2
0
Syracuse slips the noose again to move closer to the postseason.
SPR-3
SYR-5
Max Lagace allowed three goals on 23 shots for the victory.
First Period
NO SCORING
Second Period
8:03 SPR Lyle (3), (Peca, Anas)
18:07 SPR Cross (7), (Peca, Anas)(PP)
18:59 SYR Day (8), (Barre-Boulet)
Third Period
7:01 SPR Todd (7), (McGing, Bitten)(PP)
9:28 SYR Nash (4), (Richard)
12:25 SYR Richard (15), (Raddysh, Claesson)
17:24 SYR Goncalves (16), (Perbix, Barre-Boulet)(PP)
18:58 SYR Nash (5), (Barre-Boulet, Richard)(EN)
Anthony Richard, Sean Day, and Lagace were the game’s three stars.
Get this out of the way up front: what a bizarre moment to see Syracuse playing Springfield. Springfield coached by Drew Bannister. Two of Springfield’s prominent players right now are Matthew Peca and Luke Witkowski. It was like a generation bending time warp of Lightning prospect history tonight.
If the Crunch manage to go on to make the postseason and do some damage when they get there, remember these past couple of games. They’ve gotten three points out of two games where they were in the trailing position in the Third Period, tonight snatching it out of the jaws of a two goal deficit. Huge performance by Anthony Richard, whose played very well since coming over from the Nashville game, and then the death blow coming from two site favorites: Goncalves’ 16th on the power play with the primary assist coming from RHD Nick Perbix. That’s Perbix’s first pro point as we wait and wonder if Sammy Walker is going to join Perbix in Syracuse or opt for free agency.
Man, things were looking bleak at one point because Rochester was beating Laval and Belleville was beating Utica, so it was looking like the Crunch were in real trouble tonight. Belleville finished out their win against Utica, but Laval managed to come back on Rochester in OT, so the standings instead shifted in Syracuse’s favor, on balance. Both Belleville and Syracuse jump Toronto with the Crunch going back into third in the North Division, for the moment, and holding a first round bye. They also bumped out to a two point lead on sixth place Rochester (playing the same number of games) with the Crunch still holding a game in hand. Again, with the bizarre choose your own adventure schedule, maybe the clearest way to know Syracuse will make the playoffs is simply to make sure they stay ahead of Rochester. The Crunch have an even 10 games left to go.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
