IceCaps Sweep Crunch with 5-1 Win

Published on December 11, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
St. John's IceCaps News Release


ST. JOHN'S, NL - Kyle MacKinnon scored his first and second goals of the season to lift the St. John's IceCaps to a 5-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch Wednesday night at Mile One Centre, as the IceCaps completed their first two-game series sweep at home this year.

Brenden Kichton, Zach Redmond, and Jason Jaffray also scored for St. John's, while Eric O'Dell chipped in with three assists. Eddie Pasquale made 25-of-26 saves in picking up the victory.

Philip-Michael Devos replied for Syracuse, which was outshot 36-26 in the contest. Cedrick Desjardins turned aside 31 is a losing effort.

Kichton made it 1-0 for the IceCaps at 12:47 of the opening frame, when he fired home his fifth of the season past Desjardins. Set up by O'Dell at the point, a pinching Kichton waltzed in the front of the net - holding onto the puck with patience, as Desjardins froze on the play - and backhanded it top shelf.

Just over two minutes into the second period, Redmond put the IceCaps ahead 2-0 on a give-and-go play with Jaffray. Carrying the puck out of his own zone with a head of steam, Redmond dished it to Jaffray before taking a return feed and wiring a wrister that beat Desjardins over the glove.

MacKinnon extended the IceCaps' lead to three only 23 seconds later, after he was sprung on the rush by O'Dell. Leading the two-on-one break, MacKinnon hesitated on the shot before launching it over the blocker of Desjardins to notch his first goal of the season.

Then, 24 seconds into the third period, MacKinnon picked up where he left off to make it 4-0 for St. John's. Buzzing in the Crunch zone, MacKinnon jumped on the loose puck in front of the net and buried it low glove side through Desjardins.

Syracuse struck back 3:37 into the third period, when Devos broke into the IceCaps zone on a two-on-one rush and best Pasquale high to make it 4-1.

With just over two minutes remaining in the contest, however, Jaffray scored a highlight-reel goal to put the IceCaps up 5-1. Dancing into the Syracuse zone, Jaffray undressed the Crunch defenseman en route to firing his ninth of the season short side past Desjardins.

St. John's will look to extend their winning streak to three Saturday night in Hamilton, when they kick off a mini two-game road trip against the Bulldogs at Copps Coliseum, before facing the Marlies in Toronto Sunday afternoon. Catch all the action with broadcaster Brian Rogers at www.stjohnsicecaps.com and on 930 AM This is Newfoundland Labrador, or watch online at www.ahllive.com. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. NT, with the pregame show getting underway a half-hour before.

Notes:

Zach Redmond is on a hot streak, having registered four points in the last two games... O'Dell, Redmond, Jaffray, and Ben Chiarot each finished the game +3... Not dressed for the IceCaps: Cody Lampl, Josh Lunden, Julian Melchiori, Travis Ehrhardt, Austen Brassard... Molson Canadian Three Stars: 1. Kyle MacKinnon, 2. Eric O'Dell, 3. Jason Jaffray... Mary Brown's Hardest Working Player: Jerome Samson.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2013


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