Rookie goaltender earns Crunch win

by Ed Gonser
October 25, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)

Syracuse, (October 25, 2002) -- It's been a long time since the Syracuse Crunch have savored the sweet taste of victory, but thanks to two third-period goals by Matt Davidson the Crunch did just that Friday night in a 5-3 American Hockey League win over the Hershey Bears at the Onondaga County War Memorial at OnCenter.

The win, the first of the young season for the Crunch, was also the first professional win for rookie goalie Pascal Leclaire. Leclaire, the Columbus Blue Jackets No. 1 pick and fourth player taken overall in the 2001 entry draft, turned aside 32 of 35 Hershey shots. At the game's end Leclaire skated over to the corner to his right and scooped up the puck into his glove to savor his first of many victories to come.

Davidson gave Syracuse a two-goal lead with his first goal on the power play near the midpoint of the third as the Crunch held at least a one-man advantage for nearly nine consecutive minutes.

Hershey (2-2-0-1) looked to spoil Leclaire's party on Steve Moore's first of the season with just less than three minute remaining.

Davidson made sure Syracuse would come out on top as he sprawled on the ice inside the Hershey blueline extending his stick to knock the puck into an empty net with just over a minute left in the contest.

The Crunch put itself into a deep hole early going down two men in the game's first minute. Hershey capitalized on a power play goal by Cail MacLean. Mathieu Darche evened the score for Syracuse before Hershey forged out in front once again on a goal by the Bears goal scoring leader Charlie Stephens.

The crowd could feel the tide turning in the favor of Syracuse as the first period was drawing to a close. The Crunch had just killed off Hershey's second two-man advantage of the period.

On a delayed penalty to the Bears and with Leclaire having made his way to the bench in favor of an extra skater, Syracuse evened the score. That skater was Crunch captain David Ling. Ling grabbed the puck in the high slot and fed it back to Radium Bicanek 10-feet inside the blueline. Bicanek blasted a high rising shot that found the top left side of the Hershey goal with 27 seconds left on the clock and tied the game after one.

Unlike opening night when Syracuse only had one power play goal in 10 opportunities. The Crunch put three past Hershey goalie Phil Sauve in 10 chances.

Kent McDonnel scored the only goal of the second period. The score was the first lead Syracuse (1-2-0-0) has had in the three games it has played this season.

Darrel Scoville started the play up near the blueline when he slid the puck into the slot to Davidson. Davidson in nearly one motion tapped the puck over to McDonnel standing at the goalmouth just to the right of Sauve for the easy tap-in.

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