Time Warner Cable Arena. Timo Pielmeier stopped 34 of 36 shots and was named the game's first star for his effort.

Chaput started the season with Charlotte but was traded along with Matt Kennedy from the Carolina organization to the Anaheim organization in exchange for Ryan Carter on November 23. The win was the Crunch's second in the last three games and snapped a three-game road losing streak, their first win away from The Oncenter War Memorial Arena since a 3-0 triumph over Albany on November 12.

Maroon got the scoring started at the 5:42 mark of the first when he beat Charlotte starter Justin Pogge on the power play to give the Crunch a 1-0 lead. The goal was Maroon's second in five games as a member of the Crunch and seventh overall on the season.

Jerome Samson took advantage of a defensive zone turnover by the Crunch, went in alone on Pielmeier and snapped a shot to the top right corner to tie the game at 1-1 at the 11:19 mark of the second period.

Just under a minute after Charlotte knotted the score, Mat Clark took a holding penalty and the Checkers took advantage of the power play opportunity when Chris Terry blasted a slapper past Pielmeier from the left point to make it 2-1.

The score stayed that way until Smith got a piece of Maroon's wrister and the puck slipped by Pogge to deadlock the score at 2-2 just over two and a half minutes into the third frame.

It looked as if the game was headed to overtime, until Chaput swatted in a rebound from a Nicoals Deschamps shot during a pileup in front of the cage with just 2:23 left in regulation. Charlotte pulled Pogge for the extra attacker with just over a minute to play, but the Crunch held on for the win.

The Crunch continue their four-game road trip by facing Charlotte in the second of back-to-back games on Monday, December 6 at 7 p.m. Syracuse returns home to The Oncenter War Memorial Arena on Friday, December 10 vs. Adirondack at 7:30 p.m.

Syracuse returns home to The Oncenter War Memorial Arena on Friday, December 10 vs. Adirondack at 7:30 p.m.

CRUNCHABLES: Six of the Crunch's eight wins have been decided by one goal.17 of the Crunch's 23 games this season have been decided by one goal.Syracuse improved to 6-5-1-1 against East Division opponents this season.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from December 5, 2010


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