Connect with us

Syracuse Crunch

Crunch blow two-goal lead, fall in overtime to Senators

Published

8 years ago

on

By Steven DiOssi | @StevenDiOssi | Like us on Facebook
April 7, 2017

Brett Howden made his professional debut for the Syracuse Crunch but they fell to the Binghamton Senators 4-3 in overtime at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday.

Howden, 19, was a first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and was held scoreless in his first pro game since joining the Crunch after his postseason with Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League ended earlier this week.

Tye McGinn tallied a pair of goals and Henri Ikonen added another, but the Senators scored goals just nine seconds apart late in the third period to tie it before Nick Paul scored the game winner in the extra session.

The Crunch have now dropped their past four games but have earned a point in three of those contests as they continue their push toward clinching a Calder Cup playoff berth. They are currently second in the North Division with 82 points, three behind the Toronto Marlies who punched their ticket to the postseason on Friday.

It’s been a test for the Crunch of late, as they continue to play without a handful of their top players who have been recalled by the Lightning this season.

Most recently, Cory Conacher and Michael Bournival were called up by the Lightning on Wednesday before a pair of games over the past two days. They joined a Lightning roster that also includes Syracuse standouts Jake Dotchin, Gabriel Dumont, Adam Erne, Yanni Gourde and Luke Witkowski.

With so many of his players playing for the Lightning right now, Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx has had to be creative with the roster and line combinations. He was forced to dress nine defensemen and just nine forwards against Binghamton — an indication of just how thin the Syracuse roster is with just four games left in the regular season.

Mike McKenna got the start in goal for the second straight game and stopped 22-of-26 shots he faced. Binghamton goaltender Matt O’Connor made 27 saves in the winning effort. The Crunch scored once in four power-play opportunities and went a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill for the night.

The Senators opened the scoring on Phil Varone’s goal just 9:28 into the first period and killed off a Crunch power play before Syracuse answered at 16:22. Tanner Richard held the puck behind the Binghamton net and fed a pass to McGinn who one-timed a shot past O’Connor from just above the goal line. Dylan Blujus also tallied an assist on the goal.

Syracuse killed off three penalties in the second period before they took the lead on Ikonen’s fifth goal of the year at 14:57. Ikonen grabbed a loose puck near the goal line and slid it through O’Connor’s five-hole and into the net. McGinn and Ben Thomas added the assists.

As the teams entered the third period, they combined for 17 shots each but the Crunch held a 2-1 lead.

Syracuse added to it just 9:22 into the period, as McGinn scored on the power play for his second goal of the night. Erik Condra carried the puck into the zone and fed a pass back to McGinn who wristed it in from the slot. It was McGinn’s third point of the night and he now has nine goals and seven assists in 18 games since his return from injury.

Binghamton couldn’t convert on a power play after Richard was called for high-sticking at 10:39. But shortly after the teams got back to even strength, the momentum shifted in the Senators’ favor.

With 4:15 left in regulation, Senators forward Jake Akeson cut the Syracuse lead to one with his 20th goal of the season. Just nine seconds later, Jack Rodewald tied the game when he beat McKenna short side from near the goal line.

Syracuse secured a point as the game went to overtime but Paul tallied the game-winner just 1:01 into the extra session to cap the Senators’ comeback.

The Crunch return home to host the Albany Devils — a team that trails them by just three points in the North Division — on Saturday.

Related Topics:

Copyright © 2021 National Hockey Now and Erik Erlendsson. Tampa Bay Hockey Now is an independently owned and operated site and is not affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization or the National Hockey League.