AHL Syracuse Crunch

Special Teams Doom Crunch

Published on February 17, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY - Special teams doomed the Crunch as they fell 7-4 to the Norfolk Admirals tonight at the Norfolk Scope Arena.

The Crunch allowed three power-play goals and two shorthanded tallies in tonight's loss which drops them to 20-23-4-3 on the season. The Crunch have allowed 11 shorthanded goals this season, the most in the American Hockey League.

Admirals defenseman Mike Kostka opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal less than three minutes into the first period. Kostka beat Crunch goaltender Antero Niittymaki five-hole at the end of a two-on-one rush.

Newly acquired Riley Holzapfel tied the game with a power-play tally five minutes into the second stanza. Admirals' netminder Dustin Tokarski made the initial stop on a Luca Caputi shot but Holzapfel was able to capitalize on the loose puck for his first goal as a member of the Crunch.

The Crunch took a 2-1 lead on an even-strength goal from Brandon McMillan at the 9:37 mark of the middle frame. McMillan corralled a loose puck in front of Tokarski and put it in the back of the net for his eighth of the season.

The Admirals were granted four consecutive power plays to close the second period and went into the locker room with a 3-2 lead after converting on two man-advantages.

Tyler Johnson scored with just eight seconds remaining on a Caputi goaltender interference penalty to tie the game at the 16:11 mark and former Crunch forward Alexandre Picard scored his third goal of the season while Mark Fraser served two minutes for elbowing in the final minute of the period.

Cory Conacher reclaimed the AHL lead in goals scored with his 29th of the year, at the 5:45 mark of the final frame but Crunch center Holzapfel answered back just 13 seconds later with his second goal of the night to keep the Crunch within one.

The Admirals then scored three answered goals in the form of a shorthanded tally from Mike Angelidis (9:57), a power-play goal from Trevor Smith (12:00) and an even-strength score from Pierre-Cedric Labrie (13:00). Iiro Tarkki replaced Niittymaki in net after Niittymaki allowed seven goals on 28 shots.

Crunch center Rick Schofield potted his seventh goal of the season at the 14:40 mark of the third period for a final score of 7-4.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 17, 2012


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