by
Jeff Parzych
Rookie Dimitri Patzold registered 33 saves and Garrett Stafford scored the lone goal to lead the Cleveland Barons to a 1-0 shutout over the Syracuse Crunch in American Hockey League action Saturday night.
After an entire week of practice where Crunch players had the phrase "shoot the puck" pounded into their subconscious, Syracuse fired out of the gates and put 12 shots on the Baron net in the opening twenty minutes. Unfortunately they could not solve Patzold and both teams headed into the first intermission scoreless.
In the second Syracuse witnessed just how quickly things can turn in a game. With Cleveland holding a man-advantage, Crunch forward Joe Motzko skated in alone on Patzold for a short-handed break-away. While trying to deke the Baron netminder Motzko had the puck role off his stick and he failed to get a shot on net.
On the ensuing rush Cleveland received a fortuitous bounce and the puck wound up on the stick of defenseman Garrett Stafford all alone in the high-slot. Stafford's one-timer found the back of the net for a power play tally and a 1-0 Baron lead.
The third period was all Crunch courtesy of almost seven minutes of power play time, which included five straight minutes thanks to a major high-stick whistled on Baron forward Tavis Hansen.
Syracuse had plenty of opportunities with the man-advantage, 8 shots alone on the major penalty, but they still could not solve the gutty Patzold. His best save came when he flicked out his right leg to stone Jeremy Reich all alone on the doorstep just as the penalty was about to expire.
Reich was not alone as far as missed opportunities are concerned. Donald MacLean fired high and wide after Joe Motzko found him on a nice two on one break and Andrej Nedorost was stopped cold by Patzold after breaking in alone on the Baron net with 22 seconds left in the third.
Patzold finished the evening with 33 saves as he ups his season mark to 3-5-0. Karl Goehring, despite only appearing in two of the last eight Crunch contests, was also sharp in defeat turning aside 23 Cleveland shots.
Crunch Ice Pack:
Date:November 22, 2003
Where:War Memorial at Oncenter
Opponent:Cleveland Barons
Attendance:4,779
Boxscore:
First Period-Scoring-No Scoring. Penalties-Moscevsky, Cle (major-fighting), 2:27; Pushor, Syr (major-fighting), 2:27; Fahey, Cle (cross-check), 3:06; Nedorost, Syr (holding), 8:58; DiSalvatore, Cle (slashing), 13:16; Reich, Syr (holding the stick), 14:05; Cle, bench minor (too many men)(served by DiSalvatore), 15:21; Carkner, Cle (tripping), 18:00; Fahey, Cle (major-fighting), 18:10; Pandolfo, Syr (minor, major, misconduct) (instigating, fighting), 18:10.
Second Period-Scoring-1. Cleveland Stafford 4 (unassisted), 7:04, (pp). Penalties-Hartigan, Syr (holding), 5:21; Moran, Syr (boarding), 8:19; Murray, Cle (roughing), 19:48.
Third Period-Scoring-No Scoring. Penalties-Hansen, Cle (major-high-stick), 5:00; Traynor, Syr (holding), 11:15;
Shots on Goal-Cleveland, 5-12-7--24 ; Syracuse, 12-8-13--33 .
Power Play Opps.-Cleveland,1-6 ; Syracuse, 0-6.
Goalies-Cleveland, Patzold (3-5-0), 33 shots- 33 saves; Syracuse, Goehring (2-4-2), 24 shots- 23 saves.
Referee-Dave Hansen (47); Linesmen-BJ Ringrose (10), Brian Lemon (25).
Three Stars:
1. Dmitri Patzold: Patzold was a wall all night long as he turned aside all 33 Syracuse shots.
2. Karl Goehring: Goehring played well despite his recent inactivity. Finished with 23 saves and kept the Crunch in the game all night long.
3. Garrett Stafford: Tallied the lone goal of the game on is only shot of the contest.
Lineups:
Barons:Goal:Dimitri Patzold, Corey CampbellDefense: Matt Carkner, Jim Fahey, Garrett Stafford, Doug Murray, Robert Mulick, David Clouthier, Jesse Fibiger Forwards:Lynn Loyns, John DiSalvatore, Craig Valletter, Brad Boyes, Willie Levesque, Tavis Hansen, Miroslav Zalesak, Tomas Plihal, Ryan Crowe, Yuri Moscevsky, Grant Stevenson, Marcel Goc.
Crunch:Goal:Mike Walsh, Karl Goehring.Defense: Darrel Scoville, Jamie Pushor, Zenith Komarniski, Paul Traynor, Pauli Levokari, Aaron Johnson, Trent Cull. Forwards: Mark Hartigan, Ben Knopp, Joe Motzko, Donald MacLean, Jeremy Reich, Tim Jackman, Riley Cote, Brad Moran, Tyler Sloan, Brandon Sugden, Andrej Nedorost, Mike Pandolfo.
Pre-Game Skate:
Syracuse scratched defenseman Trent Cull (foot) and forward Brandon Sugden (ankle). The Barons sat out forward Tomas Plihal and defenseman Jesse Fibiger.
Crunch One-Timers:
Prior to the Game Syracuse announced that the Blue Jackets have recalled goaltender Pascal Leclaire. Jacket netminder Marc Denis is down with the flu and won't be available for Saturday's game versus the Islanders. To fill-in for Leclaire the Crunch signed Mike Walsh to a P.T.O. Walsh, a Clarkson grad, appeared in two games with the Crunch last season, posting a record of 0-1-0 and a 3.74 gaa……Karl Goehring started last night for the first time since November 10th in Binghamton. Prior to last evening Goehring had only appeared in two of the last eight games for the Crunch.
Parent Pulse:
Manny Malhortra made his Jacket debut last night in Columbus's 2-1 win over the Islanders. The former first round selection of the New York Rangers saw 11:29 minutes of ice time on 18 shifts.
Malhortra presence should mean that the Crunch will be receiving another body soon from the Jackets, but nothing is guaranteed, especially when you consider how situations like this have resolved themselves in the past. One scenario that could leave the Crunch high and dry once again is if the Blue Jackets decide to free up the roster spot by sending rookie Dan Fritsche back to junior.
When Fritsche signed prior to the season he was guaranteed by Columbus that he would remain with the big club for at least twenty games. Saturday's tilt against the Islanders was number twenty for Fritsche, a game in which he saw under six minutes of ice time.
If they do decide to keep Fritsche on the roster the person that may be returning to Syracuse could be none other than David Ling. The former Crunch captain, who is on a two-way deal with the Jackets, has been a healthy scratch in 7 of the last 9 Columbus games. While it would surely be disappointing for Ling, he may be just what the Crunch needs to jumpstart their sputtering offense.
Hockey History in the Making:
Here's hoping that anyone who attended last night's game that has the Center Ice package for NHL games set their VCR to tape last night's Heritage Classic pitting the Edmonton Oilers against the Montreal Canadiens in Edmonton. It is the NHL's first ever regular-season outdoor game to be played in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium, the home of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos. The game is supposed to attract over 56,000 fans, which would nearly double the NHL's attendance record. Game time temperatures are expected to hover around the single digit mark, which prompted this headline in Thursday's Edmonton Journal: "If you build it, they'll be numb."
Other added bonuses include both clubs sporting vintage jerseys along with an old-timers game being played before the Classic between former Edmonton and Montreal players. Expected to suit up are Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Guy Lafleur and Larry Robinson.
On Deck:
After tonight the Crunch travel to Cleveland for a Wednesday evening battle with these same Barons before returning home on Friday to face last year's Calder Cup Champions, the Houston Aeros. Game time for Wednesday's game at Gund Arena is set for 7:00.