by
Jeff Parzych
Pascal Leclaire recorded 27 saves and Tim Jackman scored 1:50 into the extra session to lead the Syracuse Crunch to a 3-2 win over the Rochester Americans in a key North Division battle on Saturday night.
Heading into Saturday evening Syracuse and Rochester seemed to be at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Crunch, winners of their last five, is quite possibly playing their best hockey of season. Rochester on the other hand has hit the skids and they have only won once in their last eleven. When these two rivals meet you usually can throw all the numbers out the window and Saturday night was no exception.
After an uneventful beginning the Crunch struck first late in the opening period on a nice play from Jeremy Reich. The veteran took a pass at the blue line from Kent McDonell and while surrounded by three Rochester defenders controlled the pass and skated in the Amerk zone. With no teammates in tow Reich snapped a wrist shot on net that beat Rochester netminder Ryan Miller for his 7th of the season and a 1-0 Crunch lead.
After a scoreless second period the Amerks evened things up early in the third courtesy of a much needed break. Jason Dawe, skating alone to the right of the Crunch net, had the puck squirt out of the corner right on his stick. He pulled the puck to his backhand and easily flipped a shot into the open side to tie it at one.
Just over eleven minutes later Syracuse regained the lead courtesy of some hard work from Scott Cameron and Tim Jackman. Both forwards did an excellent job along the endboards and Jackman emerged from the corner with the puck. A quick pass found Mark Hartigan all alone in front and his one-timer beat Miller for a 2-1 Crunch lead.
Brian Chapman's goal with just over a minute to play tied it at two and set the stage for Jackman's overtime heroics.
Jeremy Reich ignited the play when he found Derrick Walser cutting toward the Amerk net. Walser then flipped a pass out front to Tim Jackman streaking down the slot. Jackman didn't get much on the shot but he did get enough to put it into the open net for the win.
Crunch Ice Pack:
Date:February 14, 2004, 2004
Where:War Memorial at Oncenter
Opponent:Rochester Americans
Attendance:6,084
Boxscore:
First PeriodScoring-1. Syracuse, Reich 7 (McDonell), 18:34. Penalties-Janik, Roc (cross-check), 4:07; Komarniski, Syr (roughing), 8:05; Reich, Syr (hooking), 14:46.
Second Period-Scoring-No Scoring. Penalties-McMorrow, Roc (interference), 3:16; Bartovic, Roc (holding), 6:46; MacLean, Syr (cross-check), 7:44; Chapman, Roc (cross-check), 10:08; Kiser, Syr (interference), 17:58.
Third Period-Scoring-2. Rochester, Dawe 8 (unassisted), 1:38. 3. Syracuse, Hartigan 17 (Jackman, Cameron), 12:30. 4. Rochester, Chapman 4 (Milley), 18:50. Penalties-Dawe, Roc (hooking), 4:19; Botterill, Roc (roughing), 10:05; Paetsch, Roc (roughing), 10:05; Reich, Syr (roughing), 10:05; McDonell, Syr (roughing), 10:05; Sloan, Syr (interference), 16:07.
Overtime:Scoring-5. Syracuse, Jackman 18 (Walser, Reich), 1:50. Penalties-No Penalties.
Shots on Goal-Rochester, 12-8-8-1--29; Syracuse, 8-6-6-1--21. Power Play Opps.-Rochester, 0-5; Syracuse, 0-5.
Goalies-Rochester, Miller (15-18-5) 21 shots-18 saves; Syracuse, Leclaire, (15-10-3), 29 shots- 27 saves.
Referee-Gordon Dwyer (39); Linesmen-Jim Harper (59), B.J. Ringrose (10).
Three Stars:
1. Tim Jackman: Jacko notched the game-winner in overtime. Finished the night with a goal and an assist and was a +1.
2. Pascal Leclaire: Leclaire seems to own the Amerks this season. Is now 4-1 on the season against Rochester.
3. Mark Hartigan: Scored late in the third to give the Crunch a one-goal lead.
Lineups:
Americans:Goal:Ryan Miller, Tom Askey.Defense:Scott Ricci, Doug Janik, Rick Mrozik, Ryan Jorde, Steve Lindgren, Brian Chapman, Nathan Paetsch, David CullenForwards:Milan Bartovic, Geoff Peters, Chris Taylor, Paul Gaustad, Jason Pominville, Chris Thorburn, Karel Mosovsky, Jason Botterill, Norm Milley, Sean McMorrow, Jiri Novotny, Michael Ryan, Domenic Pittis, Jason Dawe.
Crunch:Goal:Pascal Leclaire, Karl Goehring.Defense: Darrel Scoville, Zenith Komarniski, Paul Traynor, Brendan Buckley, Trent Cull, Derrick Walser, Nate Kiser Forwards:Mark Hartigan, Ben Knopp, Joe Motzko, Donald MacLean, Tim Jackman, Shawn Limpright, Brad Moran, Tyler Sloan, Brandon Sugden, Mike Pandolfo, Scott Cameron, Kent McDonell, Jeremy Reich
Pre-Game Skate:
The Crunch scratched Paul Traynor (hamstring), Brad Moran (foot), Brandon Sugden (suspension) and Trent Cull (suspension). Rochester did not dress defenseman Ryan Jorde, center Geoff Peters, right wing Jason Pominville, defenseman Steve Lingren and center Michael Ryan.
Crunch One-Timers:
Prior to the game the Crunch announced that they have recalled defenseman Nate Kiser from Dayton of the ECHL. Kiser has appeared in 45 games with the Bombers this season, recording 4 goals, 7 assists and 107 penalty minutes. Earlier this season Kiser also represented Dayton at the 2004 ECHL All-Star game. Kiser was summoned to replace Trent Cull who is facing a suspension after receiving a match penalty Friday night against Binghamton. The AHL will view the tape of the game, possibly not until Tuesday, to decide Cull's fate. .….Brandon Sugden missed Saturday's game versus Rochester after being slapped with a one game suspension for accumulating three instigating penalties….The Crunch power play has cooled off the last two games. After tallying with the man-advantage in eight of their last nine games prior to Friday, Syracuse has gone 0-10 the last two games with the man advantage.
On Deck:
The San Antonio Rampage visit the War Memorial for the first time in the team's history on Monday. On Saturday the Rampage lost 3-1 to Hartford. That was the fifth straight game on the road for San Antonio with a stop in Worchester on Sunday before hitting the War Memorial for Monday's tilt.