D'Agostini leads 'Dogs to victory

March 16, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hamilton Bulldogs News Release


SYRACUSE, NY - Matt D'Agostini scored four goals, including the game-winner with only 18 seconds left in overtime, as the Hamilton Bulldogs downed the Syracuse Crunch 5-4 on Friday night at the Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter. With the win, Hamilton's record improves to 37-22-3-4 on the season.

The Crunch opened the scoring on the power play at 5:22 of the first period when Joakim Lindstrom posted his 18th goal of the season. Lindstrom one-timed a pass from Andy Canzanello into the back of the Bulldogs net.

On a 5-on-3 power play at 9:43 of the opening frame, Hamilton evened the score 1-1 courtesy of D'Agostini's 15th tally of the campaign. D'Agostini, who was trying to centre the puck in front of the Syracuse net, banked in a pass off a Crunch defender.

D'Agostini notched two more goals in the second period to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. At the 4:57 mark, D'Agostini took a pass from Francis Lemieux and beat goaltender Dan LaCosta with a high wrist shot. Then on the power play at 9:46 of the frame, D'Agostini picked up the hat trick by tipping in a pass from Corey Locke at the side of the Crunch net.

The Crunch responded with two goals in the middle stanza to tie the game 3-3. Jeffrey Szwez (12:50) and Ryan Keller (16:53) were the goal scorers.

At 3:18 of the third period, Lemieux gave Hamilton the lead with his fifth goal of the season and third point of the night. Lemieux danced around a Crunch defender and their goaltender before potting an unassisted goal to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 advantage.

Syracuse replied again just 6:22 later when Jekabs Redlihs evened the score 4-4. Redlihs beat a screened ‘Dogs netminder Yann Danis with a shot from the point on the power play.

With only 18 seconds left in overtime and the Bulldogs on a power play, D'Agostini registered his fourth goal of the game to lift Hamilton to a 5-4 win. Locke earned his third assist on the night by setting up the game-winning goal.

Notes:

- D'Agostini became the first Hamilton player in franchise history to record four goals in a single game on the road. It was also the first time a Bulldogs player reached that mark since former ‘Dog Jozef Balej posted four goals on December 28th, 2003 against the St. John's Maple Leafs at Copps Coliseum.

- Eric Manlow played in his 800th career professional hockey game. In 11 years as a pro, Manlow has played in the IHL, ECHL, AHL and NHL.

- Francis Lemieux had a goal and two assists in his first game back in the Bulldogs line-up after missing the 11 previous contests due to injury.



American Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2007


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