3
0
Crunch all alone in third in North Division after big road win.
SYR-3
TOR-2 (SO)
Brandon Halverson allowed two goals on 24 shots before stopping all four players he saw in the penalty shot session for the SO win. Toronto got to Halverson early in the First Period and at the very tail end of the opening frame, but he did what good goaltenders do after giving a couple early. Force field went up.
First Period
4:25 TOR Shaw (10), (Nylander, Rifai)
12:10 SYR Duke (18), (Allard, Crozier)
19:11 TOR Reaves (1), (Barbolini, Niemala)
Second Period
2:16 SYR Walcott (4), (Bisson)
Third Period
NO SCORING
Overtime
NO SCORING
Shootout
SYR- Szturc
TOR- NONE
Gabriel Szturc and Dylan Duke were the game’s first and second stars. Duke’s goal was uncharacteristically skillful and tidy dekeing to his backhand and tucking away a breakaway goal. For a guy who makes his living on greasy goals, that was a stylish finish.
Big ups to Matt Murray on giving up one of the softest goals you’ll ever see in your life to Daniel Walcott to tie it up at 2-2. Let’s be clear, though: Toronto is year-in and year-out one of the most skilled and best resourced teams in the AHL. To go 2-0-0 in a home-and-home with stakes as high as they were standings-wise is impressive as hell for the Crunch team to pull off. They now hold a one point lead on Toronto for third in the North Division and still have a game in hand on the Marlies. Cleveland sits three points back with a game in hand and Belleville is seven back with a game in hand. Belleville will burn theirs this evening, so the Crunch magic number for the playoffs currently sits at eight and could be six by the end of the night. Syracuse has six regular season games left to play.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
