AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Shut out by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

January 29, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Crunch were shut out by Eric Hartzell and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-0 tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

The loss brings the Crunch's overall record to 17-19-2-4 and road record to 10-10-2-2. After seven of 10 games in the season series the Penguins hold a 5-1-0-1 advantage.

Penguins netminder Hartzell turned aside all 20 Crunch bids while Crunch goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 21 of 25 shots faced. Neither team was able to score on the power play with the Crunch stopping five Penguin man-advantage chances and Penguins halting the Syracuse power-play unit four times.

The Penguins scored twice in the opening frame and carried their two-goal lead through the first forty minutes of play. Paul Thompson opened the scoring 2:11 into tonight's contest after a scramble in front of Crunch netminder Gudlevskis produced a loose puck that Thompson tapped over the goal line. Right wing Tom Kostopoulos doubled the Penguins lead by redirecting a Philip Samuelsson slap shot 12:23 into the period.

Harry Zolnierczyk added to the Penguins lead 1:31 into the final frame. Seconds after a Syracuse Crunch power play expired, Zolnierczyk split two Crunch defenseman and beat Gudlevskis with a diving shot to go up 3-0. Denver Manderson added the Penguins final goal 7:51 into the third period. Manderson scored his first of the season after receiving a Tom Kostopoulos feed at the right circle.

The Crunch travel to Utica on Friday, Jan. 31 to face the Utica Comets before returning home for a Saturday matinee against the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m.

Crunchables: The three remaining regular season contests against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins will take place at the War Memorial Arena...The Crunch have now lost five consecutive games, matching a season long stretch from Nov. 15 - Nov. 27...The Crunch did pick up a point during their previous five game loss streak with a shootout loss to the Devils on Nov. 16...A four goal deficit matches the largest margin of the defeat for the Crunch this season...

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American Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2014


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