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River Rats Take Down Syracuse 3-1 In Glens Falls

March 8, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


(GLENS FALLS, NY) - Captain Pat Dwyer scored two goals, including the game-winner and his third shorthanded goal of the year, as the Albany River Rats erased a 1-0 second period deficit on their way to a 4-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch Sunday afternoon in front of 5,151 fans at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Albany had an edge in scoring opportunities through most of the opening frame, but at 16:55 Crunch left winger Alexandre Picard banged home a loose puck on the doorstep to put the visitors on the board first; Michael Blunden and Andrey Plekhanov assisted on Picard's seventh of the season. Each team registered 12 shots on goal in the opening period, but Crunch netminder Dan LaCosta and Albany's Daniel Manzato were sharp in net, keeping the game 1-0 through 20 minutes of play. In a reversal of fortune for the River Rats, they would find the back of the net late in the second period, even after most of the action during the period had taken place in their own zone. Albany's points-leader Jakub Petruzalek collected a pass from Yannick Tifu on the left wing, cut to the middle and buried a low wrist shot through the pads of LaCosta at 17:12. Petruzalek's 17th goal of the season sent the teams to the locker rooms in a 1-1 deadlock.

Albany captain Pat Dwyer gave his team its first lead of the game midway through the third period, finishing off a lengthy River Rats flurry with a sharp-angle bank shot that beat LaCosta on the short side at 10:23. Four minutes later Albany extended its advantage when defenseman Brett Carson skated coast-to-coast, drove hard to the net and sent a backhander into the goalie, but somehow the puck squirted out behind LaCosta and Aaron Clark was there for the easy put-away. Clarke's first goal in an Albany uniform, his second career AHL goal, gave the River Rats some much needed insurance. Syracuse was awarded a power play with 2:44 left in regulation and pulled their goalie to make it a 6-on-4 advantage. With one minute remaining in the game Dwyer stole the puck at his own blue line and was off to the races towards the empty net when Crunch center Mike York pulled down the River Rat captain from behind. Referee Chris Brown immediately pointed towards the net and awarded Dwyer the goal, an automatic tally resulting from what would have been a penalty-shot on an empty-net. Dwyer's second goal of the night, his third shorthanded goal of the season and 17th goal overall, clinched the 4-1 win for Albany.

Albany goaltender Daniel Manzato made 32 saves on 33 shots to record his 12th win of the year as the River Rats improved to 28-28-3-3 on the season. Syracuse goalie Dan LaCosta allowed three goals on 43 shots and took the loss as the Crunch fell to 30-28-4-2. Albany out-shot Syracuse 44-33 in the game and went 0-for-2 on the power play; the Crunch also went 0-for-2 on the man advantage. Albany will begin a four-game home stand at the Times Union Center on Wednesday, March 11th as they host the Norfolk Admirals for a 7:00 pm face off.



American Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2009


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