AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Bite Bears, End 2010 with 4-2 win at Hershey

Published on December 31, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Hershey, PA - Timo Pielmeier made a season-high 45 saves on 47 shots, Dan Sexton scored the game-winner and three players recorded a multiple-point game for the visitors, helping the Syracuse Crunch snap a three-game losing streak and end 2010 on a good note, defeating the Hershey Bears by a 4-2 final tonight on New Year's Eve in front of 9,876 fans at the Giant Center.

The Crunch did not waste any time ending their 143:04 goal draught and scored the game's first goal just 3:11 into the contest when John Mitchell stole the puck in the offensive zone, spun around and whipped a shot past Dany Sabourin to give the Crunch the early 1-0 lead.

After just getting out of the box about a minute after taking a tripping penalty, Trevor Smith more than made up for it when he found his own rebound on the left side of the net and put the second effort by Sabourin to stake the Crunch to a 2-0 lead at the 11:25 mark of the first period.

Hershey cut the Crunch lead to 2-1 about three and a half minutes later when Kyle Greentree cashed in the power play when he rifled an Andrew Gordon pass to the top left corner past a sprawling Pielmeier at the 15-minute mark.

The Crunch took a 3-1 lead when Josh Green notched his seventh of the season after shuffling home a pass from Patrick Maroon on the power play just 1:21 into the third period.

Syracuse extended its lead exactly six minutes later when Sexton corralled the puck off an offensive zone face-off and centered a feed intended for Nicolas Deschamps that deflected in off a Hershey defenseman to make it a 4-1 Crunch lead.

Hershey got one back and made it 4-2 when reigning AHL MVP Keith Aucoin deflected a Sean Collins shot past Pielmeier at the 8:09 mark.

The Bears pressed hard for the equalizer down the stretch, including pulling Holtby with about two minutes left in regulation, but Pielmeier was brilliant, stopping 21 total third period shots en route to being named the game's first star to seal the 4-2 win.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2010


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