SYRACUSE, NY – The only luck the St. John’s IceCaps had on Saturday was bad luck, as they fell 4-3 to the Syracuse Crunch in game two of the clubs’ best-of-five AHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal.
On two separate occasions a Syracuse shot bounced off an IceCaps player and into the St. John’s net. As demoralizing as these markers were for St. John’s, the final nail in the coffin came when Syracuse’s Kyle Palmieri bounced a pass off linemate Bran MacMillan’s skate at 12:25 of the third period, completing a bizarre play that served as the game-winning goal.
“It happened so quick. I was calling for it,’’ McMillan told www.syracuse.com. “It was a lucky goal, but we’ll take it at this time of the game.’’
St. John’s got off to a quick start in game two of the series, using an Aaron Gagnon goal 41 seconds into the first period to take a 1-0 lead. A Mark Bell marker at 11:03 of the first evened the score at one, and a goal from Matt Clark just 41 second into the second period gave Syracuse a 2-1 advantage.
John Mitchell’s goal at 2:21 of the middle frame put the Crunch up 3-1, but a marker from IceCaps center Patrice Cormier at 4:18 of the second cut the lead to one.
The IceCaps came out firing in the third period, with Gagnon scoring a power play goal 46 seconds into the frame to tie the game at three. However, MacMillan’s goal later in the period would serve as the game winner as Syracuse prevailed with a 4-3 win.
“Obviously, that’s hockey,’’ Clark told www.syracuse.com regarding the fortunate bounces his team received in the win. “If you’re the harder-working team, sometimes the game goes your way. We out-willed them.’’
IceCaps defenseman Paul Postma registered two assists in a losing effort, while Brock Trotter and Jason DeSantis picked up one assist each for St. John’s. Bell and Dan Sexton had two assists each for the Crunch.
The winning goalie was Syracuse’s Iiro Tarkki, who made 18 saves in the game. Eddie Pasquale stopped 36 Crunch shots in the IceCaps’ crease.
Game three of the clubs’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal goes Wednesday night in St. John’s.
Contact Darcy.MacRae@ prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.