Crazy Eight! Crunch explode offensively to grab a 2-0 series lead against Toronto

By Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
May 6, 2017

The Syracuse Crunch played a game of crazy eight against Toronto on Saturday

Fourteen different players recorded a point for Syracuse as the offense erupted in an 8-5 victory in Game 2 of the North Division finals at War Memorial.

The Crunch hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 3 will move to Richoh Arena in Toronto on Tuesday.

Cory Conacher had two shorthanded goals while Matthew Peca and Joel Vermin also scored twice. Yanni Gourde recorded three assists. Michael Bournival and Tye McGinn also scored for Syracuse, which has won five consecutive games.

Mike McKenna faced just 19 shots on goal, including eight through the opening two periods as the Crunch raced out to a 6-1 lead early in the second.

Despite the lopsided outcome, however, the Crunch know it was just one result.

”It’s just one game at a time,’’ head coach Ben Groulx said. “We are happy with the one we were able to win (Friday) and obviously happy to be up 2-0.’’

Syracuse came out strong, building off the victory in the opening game of the series, as Conacher broke free shorthanded off a long outlet pass from Byron Froese to opening the scoring 3:27 in to the game. Bournival made it 2-0 with his first of the playoffs 1:21 later while Peca scored his first of the night at 9:30 to give Syracuse a 3-0 lead. The Marlies cut in to the lead at 15:15 on a goal by Andreas Johnsson, but McGinn scored with 21 seconds left in the period to regain the three-goal lead heading in to the second period.

”Tonight showed some of our best hockey early in the game,’’ Peca said. “Limiting a team to two shots is pretty good and that’s a reflection of how well we started. We were hitting, we were shooting, we had the puck in their zone and if we can keep the puck in their zone, we’ll be fine.’’

The Crunch quickly added to the lead as Vermin scored his first of the game 2:29 in to the second after a quick inside-out move to shake a defender and create an open lane down the slot. Peca would make it 6-1 just 1:31 later with his second of the night and Syracuse looked to be on cruise control.

Perhaps, a little too comfortably on cruise control as the Marlies would score twice by the end of the period to make it 6-3 despite just having eight shots on goal.

”We played really well in the first period and we get up 6-1 and we were feeling good about our game,’’ captain Erik Condra said. “After that, it’s a tough game. They can play kind of free and loose, we take a couple of penalties and they score a couple of power play goals. But we kept coming back . . . and at the end, it is what it is.’’

When Toronto cut the lead to 6-4 at the 10:46 of the third period on a third consecutive power play goal, things could have got interesting. But Conacher answered that at 11:58 for his second shorthanded goal of the game and Vermin added an empty net goal with 3:42 left.

”We’re starting to get a little more chemistry in sticking with the same lineup,’’ Conacher said. “It’s really starting to make a difference. … But this was oe of those games where when you get up big early like that, it’s tough to continue that pressure. And we got a little lazy in the D zone, we take a couple of penalties that we shouldn’t have and they basically get back in to the game. But we were able to counter with a couple of goals and that was big.’’

But the slate is wiped clean when the series shifts North of the Border for the next two games.

”They have a good team,’’ Groulx said. “They have 18 shots tonight and five goals, so we can’t give them much. As soon as we gave them something, they took advantage of it, so I don’t think anybody is going to take anything for advantage here.’’

Full game highlights from Syracuse Crunch

Series schedule

Game 1 — Syracuse 3, Toronto 1 (Syracuse leads series 1-0)

Game 2 — Syracuse 8, Toronto 5 (Syracuse leads series 2-0)

Game 3 — Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m. at Toronto

Game 4 — Wednesday, May 10, 7 p.m. at Toronto

Game 5 — Saturday, May 13, 7 p.m. at Syracuse (if necessary)

Game 6 — Monday, May 15, 7 p.m. at Toronto (if necessary)

Game 7 — Wednesday, May 17, 7 p.m. at Syracuse (if necessary)