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Syracuse Crunch

Crunch increase division lead as Peca scores twice to secure OT win

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By Steven DiOssi | @StevenDiOssi | Like us on Facebook
March 18, 2017

In a battle between the top two teams in the North Division, the Syracuse Crunch came out with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Albany Devils at War Memorial Arena on Saturday.

Matthew Peca scored both goals for the Crunch, who returned home after splitting a pair of games on the road, to defeat the Devils and now hold a three-point lead in the North Division. The Crunch improved to 32-21-6-5 and lead the division with 75 points on the season.

Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 41-of-42 shots he faced to earn his 13th win of the season, while Devils goaltender Ken Appleby made 26 saves in the losing effort. The Crunch were a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and their lone power play goal in four opportunities came in overtime.

The Devils outshot the Crunch, 12-11, during the first period but neither team was able to find the back of the net.

In the second period, the Syracuse was outshot, 15-8, and gave the Devils three power play opportunities — the last of which carried over into the third period — but Gudlevskis remained unbeaten.

The Crunch killed off the remaining minute and 30 seconds of the Albany man advantage before Peca broke the scoreless tie at 2:10 of the third period. Michael Bournival carried the puck into the offensive zone along the right boards before backhanding a pass to Peca just above the right circle. Peca controlled the puck momentarily before ripping a high wrist shot that beat Appleby on his blocker side and into the top left corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season. Erik Condra also added an assist on the goal in his first home game as captain of the Crunch.

Albany gave the Crunch two chances on the power play in the third period but kept them off the board as they outshot Syracuse, 15-5. The momentum of the Devils’ penalty killing unit carried over to even strength, as they broke Gudlevskis’ shutout bid on Brian Gibbons’ 13th goal of the year with just 2:51 left to play.

Just 12 seconds into the extra session, Albany forward Shane Harper was called for an interference penalty, which gave the Crunch their fourth power play of the contest. During the ensuing man advantage, Tye McGinn’s shot just above the crease was stopped by Appleby and bounced out to Matt Taormina at the point. Taormina fed a pass down low to Peca who fired a one-timer past Appleby to secure two points for the Crunch.

It was Peca’s second multi-goal game of the season and Taormina’s assist moved him past Cory Conacher for the team-lead in assists (39) and scoring with 53 points. McGinn’s helper extended his scoring streak to six games.

With just 12 games left to play in the regular season, the Crunch return to action when they host the AHL-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday.

Full game highlights from Syracuse Crunch

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