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Home Crowd Watches Crunch Extend Win

December 20, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Crunch (19-7-3-0) defeated the Albany Devils (13-10-1-4), 3-2, Saturday at the War Memorial Arena and extended their win streak to nine games, the club's longest in six years. Kristers Gudlevskis won his fifth consecutive start making 26 saves. Syracuse holds first place in the Northeast Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

Vladislav Namestnikov recorded the game-winning goal on the power play at 9:30 of the second period, becoming the ninth different player to score a game winner during the nine-game streak. Nikita Nesterov and Jerome Samson collected assists.

Namestnikov provided an assist on a first-period power-play goal from Mike Angelidis which opened the scoring at 8:41. Jonathan Marchessault had the primary helper and tied Yanni Gourde for the Crunch scoring lead at 24 points.

Syracuse's 2-for-7 power-play effort marked the second time this season the Crunch recorded multiple power-play goals in the same game.

An even-strength give-and-go with Angelidis and Mike Blunden created Syracuse's second goal at 13:34 of the first. The goal was Blunden's fifth of the season, while the assist for Angelidis gave him his fifth multi-point game and 17 points for the year (11g, 6a).

The Devils power play was 1-for-4 and converted at 7:32 of the second to pull within 2-1. A center-point drive from Reid Boucher eluded Gudlevskis' glove with Joe Whitney and Reece Scarlett assisting. Two minutes later, Namestnikov's fourth goal in eight games with Syracuse this year reasserted the Crunch's two-goal advantage.

Paul Thompson again the drew the Devils within a goal at 7:56 of the third, scoring his team-leading 13th goal with the setup from Graham Black.

After 18 penalties were assessed in the first two periods, only one was called in the third as the Devils gathered momentum, but Gudlevskis stopped nine of 10 shots in the final frame and 26 of 28 in the game to secure his 11th win (11-4-0). Scott Wedgewood made 28 saves in defeat (4-5-1).

The Crunch rest for the holiday break, returning to action Friday with another home game against Albany, the third of eight meetings this season. The prior matchup was a Nov. 12 shootout win for Syracuse, 3-2, in Albany.

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