AHL Syracuse Crunch

Late Goal Lifts Crunch to 2-1 Victory Over Rochester

Published on January 15, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY - Patrick Maroon scored the game-winning goal on the power play with 49 seconds left in regulation, Timo Pielmeier stopped 27 of 28 shots and Mark Mitera added a first period goal, propelling the Syracuse Crunch to a 2-1 win over I-90 rival Rochester tonight in front of a sellout crowd of 6,173 fans at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena.

The win was the first at home for the Crunch since December 19 and tonight marked the first game for Syracuse at The War Memorial at Oncenter since December 28 after finishing up a season-high seven game road trip last night in Hamilton.

The Crunch came out buzzing to start the game and got on the board first on a great individual effort by recently-name AHL All-Star Kyle Palmieri.

Palmieri's hard work created a turnover down low and the 19-year old rookie used his vision to throw a pass out to Mitera at the point. Mitera took advantage of some open ice, skated in a few strides in and sniped a wrist shot past Tyler Plante to give the Crunch a 1-0 lead. Syracuse outshot Rochester 13-11 in the game's first 20 minutes.

The score stayed that way until the Crunch ran into penalty trouble about halfway through the second period, when Mitera's errant high-stick caught Michal Repik in the face, causing a laceration. Mitera was given a double-minor on the play and Rochester cashed in at the 8:11 mark when Keaton Ellerby punched home a rebound at the side of the net past the outstretched arms of Pielmeier to make it a 1-1 contest.

The Crunch were able to kill off the remaining two minutes, as the second stanza ended in a 1-1 tie with Syracuse holding a 25-20 shots advantage through two.

The Crunch almost took the lead back about five minutes into the third period when Nicolas Deschamps chipped the puck up to Nick Bonino, sending the rookie center in on a breakaway. Bonino faked to his forehand, but Plante denied him with a great right pad save to keep it deadlocked.

Again Syracuse controlled most of the action in the third period and were rewarded for their effort when A.J. Jenks was called for tripping at the 17:29 mark. That penalty set up Maroon's winning marker, when he poked a one-timer from the left side of the cage past Plante off a perfect feed from Josh Green.

Bonino was called for delay of game after closing his hand on the puck with 25 seconds left in regulation, but the Crunch were able to kill off the remaining time and skate away with the win.

The Crunch get right back to action with a 4 p.m. matinee match-up on Sunday, January 16 vs. Adirondack at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2011


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