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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Outlast Penguins 4-2

January 8, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Wilkes-Barre, PA - Brett Connolly and Jon DiSalvatore each chipped in three points as the Syracuse Crunch defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-2 tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Connolly and DiSalvatore each recorded a goal and two assists while goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 24 of 26 shots to lift the Crunch to 15-14-2-3 on the season and 10-7-2-1 away from the War Memorial. The Crunch now trail the Penguins 2-4-0-0 in the season series.

The Crunch took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission on the strength of two power-play goals. Vladislav Namestnikov opened the scoring by capitalizing on a five-on-three man advantage 13:17 into the period. Still on the power play, thirty seconds later, DiSalvatore redirected a Connolly shot past Penguins netminder Jeff Deslauriers to double the Crunch lead. The goal was DiSalvatore's first as a member of the Crunch.

Another two goals in a one minute span doubled the Crunch lead halfway through the middle frame. Connolly scored his ninth goal of the season and third point of the net 8:04 into the period. Nikita Nesterov's shot went wide of the net but bounced off the glass to Connolly who was able to sneak it past Deslauriers for a 3-0 Crunch lead. Cedric Paquette made it 4-0 after scoring on his own rebound 8:59 into the second period. The goal prompted the Penguins to make a goalie change, bringing in Eric Hartzell in relief of Deslauriers. Deslauriers allowed four goals on 17 shots.

The Penguins got on the board late in the second period with a goal from Phillip Samuelsson. A long pass from Denver Manderson hit Samuelsson as he was exiting the penalty box, springing him for a one-on-one with Gudlevskis. Samuelsson scored on the breakaway cutting the Crunch lead to 4-1 with 2:21 to play in the period.

Samuelsson cut the Penguins deficit in half with his second goal of the night 15:11 into the final frame. Gudlevskis made the initial save on a Tom Kuhnhackl shot but Samuelsson scored on the rebound.

The Crunch will conclude a season-high stretch of five consecutive road games in Providence on Jan. 10.

CRUNCHABLES: Defenseman Joey Mormina has five points in his last three games (2g, 3a) ... Brett Connolly extended his point streak to eight consecutive games...Connolly has 16 points (7g, 9a) over the past eight games and three consecutive multi-point games...Including tonight, Connolly has scored the game-winning goal in the Crunch's last four wins...With one goal tonight Vladislav Namestnikov has 25 points on the season, surpassing Nikita Kucherov (24 points) for the team lead...

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