AHL Syracuse Crunch

Two Power-Play Strikes Lift Crunch over Devils, 3-2

Published on October 19, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Albany, N.Y. - Opening a three-in-three road trip Friday in Albany, the Syracuse Crunch battled back from 1-0 and 2-1 to defeat the Devils, 3-2. Syracuse special teams made the difference, scoring on two of four power-play chances while killing all five of Albany's power plays.

The start to the game mirrored the previous Friday's contest in Rochester with the Crunch allowing a goal in the first minute of play. Mike Hoeffel beat Dustin Tokarski just 58 seconds into the first period, with a helper from Jacob Josefson.

Following a cross-checking penalty to Albany's Alexander Urbom, Tyler Johnson scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season at 7:45 thanks to sharp puck movement from Ondrej Palat and Cory Conacher who both earned assists.

The 1-1 tie score lasted nine minutes when at 16:44 Tim Sestito created a two-on-one breakaway and fed Mattias Tedenby for Albany's second go-ahead goal of the game. The Devils outshot the Crunch 10-4 in the first period, the fewest shots by the Crunch in any one period so far this season.

Another power play chance got the Crunch even in the second. Jay Leach was called for slashing at 10:31, and Syracuse needed only 13 seconds to convert. J.T. Brown's precision blast just under the cross bar made the score 2-2, as Brown collected his first point of the season and Alex Killorn and Vlad Namestnikov posted assists, the second of the season for both.

Mike Angelidis put the Crunch in the lead for the first time at 16:44 of the second period, scoring his third goal of the year 25 seconds after Syracuse's third power play ended. Defensemen Mark Barberio and Jared Nightingale assisted, Barberio's third point of the season and Nightingale's first.

Dustin Tokarski made 25 saves on 27 Devils shots to earn the win, his first of the season. Tokarski's 32 wins in 2011-12 were most in the American Hockey League. Jeff Frazee stopped 20 of 23 Crunch shots in a losing effort.

With points in all three of its games to begin the season, Syracuse (2-0-0-1) visits Binghamton Saturday at 7:05 p.m. with live coverage on The Score 1260 beginning at 6:50.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 19, 2012


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