AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Fall in Physical 4-1 Loss to Albany

Published on March 13, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Albany, NY (March 13, 2011) - The Syracuse Crunch saw their season-high four-game win streak snapped this afternoon in a fight-filled affair, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Albany Devils at the Times Union Center. Brian McGrattan scored the Crunch's lone goal, his fifth in as many games, while Nathan Perkovich tallied twice for the home team.

The game saw a combined 122 minutes in penalties and eight total fights, with the Crunch collecting a season-high 60 penalty minutes in the losing effort.

With both teams playing their third game in three days, Albany looked like the fresher team early and jumped all over the Crunch in the first period.

Albany leaped out to a 1-0 lead just 2:32 into the game after Tim Sestito was able to chip a loose puck out in front to Perkovich, who swatted a backhand past J.P. Levasseur. That goal broke the Crunch's streak of scoring first in five straight games.

Albany took a two-goal lead about five and a half minutes later, just as the Crunch's first power play of the game expired. Chris Murray connected with Chad Wiseman on a long stretch pass, sending the Burlington, Ontario native in on a breakaway. Wiseman made no mistake and slipped a backhand through the legs of Levasseur to make it 2-0.

The Devils weren't done and went up 3-0 at the 16:46 mark of the first after Sestito made a nice move down the left wing boards and feathered a pass in front to Perkovich who re-directed it into the cage for his second of the game. Albany outshot the Crunch 17-5 in the first.

The Crunch came out flying in the second period and finally got on the board at the 4:31 mark. Nicolas Deschamps poked the puck up the right wing boards to McGrattan, who skated in a few strides and snapped a sharp-angle shot through the pads of Mike McKenna to cut the Crunch deficit to 3-1.

After a first period that saw just two penalties called, Patrick Maroon fought Olivier Magnan just 28 seconds in, setting the tone for a very chippy and physical rest of the game.

Just over three minutes later, Mat Clark and Chris Murray went at it in front of the Albany bench. Tempers also flared between Sean Zimmerman and David McIntyre after a whistle at the 10:44 mark, as they were also both given five minutes each for fighting.

Although the Crunch dominated the second period and outshot Albany 14-3, they could only manage the one goal as the score remained 3-1 after 40 minutes of play.

Albany re-took a three-goal lead and went up 4-1 just 2:28 into the third, when Pierre-Luc Letourneau Leblond put a rebound past Timo Pielmeier, who replaced Levasseur to start the second period and stopped 16 of 17 shots in 40 minutes of relief work.

That was the end of the scoring, as the game continued get more physical, starting at the 5:29 mark when John Kurtz pummeled Louis Robitaille, again resulting in fighting majors for both players. Robitaille was also given a 10-minute misconduct on the play.

The main event came just five minutes later, when heavyweights McGrattan and Letourneau-Leblond went toe-to-toe in a lengthy bout, resulting in two tired combatants after the linesmen stepped in.

These two clubs meet again on Wednesday, March 16 at 7 p.m. at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena.

CRUNCHABLES: McGrattan now has five goals in six games with the Crunch after scoring four goals in 39 previous games with Providence this season.Timo Pielmeier made his first appearance tonight since February 26 vs. Hamilton.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2011


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