The Crunch got contributions from young and old as they erupted for three third period goals to come from behind to down the River Rats 5-3 in the season opener for both clubs Saturday evening.
It didn’t take long for the new rules regarding obstruction to rear its ugly head as the Crunch found themselves down two men just 1:19 into the opening period. Syracuse was able to kill off that threat and two other River Rat power plays while Albany weathered seven Crunch man advantages to keep things scoreless heading into the middle twenty.
In the second Syracuse, thanks to a bevy of Albany penalties, dominated play as they out shot Albany 24-4. Unfortunately for the Crunch they couldn’t convert that territorially advantage into advantage on the scoreboard as both teams found the back of the net twice to keep things even headed to the third.
Albany opened the scoring in the second just 42 seconds into the period thanks to a fortuitous bounce. Just as rookie Barry Tallackson was releasing from the penalty box the puck squirted out into the neutral zone. Tallackson hopped on the loose puck, broke in alone on the Crunch cage and beat netminder Martin Prusek short side with a quick slap shot.
The Rats extended their lead later in the period on a shorthanded marker from Ilkka Pikkarainen. On a two-on-one break Pikkarainen lost control of the puck, but still managed to poke the rubber thru the legs of Prusek for a 2-0 Albany lead.
Less than two minutes later the Crunch finally got on the scoreboard with a goal from their captain. Jamie Pushor corralled a loose puck in the high slot, slipped the puck to his backhand and flipped a shot thru a mass of bodies that found the back of the net for a 2-1 game.
It looked as if that would be the score heading into the third, but Andrew Murray had other ideas. The rookie controlled a backhand pass from Brandon Sugden and from behind the net stuffed home a wraparound to tie things at two at the 19:55 mark.
In the third the Crunch exploded for three unanswered goals to take control of the game. Ben Simon kicked things off by deflecting an Ole-Kristian Tollefsen drive past Ahonen to give the Crunch their first lead.
Mark Hartigan and Geoff Platt closed out the scoring for Syracuse, both on great individual efforts. Hartigan picked the pocket of an Albany defender and flipped a backhand past Ahonen while Platt picked off an Albany pass, broke in alone on the River Rat net and slipped a backhand behind Ahonen for his first American League goal.
Martin Prusek went the distance for Syracuse, turning aside 27 Albany shots to pick up the win. Ari Ahonen made 47 saves in a losing effort for Albany.
Crunch Ice Pack :
Date:Saturday October 8, 2005
Where:War Memorial at Oncenter
Opponent:Albany River Rats
Attendance:5,811
Boxscore:
First Period-Scoring-No Scoring. Penalties-Canzanello, Syr (hooking),
:56; MacMillan, Syr (tripping), 1:19; Ryznar, Alb (interference), 3:08;
Tallackson, Alb (hooking), 7:24; Motzko, Syr (tripping), 8:04; Kesa, Alb
(slashing), 9:37; Foster, Alb (hooking), 13:21; Brooks, Alb (hooking),
14:25; MacMillan, Syr (tripping), 16:41; Ahonen, Alb (roughing, served by
Tallackson), 18:32; Pikkarainen, Alb (roughing), 18:54; Johnson, Syr (double
minor, roughing), 18:54; Nittel, Alb (slashing), 19:26.
Second Period-Scoring-1. Albany, Tallackson 1 (Hale, Vrana), :42. 2. Albany, Pikkarainen 1 (unassisted), 13:02, (sh). 3. Syracuse, Pushor 1 (Johnson, Lindsay), 14:28. 4. Syracuse, Murray 1 (Sugden), 19:55. Penalties-Voros, Alb (hooking), 3:06; Janssen, Alb (roughing), 3:06; Sugden, Syr (roughing), 3:06; Ahonen, Alb (slashing, served by Ryznar), 4:49; Voros, Alb (slashing), 5:25; Hartigan, Syr (diving), 5:25; Schultz, Alb (roughing), 6:40; Platt, Syr (roughing), 6:40; Canzanello, Syr (hooking), 7:18; Vrana, Alb (interference), 9:36; Sgroi, Alb (fighting), 12:07; Sugden, Syr (fighting), 12:07; Miller, Alb (tripping), 12:13; MacMillan, Syr (hooking), 13:08; Nittel, Alb (high stick), 13:48; Pikkarainen, Alb (hooking), 17:24.
Third Period-Scoring-5. Syracuse, Simon 1 (Tollefsen, Mauldin), 1:48. 6. Syracuse, Hartigan 1 (unassisted), 15:08. 7. Syracuse, Platt 1 (unassisted), 16:31, (sh). 8. Albany, Vrana 1 (Tallackson, Miller), 17:39, (pp). Penalties-Canzanello, Syr (hooking), 9:43; Kesa, Alb (holding), 10:06; Brooks, Alb (hooking), 12:53; Murray, Syr (interference), 15:45; Canzanello, Syr (hooking), 17:33.
Shots on Goal-Albany, 15-4-11---30; Syracuse, 14-24-14---52.
Power Play Opportunities-Albany, 1-8; Syracuse, 0-15.
Goalies-Albany, Ahonen (0-1-0), 52 shots-47 saves; Syracuse, Prusek (1-0-0), 30 shots-27 saves.
Referee-Francois St. Laurent (38); Linesmen-Tim Kotyra (53), Brian Lemon (25).
Three Stars:
1. Ben Simon: Gave the Crunch their first lead of the night with his third period tally.
2. Bill Lindsay: Finished the night with only one helper, but was strong throughout.
3. Ari Ahonen: 47 saves, what more needs to be said.
I Hear Voices:
“I stopped it when he tried to make a quick little pass and a guy was coming thru and I kind of chipped it over his stick. I just tried to put it up high on the goalie and it went off his blocker, off the post and then it.” ----Mark Hartigan on his eventual game-winning goal in the third period.
“You had to know that something was going to fall. We were throwing everything at him but the kitchen sink and it was one of those things that he was making the right saves and the defense was clearing the puck.” ----Hartigan on numerous failed chances during a 24 shot second period.
“It was nice to see the young guys step up and get us going. Like I said earlier in the week, the young guys are going to create a lot of energy for us and spark the team. I also think that Sugden really sparked us as well with his fight.” -----Hartigan on the big goals from rookies Murray and Platt and Brandon Sugden’s bout with Sqroi.
“I did what I am supposed to do. We were kind of down and flat and I got in a fight and we end up winning the game.” ----Sugden on his fight with Sqroi.
“I read the pass up to the defenseman real well and picked his pocket by skating thru him. The goalie showed a little bit of glove side and I went for it. It is a comfortable move for me.” ----Geoff Platt on his goal in the third.
“I was happier than heck that he got it for me.” ----Platt on teammate Greg Mauldin retrieving the puck from his first goal.
Lineups:
River Rats: Goal:Ari Ahonen, Frank Doyle. Defense: Bobby Allen, Matt DeMarchi, Ray Schultz, Alex Brooks, David Hale, Teemu Kesa, Krisjanis Redlihs, Bryan Miller, Ben Carpentier. Forwards: Adrian Foster, Aleksander Suglobov, Peter Vrana, Ilkka Pikkarainen, Tuomas Pihlman, Ivan Khomutov, Ahren Nittel, Cam Janssen, Nicklas Bergfors, Aaron Voros, Ryan Murphy, Jason Ryznar, David Clarkson, Barry Tallackson, Mike Sgroi.
Crunch: Goal:Martin Prusek, Andrew Penner Defense: Marc Methot, Mark Flood, Jeff MacMillan, Jamie Pushor, Andy Canzanello, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Aaron Johnson Forwards:Mark Hartigan, Ben Simon, Geoff Platt, Bill Lindsay, Andrew Murray, Steven Goertzen, Peter Sarno, Joe Motzko, Alexandre Picard, Brandon Sugden, Joakim Lindstrom, Greg Mauldin.
Pre-Game Skate:
Scratched for the Crunch were defenseman Mark Flood and right wings Tim Jackman (traded) and Steve Goertzen. Albany did not dress defensemen Matt DeMarchi, Krisjanis Redlihs and Ben Carpentier, left wing Tuomas Pihlman, right wing David Clarkson along with centers Ivan Khomutov and Nicklas Bergfors.
Extra Dose of Sugar:
On the surface Saturday’s game looked to be just another game for Syracuse enforcer Brandon Sugden. As usual he won his requisite fight of the night, but that was only a sampling of what he displayed.
Fans have clamored for a few years, wanting to see Sugden and his 6’4” frame, parked in front of the net on the power play. On Saturday they got exactly that.
Even more interesting, because of the new rules, Sugden pretty much planted himself there and received little or no resistance from the Rats. He even found time for some polite conversation with Albany netminder Ari Ahonen.
“It was funny because their goalie was talking to me during the play,” said Sugden. “He was like you are a big (blank). I can’t see thru you.”
Not only did Head Coach Gary Agnew give Sugden some power play time, he also had him out on the ice late in the third period of a one-goal hockey game.
“I have been here three years,” stated Sugden. “I think Gary knows that I am a defensive forward and reliable back there,” said Sugden.
Sugden also picked up an assist on Andrew Murray’s second period tally. It wasn’t the prettiest point, but as Sugden recalled in the dressing room after the game, “a point is a point.”
Jackets Shake Things Up:
Losing their first two games after a very active off-season didn’t sit well with Columbus so they shuffled the deck on Saturday by making a trade with the Phoenix Coyotes. The Jackets sent veteran Geoff Sanderson and Crunch member Tim Jackman to the Coyotes for left wing Jason Chimera, defenseman Cale Hulse and center Mike Rupp.
What this means for the Crunch, outside of losing Jackman, remains to be seen. Right now Syracuse is currently at their veteran limit with 5 and all three players acquired in the deal carry veteran status. Something will have to happen at some point, just from a sheer numbers standpoint. Right now Columbus has eight defensemen on their roster, nine if you count the injured Rusty Klesla. That won’t last long so stay tuned.
Crunch One-Timers:
Prior to Saturday’s game the Crunch announced that Columbus has reassigned center Raffaele Sannitz to Lugano of the Swiss Elite League. Sannitz was caught in a numbers game with the Crunch and would have been in a real battle for ice time given their current crop of forwards……….. Syracuse unveiled new warm-ups for Saturday’s game. The jerseys were white with blue shoulders and red numerals……..Saturday’s game also included opening night festivities complete with a video tribute and player introductions ……………Steve Goertzen was a surprise scratch on Saturday. The second year forward was not in the building for the game. Speculation that he may have been en route to Columbus to fortify a battered Jacket lineup, but nothing official was announced from the club…………Credit Time Warner Cable with a key assist Saturday night. Midway thru the third, with the Crunch pinned in their own end, nursing a one-goal lead, they attempted to ice the puck. Problem is with the new rules when this happens the team that ices the puck can not make a line change. In stepped Time Warner with a well timed television timeout to give the players on the ice a much needed rest……….My apologies go out to the AHL officials that work the Crunch games. I mentioned after last game that Andrew Canzanello’s game-winner in Syracuse’s final preseason contest appeared to be tipped by Greg Mauldin. After consulting with Mauldin turns out the officials were correct. Props to the crew for getting it right and for doing an excellent job, game in and game out.
On Deck:
The Crunch hit the road on Wednesday for game number two and head to Toronto for a battle with North Division foe, the Toronto Marlies. Game time is set for 7:30 P.M.