by
Jeff Parzych
Minutes into warm-ups, long before the drop of the puck, the stage was set for Friday's tilt between the Syracuse Crunch and the Binghamton Senators. That is when Binghamton defenseman Jan Platil decided to pay Syracuse's Jeremy Reich a visit and introduce him to his stick.
Platil's actions brought both clubs together at center-ice and prompted the customary pushing and shoving that usually ensues in situations like those. Luckily cooler heads prevailed, at least for the time being.
That pre-game distraction didn't seem to faze the Crunch. They proceeded to go out and play one of the best periods they have played all season. Syracuse scored twice and they held the Senators to only six shots and two quality scoring chances.
The recently returned Scott Cameron put the Crunch on the board just 4:22 into the opening period. He swept the rebound of a Zenith Komarniski shot past Binghamton netminder Ray Emery for his 4th of the season and a 1-0 Syracuse lead.
Later in the period the Crunch struck again courtesy of another Emery rebound. This time it would be Kent McDonell putting home the rebound of a Tyler Sloan offering for his 11th of the year and a two-goal Syracuse advantage.
After a scoreless second period, Donald MacLean closed the door with a goal 2:09 into the third. The red hot MacLean easily converted a Tim Jackman pass on a two-on-one break for his 20th of the season.
Shortly after that things started to get ugly. First the team's two-heavyweights squared off as Brandon Sugden, fighting left-handed due to an injured right, got the better of Brian McGrattan in an exciting bout. That was just the beginning.
Two more bouts later things got even worse. Jan Platil's open ice check on Scott Cameron prompted a little visit from Sugden, who sent a message via a left fist to the eye of Platil. That action sent both benches into the act and several penalty minutes later order was restored. 129 minutes were handed out alone in the third period and 183 total in the game.
Karl Goehring went the distance for the Crunch, recording 23 saves for his first shutout of the season. Syracuse now has won five straight and they have only lost once in their last ten contests.
Crunch Ice Pack:
Date: February 13, 2004
Where:Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter
Opponent:Binghamton Senators
Attendance:5,981
Boxscore:
First Period:-Scoring-1. Syracuse, Cameron 4 (Komarniski, Jackman), 4:22. 2. Syracuse, McDonell 11 (Sloan, Reich), 17:33. Penalties-Hartigan, Syr (hooking), :51; Hedlund, Bin (interference), 8:52; Smrek, Bin (hooking), 14:53.
Second Period:-Scoring-No Scoring. Penalties-Platil, Bin (charging), 1:19; Hamel, Bin (boarding), 5:24; Walser, Syr (roughing), 5:24; Sloan, Syr (cross-check), 7:10; Hymovitz, Bin (roughing), 10:04; Limpright, Syr (roughing), 10:04; Vauclair, Bin (roughing), 12:19; Limpright, Syr (hooking), 16:16.
Third Period:-Scoring-3. Syracuse, MacLean 20 (Jackman, Komarniski), 2:09. Penalties-McGrattan, Bin (fighting), 4:26; Sugden, Syr (fighting), 4:26; Giroux, Bin (fighting), 7:23; Limpright, Syr (fighting), 7:23; Brown, Bin (major, game)(cross-check), 9:06; Watson, Bin (major, game) (fighting), 9:06; McDonell, Syr (major, game) (fighting), 9:06; Reich, Syr (slashing),12:25; McGrattan, Bin (major, game, match)(fighting, spearing), 15:56; Platil, Bin (fighting), 15:56; Sugden, Syr (minor, major, game)(instigating, fighting), 15:56; Cull, Syr (major, game, match)(fighting, attempt to injure), 15:56; Sloan, Syr (holding), 18:38.
Shots on Goal-Binghamton, 6-11-6--23; Syracuse, 15-10-7--32.
Power Play Opps-Binghamton, 0-6; Syracuse, 0-5. Goalies-Binghamton, Emery (17-14-3), 32 shots-29 saves; Syracuse, Goehring (11-8-4), 23 shots-23 saves.
Referee-Ryan Fraser (14); Linesmen-Brian Lemon (25), Jeff Walker (17).
Three Stars:
1. Karl Goehring: "Butchie" turned aside all 23 Senator shots en route to recording his first shutout of the season.
2. Zenith Komarniski: Finished the night with two assists and was a +3.
3. Scott Cameron: Returns to Syracuse after a week with the Dayton Bombers and puts the Crunch on the board early in the first.
Lineups: Senators:Goal: Ray Emery, Billy Thompson. Defense:Julien Vauclair, Steve Bancroft, Andy Hedlund, Jan Platil, Christoph Schubert, Peter Smrek. Forwards: Serge Payer, Brad Tapper, Alexandre Giroux, Jody Hull, Denis Hamel, David Hymovitz, Brian McGrattan, Charlie Stephens, Greg Watson, Arpad Mihaly, Brooks Laich, Mike Brown, Shawn Mather.
Crunch:Goal:Pascal Leclaire, Karl Goehring. Defense: Darrel Scoville, Paul Traynor, Brendan Buckley, Zenith Komarniski, Trent Cull, Derrick Walser Forwards:Mark Hartigan, Ben Knopp, Joe Motzko, Donald MacLean, Jeremy Reich, Tim Jackman, Shawn Limpright, Brad Moran, Tyler Sloan, Brandon Sugden, Mike Pandolfo, Kent McDonell, Scott Cameron.
Pre-game Skate:
Scratched for the Crunch were Paul Traynor (hamstring), David Ling (call-up) and Brad Moran (foot). The Senators sat out defenseman Steve Bancroft, right wing Brad Tapper and right wing Jody Hull.
Crunch One-Timers:
Prior to the game the Crunch announced that the Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled right wing David Ling and reassigned Kent McDonell to Syracuse. It seemed only a matter of time before Ling made his way back to the Jackets after re-discovering his scoring touch (13 points in 8 games) with the Crunch. Syracuse also announced that they have signed center Scott Cameron to a P.T.O. Cameron appeared in two games with Dayton since being released by Syracuse on February 6th, registering three goals and one assist. Cameron replaces the injured Brad Moran who suffered a bruised foot Wednesday night in Binghamton. Moran is expected to miss at least the weekend with the injury……. Donald MacLean's goal in the third period was his 300th point in his AHL career…….Friday was the first time in five games that the Crunch have not scored on the power play. The finished the night 0-5…..Tyler Sloan, playing on the blueline once again, finished the night a +1. He is now +3 over his last two with one assist as a defenseman. Darrel Scoville failed to record a point on Friday, snapping a four-game point scoring streak for the captain.
On Deck:
Syracuse continues this latest home stand on Saturday night with a visit from the Rochester Americans. The Amerks lost at home on Friday 3-1 to St. John's and they have only won once in their last seven outings. Game time is set for 7:30 P.M.