Crunch's Leclaire wins second in a row

by Ed Gonser
Published on March 5, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)

Syracuse, (March 5, 2003) -- Pascal Leclaire made 29 saves for the Syracuse Crunch in a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phantoms Wednesday in American Hockey League action.

It was the second strong performance between the pipes in as many games for the rookie netminder.

Leclaire's shutout bid was dashed early in the third period. Philadelphia (25-28-5-4) had a two-man advantage when Peter White one-timed a goal-mouth pass by Mark Greig just past the five-minute mark for the Phantoms only goal.

Syracuse forward Matt Davidson converted the first goal of the game at 11:42 of the opening period with the Crunch shorthanded. Davidson intercepted the puck just outside the Syracuse blueline, kicked it onto his stick and went in all alone on Philadelphia goalie Antero Niittymaki, firing the puck between the goalie's pads.

It was the 16th shorthanded goal of the season for Syracuse (19-35-6-4), setting a new franchise record.

It also tied Davidson for the most career shorthanded goals on the team with six.

Philadelphia helped Syracuse inadvertently on the second Crunch goal. Paul Traynor's hard shot from the point went off the back of Phantoms' defenseman Brad Tiley early in the second period and past Niittymaki.

Derrick Walser put Syracuse up by three with 81 seconds left in the second. Walser blistered a shot from the edge of the left faceoff circle. Niittymaki had it hit his right pad, but the shot had enough power to carry on past the goal line.

Philadelphia has dropped four of its last five games while Syracuse has put together back-to-back victories.

The win, No. 19 of the year, for Syracuse eclipsed the 18-win season by the 1998-99 team which ranks as the worst in franchise history.

After the game, as the team boarded a bus for Montreal and a flight Thursday morning for St. John's, Duvie Westcott headed back to the Columbus after being recalled by the parent Bluejackets.

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