Griffins hold off gritty Syracuse

by Ed Gonser
February 17, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)

Syracuse, (February 17, 2003)--The Grand Rapids Griffins continue to roll along on top of the American Hockey League's Western Conference Central Division, but for the cellar dwelling Syracuse Crunch, the latest victims to the Griffins scoring machine, is it fair? Or is it fate?

The Syracuse Crunch battled for 58 minutes Monday. A two minute defensive lapse in the second period allowed Jason Williams to score a pair of goals, including the game winner, for the Griffins in a 4-3 win over the Crunch Monday as goalie Marc Lamothe came back to thwart his former mates.

The loss wasn't for a lack of effort. While Syracuse was hitting sticks, skates and posts Grand Rapids shots found their way through the maze of bodies like a guidance system on a missile's warhead.

When the Crunch did get a good look at an open part of the net the lanky Lamothe threw his pad or blocker in harms way to make the save.

Williams took advantage of Syracuse defensive miscues on both of his second period goals. Williams took a pass from Tomas Kopecky at the Syracuse blueline and skated in all alone putting the puck past Crunch goalie Karl Goehring with just over five minutes left in the period.

The game winner was a blistering one-timer by Williams after an errand clearing attempt by Syracuse forward Kevin Colley just 95 seconds later.

The goals by Williams were his 11th and 12th in his last nine games, a new Grand Rapids team record.

The Griffins jumped out to a two-goal lead on goals by Philippe Plante and Ryan Barnes before the game was four minutes old.

Syracuse answered with a pair of goals of its own by Paul Traynor and Kent McDonell as the first period ended deadlocked at two..

Syracuse determined to put an end to the losing skid played two men short for the first five minutes of the third period but a great penalty killing effort kept Grand Rapids from scoring.

Syracuse turned up the heat and buzzed the Griffins net and it paid off in a goal by Mathieu Darche. Darche standing on Grand Rapids' goalie Marc Lamothe's doorstep banged the puck over the goal line with six minutes left in the third.

It was the fourth straight win for Grand Rapids (33-14-8-2) and fourth straight defeat for Syracuse (16-31-6-3).

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