AHL Syracuse Crunch

Newcomer Lalande Backstops Crunch to Crucial Win Over Toronto

March 11, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY (March 11, 2009) - Recent pick-up Kevin Lalande made 32 saves on 33 shots, as the Syracuse Crunch defeated the Toronto Marlies tonight, 3-1, to move within three points of the final playoff spot in the North Division in front of 3,890 fans at the War Memorial at Oncenter.

Coming off consecutive road losses to Hamilton and Albany on Saturday and Sunday, the Crunch needed a fast start in this crucial four point swing game in the North Division playoff race.

Although out-shot by a 15-8 margin in the opening period, the Crunch scored the frame's only goal six minutes in.

Trevor Frischmon worked the puck deep to Tom Sestito, who made a strong move to the goal mouth from behind the net.

Sestito found an open Maksim Mayorov on the right side and slid him backhand pass. Mayorov's shot went back into the chest protector of Justin Pogge, but squeaked by him and across the goal line for the 1-0 Crunch lead.

Lalande stopped every Toronto bid thrown at him to keep it a one -goal game.

Syracuse went up 2-0 on a slick play at the 8:48 mark of the second.

While in his own defensive zone, Dan Smith corralled the puck and fired a bullet up the ice, connecting with Mike Blunden up the middle.

Blunden gained the offensive zone and quickly flicked a nifty backhand pass to a streaking Nikita Filatov down the right wing.

Filatov used his speed to gain a step on the defense, drove to the net and tucked a backhand past Pogge for his 10th of the year and a two-goal Crunch lead.

Toronto pulled to within one halfway through the third period when Tim Stapleton's shot from the bottom of the left circle went through a screen, hit off the top of Lalande's pad and into the back of the cage to make it 2-1.

Despite being out-shot 9-5 in the third period, the Crunch held on and capped the game with Alexandre Picard's empty-netter with 1:15 remaining in regulation for a 3-1 final.

CRUNCHABLES: Nikita Filatov returned to the lineup tonight and scored a goal after missing 11 of the last 13 games with an illness...The Crunch held Toronto to just one goal after allowing 14 goals in the previous two games against the Marlies...Alexandre Picard now has eight points (6g, 2a), over his past seven games...Mike Blunden has five points (2g, 3a), over his past six games...Since coming to the Crunch, Kevin Lalande has stopped 52 of 55 shots in two games, good for a .945 save percentage.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2009


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