Crunch in double trouble after double OT loss

By Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
June 3, 2017

The Syracuse Crunch are now in double trouble.

A double-overtime loss to Grand Rapids on Saturday puts the Crunch in to deep hole two games in to the Calder Cup Final.

Ben Street scored on shot from the slot 7:02 in to the second overtime to give the Griffins a 6-5 victory and take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

The series shifts to Syracuse for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Syracuse fell to 2-7 on the road in the postseason.

But it wasn’t from a lack of quality chances on the part of the Crunch, who dominated most of the third period and overtime, only to be once again victimized by the Grand Rapids power play, which converted three times in regulation to be the difference. The Griffins won Game 1 on a power play goal with 13 seconds remaining.

”I think we’ve got to find a way to play this game at 5-on-5,” Syracuse head coach Ben Groulx told the Syracuse Post Standard. “Our PK is not a concern at all. Their power play is a concern. Their power play’s been good since the beginning of the year. We’ve got to find a way to cut those penalties down.’’

All five of the penalties called on the Crunch were either hooking or tripping calls.

And yet Syracuse still had a great chance to leave Grand Rapids with the split.

After falling behind 2-1 after the first period, goals from Joel Vermin and Erik Condra 71 seconds apart put the Crunch in front 5:41 in to the second period. But after Dominik Masin took a tripping call at 11:29, Evgeny Svechnikov pulled Grand Rapids even at 12:53.

Gabriel Dumont would head to the penalty box at 19:36 and the Griffins would take advantage once again on Tomas Nosek, who scored the winner on Friday, scored 24 seconds in to the third period to give Grand Rapids the lead.

Cory Conacher would answer that with a Syracuse power play goal at 7:47 – Conacher’s 10th of the playoffs – before Tyler Bertuzzi regained the lead for the Griffins at 13:36.

Syracuse would be awarded a penalty shot attempt following a play in the crease, but Byron Froese failed to convert on the chance with the opportunity to tie the game. But moments later Michael Bournival would pull Syracuse even once again with 4:45 left in the third to send the game to overtime.

In the first overtime, the Crunch dominated most of the play, getting 15 shots on goal in the 20-minute frame, many of them in-close chances that Grand Rapids goaltender Jared Coreau turned aside to keep the game tied.

”Unfortunately, the goalie made a couple saves. Half of them, he didn’t even see the puck and they just went off his pad,” Conacher told the Post-Standard. “Those are tough, obviously, to swallow. But we have a team that’s experienced. We have a couple vets that know how to handle this type of situation. And we know how to play at home. So we’re excited to go back home.’’

The Crunch can hold a lot of confidence not only from the way they played in the first two games of the series despite being down 0-2, but Syracuse has also not lost a playoff game at home, posting a 9-0 record at War Memorial.

”I thought we had a strong third period, skated well. We’re using four lines, six defensemen,” Groulx said. “We got here with four lines and six defensemen, and I think it was the difference tonight for us. We were more fresh in the third, in overtime as well. You can see, also, the character of our team. When they scored a late goal, we bounced back and we tied the game.
“It’s disappointing, no doubt about it. But I thought we were a better team tonight than last night. We’re going back home, going to get rested. And it’s for us to go and get the next one.’’

Calder Cup Final schedule

Game 1 – Grand Rapids 3, Syracuse 2 (Grand Rapids leads series 1-0)

Game 2 – Grand Rapids 6, Syracuse 5 (2OT) – (Grand Rapids leads series 2-0)

Game 3 – Wednesday June 7 – Grand Rapids at Syracuse, 7:00

Game 4 – Friday, June 9 – Grand Rapids at Syracuse, 7:00

*Game 5 – Saturday, June 10 – Grand Rapids at Syracuse, 7:00

*Game 6 – Tuesday, June 13 – Syracuse at Grand Rapids, 7:00

*Game 7 – Wednesday, June 14 – Syracuse at Grand Rapids, 7:00

*if necessary… All times Eastern

All games streamed for free on AHLLive.com, use promo code FINALS17