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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Vermin and defensemen lead Crunch past Amerks, 6-4

January 30, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Crunch and Amerks traded the lead four times on Friday, but Syracuse (27-11-5-0) led at the end, 6-4, at the War Memorial Arena. Kristers Gudlevskis made 23 saves for his 13th win, the Crunch's third in a row.

Joel Vermin netted the game-winner 16:14 into the second period by forcing a turnover in the offensive zone and snapping an unassisted tally into the back of the net. He finished with three points, the first three-point game and third multi-point game of his AHL career.

"It gives me a good feeling and gives me self-confidence," Vermin said about his three-point performance. "At the end of the day, I think it's more important that we win that game, though."

Vermin assisted on Jake Dotchin's first-period goal and Dylan Blujus's second-period tally. Both rookie defensemen scored their second goals of the season and fellow defenseman J.P. Cote continued the trend with his second marker this year.

Dotchin unleashed a blast to the back of the net on the power play, erasing a 2-1 deficit midway through the first. Cote ripped a point shot that deflected off an Amerks defender, clanked off the post and went into the net to give Syracuse a 3-2 lead. Blujus glided through the right-wing circle and snuck the puck inside the post to put the Crunch back ahead, 4-3. Brayden Irwin had scored his second of the game to draw Rochester even, 3-3.

"The bottom line is that we've been working on it in practice, we're trying to get our [defensemen] more involved in the offense," head coach Rob Zettler said about the jolt of scoring from Crunch blueliners. "We want to get them up in the rush so they're in there for shots and more people are in front of the net, and the [defense] is more active."

Jonathan Marchessault started the scoring 1:11 into the first. He deposited a rebound of a Vladislav Namestnikov shot past goalie Andrey Makarov. Marchessault added an empty-netter in the final minute of the game, his 12th goal of the season and team-leading 38th point. Assists on both Marchessault goals give Namestnikov 21 points in 21 games.

Rochester responded to Marchessault's opening marker with two goals separated by 38 seconds. Phil Varone tallied the first and Irwin gave the Amerks a 2-1 lead with a quick snap from the right-wing circle on a delayed penalty.

Evan Rankin, who played 62 games with Syracuse last year, pulled the Amerks within one when he scored in his first AHL game this season at 4:19 of the third. The seventh-year pro signed a one-year contract with Rochester Monday.

Syracuse scored on its first power play of the game and finished 1-for-4 on the man advantage. Rochester went on the advantage twice, failing to score on both.

The Crunch travel to Hershey Saturday looking to sweep their four-game season series with the Bears.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2015


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