AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch come one point closer to playoffs but fall 5-4 to Admirals in overtime

Published on March 29, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Crunch moved one point closer to a playoff berth but fell 5-4 in overtime to the Norfolk Admrials tonight.

By earning a point in tonight's contest the Crunch maintain their East Division lead with 87 points and an overall record of 39-19-4-5. Syracuse drops their road record to 23-10-0-2 and season record against the Admirals to 4-0-1-1.

Syracuse had a 3-1 lead early in the third period before surrendering four unanswered goals to Norfolk. Admirals' left wing Patrick Maroon completed a hat trick 1:41 into overtime to secure the Admirals win.

Brett Connolly opened the scoring 3:51 into the opening frame when his cross-crease shot from the left wing trickled past Norfolk goaltender Frederik Andersen for Connolly's 27th goal of the season. Eric Neilson doubled the Crunch lead with 3:53 to play in the first period. Neilson deflected a Danick Gauthier point shot past Andersen for his first goal of the season and a 2-0 Crunch lead.

Maroon scored his first goal of the night by beating Crunch netminder Riku Helenius five-hole on a wrap-around attempt with 14 seconds to play in the first period.

Alex Hutchings extended the Crunch lead to two goals with 1:01 to play in the second stanza. Andersen made the initial save on a JP Cote point shot before Hutchings was in the right place to hammer home the rebound for a 3-1 lead after forty minutes.

The Crunch began the third period with Dan Sexton scoring 10 seconds into the frame for a 4-1 Crunch lead. Sexton's goal was the fastest goal to start a period by the Crunch this season.

Norfolk responded with two goals in quick succession to keep it a one-goal contest. Devante Smith-Pelly tapped in a cross-crease pass from Brandon McMillan fifty seconds into the third period mark and Chris Wagner converted on a breakaway at the 2:46 mark to make it 4-3.

Maroon scored his second goal of the night to tie the game 8:49 into the third period. The left winger tipped a Nate Guenin shot from the left point past Helenius for the power-play tally. Maroon completed the hat trick and Admirals comeback with his third goal of the night 1:41 into the extra session.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2013


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