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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Down Penguins in Wilkes-Barre

November 16, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Wilkes-Barre, PA (November 16, 2008) - Playing their fourth game in five nights, the Syracuse Crunch defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight, 4-3, on the strength of two goals from Derek MacKenzie, his second coming with just 36 seconds left in regulation.

The Crunch did not get off to the start they had hoped for, as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got on the board with two markers in the first 3:21 of the opening frame.

The Penguins got things started when Finland native Janne Pesonen won a battle in the corner, worked his way to the front of the net and beat Crunch starter Dan LaCosta with a backhand high to the glove side to make it 1-0 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Jeffe Taffe notched his tenth goal of the campaign just one minute, eight seconds later. Taffe found himself open for a split second in front of the Crunch's net and took a perfect pass from teammate Ryan Stone, who was set up along the goal line to the left of LaCosta. Stone punched the puck past LaCosta for a 2-0 advantage.

As they have all season long, the Crunch answered back after falling behind early. Mike York started the play, as he skated the puck up ice and pulled up at the top of the left face-off circle. York patiently found John Vigilante on the right side trailing the play and sent a bullet of a cross-ice pass over to him which he one-timed past Penguins starter John Curry to cut the Crunch's deficit to 2-1.

The Crunch opened up the second stanza and killed off the final nine seconds of a carry-over Penguins power play. Syracuse then tied the game on a quick strike goal 6:36 into the frame.

Andrey Plekhanov corralled the puck at the right point and let go a laser that was beautifully tipped by Craig MacDonald and deflected over the left shoulder of Curry to knot the game at 2-2.

The game opened up the last half of the second and the Crunch were denied on a partial shorthanded 2-on-0 break with about three minutes left as Adam Pineault's pass went off the skate of Trevor Frischmon, who couldn't get a handle on it.

After giving up two first period markers, LaCosta turned away all seven Wilkes-Barre/Scranton bids in the second frame to keep the Baby Pens at bay.

The Crunch took a 3-2 lead on a power play goal from MacKenzie at the 13:27 mark of the third. York centered a feed and on his second whack, MacKenzie chipped a backhand past Curry to give Syracuse its first lead in the game.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had an answer on a power play of its own just two and a half minutes later. Chris Minard took a feed in the right corner, stepped out in front and buried a shot under the crossbar to tie the game at 3-3.

But, the Crunch would not go quietly, as MacKenzie buried his second of the game with just 36 seconds left in the contest. Aaron Rome waited until a Penguins defender went down and took a shot. MacKenzie found the rebound and put it past Curry for the 4-3 lead.

CRUNCHABLES: With three assists tonight, Mike York now has nine points (1g, 8a) over his last six games...The Crunch are 8-0-0-0 when tied or leading after two periods...Kris Russell has five points (2g, 3a), over his last four games.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 16, 2008


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