Syracuse playing the spoiler

by Ed Gonser
April 5, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)

Syracuse (April 5, 2003) -- A large enthusiastic crowd of 5,773 fans helped the Syracuse Crunch close out the home portion of its 2002-03 American Hockey League schedule.

Fan favorite Karl Goehring turned aside 32 shots while Ben Knopp and Jeremy Reich added power play goals for the Crunch in a 2-1 win over the Rochester Americans Saturday at the Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter.

With the win Syracuse closed out its home schedule on a huge positive note for a team that will not make the post-season while the loss by Rochester leaves its post-season possibilities resting on the hope it can win its last game against the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Philadelphia Phantoms will manage only one point in its last two games.

Rochester doubled Syracuse's shot production over the final two periods but thanks in part to Goehring and a good Syracuse forecheck the Americans could only get one goal by Andrew Peters off a Doug Houda rebound almost seven minutes into the second period that tied the game at one.

Knopp scored his first of the year 1:33 into the second period for Syracuse (27-41-8-4). Knopp spun in the high slot and fired the puck past Rochester goalie Ryan Miller.

Reich banged home the game winner while standing on Miller's doorstep with six minutes left in the second period.

Miller made 16 saves in the game.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2003

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