Crunch tips Amerks in OT

by Ed Gonser
Published on April 6, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL)

Rochester--They dig, they scrap and lately all they do is win. Jamie Heward scored the game winner with 10 seconds left in overtime to earn the Syracuse Crunch a 4-3 win over the Rochester Americans Friday at Blue Cross Arena in front of 11,103 disappointed Rochester fans.

"It was a set play off the faceoff that got a shot off but didn't work," Syracuse head coach Gary Agnew said about the game-winning goal. "The ensuing scramble worked well. (Mathieu) Darche found (Brad) Moran who in turn found Heward all alone in the slot."

Heward was in perfect position to receive Moran's pass from behind the Rochester goal and lifted a shot over the American's goalie Tom Askey's glove for the game-winner.

Syracuse set more team records Friday and needs one more victory to clinch the Western Conference Title.

Rochester had Syracuse hemmed in its own zone for much of the first two periods outshooting Syracuse 24-15.

But, good teams find a way to win. "We were lucky to get out of the first period," Agnew said. "They (Rochester) threw everything at us, they were a team possessed. They were playing at home and fighting for playoff position."

It was Syracuse that broke the ice first on a power play goal by Derrick Walser in the second period's final minute.

Walser stepped into a loose puck at the top of the faceoff circle to the right of Rochester goalie Tom Askey and blistered a shot to the far top corner through a maze of players in front of the net.

Mathieu Darche had a chanced to make it 2-0 just before the second period horn with a breakaway attempt on Askey but the Amerks goalie stoned the Crunch forward as the second period came to an end.

Walser's goal gave him the Syracuse team record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 23.

"It was a good third period for us," Agnew said. "It gave us a challenge to see whether we could come back on a team that scored two quick goals to take a lead. It showed we have good character."

Rochester drew even in the first minute of the third period. Christian Matte floated down the right wing and let go a howitzer from the top of the circle to the left of Syracuse goalie Jean-Francois Labbe. The cannon shot caught the far side.

The goal snapped Labbe's consecutive minute shutout string at 192 minutes, 40 seconds also a team record and only 57 minutes, 12 seconds short of setting an AHL record held by Johnny Bower with Cleveland in the 1957-58 season of 249 minutes, 51 seconds.

That Rochester goal opened the flood gates as both teams turned on the offensive machine.

Matte scored again at 2:11 before Syracuse tied the game on a goal by Preston Mizzi on an assist by Heward at 5:13 of the third.

The game didn't stay tied long. Francois Methot gave Rochester a 3-2 lead just 26 seconds later. Methot's shot handcuffed Labbe as it rolled up and over the Syracuse goalie's glove.

Jeremy Reich tied the game and set up the overtime heroics by Heward. Reich skated in the Rochester zone along the right boards and with a sudden burst of energy flew past Amerks' defenseman Doug Janik. Reich leaned into Janik as he went by and used him as a shoulder rest to get a shot to the short side's top corner at the midpoint of the period.

Heward's goal not only gave Syracuse its 38th win and 94 points, team records, it also gave Labbe his 200th AHL win. Labbe leads all modern day goalies in total career wins. "It was one of my goals at the beginning of the year," Labbe said. "It's nice, but just have to keep going now. We have two more games and everything looks good. We're playing well and we'll do some damage in the playoffs."

Labbe has nine shutouts this season. He will try for his 10th AHL record setting shutout tonight against the Albany River Rats in the final regular season home game at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Game time is 7:30. There will be a pregame ceremony to hand out end of year awards to the players.

Playoffs will start either Friday, April 12 or Saturday April 13 depending on the opponent. Syracuse will have home ice advantage for at least the first two rounds.

American Hockey League Stories from April 6, 2002

• Crunch tips Amerks in OT - OSC Original by Ed Gonser
• Griffins Claim West Division Title - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Syracuse Crunch Clinch Western Conference Title - Syracuse Crunch
• Phantoms win sixth straight AHL attendance title - Adirondack Phantoms
• Phantoms and AHL Hand Out Annual Awards - Adirondack Phantoms
• Ducks and Barons fit to be tied - Cincinnati RailRaiders
• Phantoms down Norfolk 4-2 - Adirondack Phantoms
• Langfeld to Return to Griffins Lineup - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Mighty Ducks-Barons Preview - Cincinnati RailRaiders
• Columbus Recalls Mathieu Darche - Syracuse Crunch
• Penguins Lose to Philadelphia, 5-3 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

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