SYRACUSE CRUNCHED 

     VERSUS        

“Another come from behind victory, another two points,” Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander in describing his 2-1 shootout win over the Syracuse Crunch at the XL Center Sunday afternoon. “It’s big for us.”Entering the weekend the Pack had not won a game all season when trailing after either the first or second periods going 0-6-1-2 and 0-11-0-2 respectively. By Sunday night the Pack changed that adding two wins to those stats.  

It certainly didn’t look like the Pack were going to win anything at the start of this one. The Wolf Pack looked lackadaisical from the opening drop of the puck and finally paid the price for it when they fell behind at 8:28. 

Jared Aulin took a pass from former New York Ranger Dan Fritsche in the neutral zone. Aulin pushed into the Pack zone backing up the defensive tandem of Dave Urquhart and Michael Sauer in the process. The Calgary native toe-dragged the puck to his forehand and used Sauer as a screen and snapped a shot over Chad Johnson’s blocker and into the top corner of the net on just the third shot of the game.  

“It wasn’t a great start.” Gernander said describing his troops first period performance in his post game press conference comments. 

The Pack put nine shots on goal to Syracuse’s eight in the first period. Not a horrible number for the Pack, but six of them came on their only power play of the period. They had a great chance midway through the period when Brodie Dupont tried to jam it in from his knees past goaltender Kevin Lalande. The Pack then had another scoring chance when Andres Ambϋhl put a shot on net that clanged off the crossbar. 

In the middle of the second period, the reformed third line of Devin DiDiomete, Paul Crowder and Derek Couture absolutely dominated down low in the offensive zone. Crowder fired a hard shot Lalande (33 saves, 8-9-2) but it rebounded out to Couture who promptly blasted it from the right circle. The shot looked initially like it went in, but replay showed that the puck hit the left post hard and fired out of the net. 

Despite putting shots on goal, much like the parent NY Rangers performance Saturday when they could not get a shot past ex-Lowell Lock Monster and current Carolina Hurricane Cam Ward, they all seemed to find goal posts and crossbars, but not the net. 

For something to change, the Pack needed a shot in the arm and they got it from DiDiomete. 

At 10:27 of the final frame, the Pack left winger exploded with fury in his attack on Simon Ferguson. “From the bench (Ferguson) was chirping at P.A. Parenteau and I don’t like guys like that getting into our better players’ heads.” DiDiomete told Howlings. “I wasn’t happy. If P.A. isn’t the best player in this league then he’s probably one of the top three for sure and if guys are going to take liberties on him then someone from our team needs to let them know that’s not acceptable.” After some rough stuff between the two stop during a stoppage, Ferguson told the Stratford, Ontario native that he wanted to drop the mitts. “We’re going to get it going as soon as the ref drops the puck.” He said to DiDiomete. “I said, ‘Sure why not.’” 

The linesman came over and talked to the two as they jostled just as the puck was about to drop. When the puck was dropped it looked like the flag dropping to start the Indianapolis 500. DiDiomete exploded into Ferguson. The two both landed good shots on the other and knocked each other to the ice and both got up and went down. But ultimately DiDIomete landed the better shots. 

The scrap clearly ignited the crowd and the bench. 

41 seconds later, a rejuvenated Pack moved the puck well in the offensive zone. Parenteau moved the puck to Locke at the right point. Locke then shuffled the puck over to Ilkka Heikkinen on the left side. Heikkinen moved in to the left circle and saw daylight between himself, Lalande and the net. Fritsche saw Heikkinen winding up and dove to block the shot. Just as that was happening, Dane Byers cut across the front of the net as Heikkinen unloaded his shot. Lalande could do nothing as the Finish defenseman’s shot blew right over his glove and into the top corner of the net. 

Lalande made an astonishing save on Dale Weise with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. The Crunch netminder went pillar-to-post and stuck out his left pad just getting a piece of the Weise one-timer. 

The Pack were unable to mount much of an offensive thrust in overtime while the Crunch put five shots on Johnson (30 saves, 12-7-2) who stopped them all. 

So it was on to the skills competition which the Pack entered the game winless in their four tries. Syracuse has won three-of-five. 

But the Pack were highly motivated and first Locke buried what would prove to be the game winner on a backhanded shot over the glove. Aulin was stopped by Johnson. Then Parenteau came in with a solid wrist shot and also put it over the glove. After Bates Battaglia was denied by the pad, Heikkinen also went over the glove for what would prove to be the clincher when Derek MacKenzie was denied by a wide shot. 

“As bad as their record was entering the game,“ DiDiomete said. “I thought they were one of the better defensive clubs we faced all year.” 

Gernander was impressed by his charges. “The guys stuck with it and were able to grind out a win.” 

Pack captain Dane Byers was also pleased. “We battled hard,” He said. “These are the types of games you have to win throughout the year.” 

The win put the Pack into sole possession of fourth place. If the playoffs started now, they would make the playoffs. However, given how tight the Atlantic Division is, just nine points separate first to sixth place, and how up-and-down the team has played this season, if the team plans on building and moving forward, this is a game they will look back on as where it all came together. 

They say that a fight can spark a team to win a game. Perhaps DiDiomete’s scrap might have sparked a team to a playoff run. 

Brian Ring brings the news from the home team at Hartfordwolfpack.com.  Lindsay Kramer usually has the coverage for the newspaper in Syracuse. If a story was filed, you’ll find it in The Post–Standard and there’s always the story at SyracuseCrunch.com.  

SHOOT-OUT RESULTS:
(Hartford Elected to shoot first)

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

STANDINGS: 

NOTES: 

* Was it really the Syracuse defense/trapping game or was it more indicative of the entire New York Rangers organization on the whole, that the Wolf Pack lack a bona-fide scorer? This was the first time since December 11th that the Crunch have held the opposition to two goals or less. 

* If the Pack are going to make their move, then they will most certainly get tested on this road trip. Wednesday they will head to Newark, NJ for their first of two trips to the Prudential Center and take on the Lowell Devils. The Lowell Devils have the worst attendance in the AHL averaging a paltry 1,871 per game. The Devils won’t know what to do with themselves when they actually have a big crowd to play in front of. Lowell currently sits third in the division two points in front of the Pack (Pack have a game in hand). Lowell is 7-3-0-0 in their last ten. The Pack then head north to Worcester, Massachusetts to take on the Sharks who’ve won six straight and have a game in hand and three points on the Rangers top farm team. Then it’s off to Albany for the resurgent River Rats and then back on the bus to Providence to face the Bruins on Sunday afternoon. 

* The Pack won four straight earlier this season between Oct 31st and Nov 7th (Pro, Man, @Pro, @Bpt). 

* For a team seventh in their division and fifteenth in the conference, Syracuse has some interesting stats. In one goal games, the Crunch are now 8-2-3-2 but in games won by three goals, they are 2-9-0-0. They win the close ones but get blown out a lot. When outshot they are 6-13-3-3. 

* With the helper in this game, P.A. Parenteau has only been kept off the scoresheet twice since being returned by the Rangers on December 18th and only four times twenty games. 

* The Pack entered the game just 3-for-21 (14.2%) in shootout attempts. After going three-for-three they leave the game 6-for-24 (25%). Chad Johnson had only stopped three of seven attempts (43%). When he stopped all three shots, that number changed to went to six of ten for (60%) 

LINES: 

Grachev – Dupont – Weise
Byers © – Locke – Parenteau
DiDiomete – Crowder – Couture
Soryal – Ambϋhl – Nightingale 

Potter – Williams
Heikkinen – Sanguinetti
Urquhart – Sauer 

Johnson
Valiquette 

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized) 

SCRATCHES: 

Mike Hoffman – Undisclosed injury – Day-to-Day
Matt Zaba – On recall with the NY Rangers
Mathieu Dandenault – Lower Body – Three – Four weeks
Jordan Owens – Facial Injury – Indefinite
Brent Henley – Knee  – Season 

THREE STARS: 

1. HFD – C. Johnson
2. HFD – I. Heikkinen
3. SYR – K. Lalande 

ON ICE OFFICIALS: 

Referee:
Chris Brown (86) 

Linesmen:
David Spannaus (8)
Luke Galvin (2) 

NEXT GAME: 

The Wolf Pack will take their four game winning streak on the road for the next four games where they have struggled. On the road, the Pack are 6-10-0-2. The team’s last road game was a 

To watch the game live, you can purchased it for $6.99 at AHL-live.  

If you can attend the cost is as little as $10 a ticket, why not just go? For Ticket information call (860) 548-2000. 

Too far away or can’t make it? Listen live at WTIC.com. 

SCORE-SHEET: 

Syracuse Crunch 1 At Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (SO) 

Jan 3, 2010 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum 

Syracuse 1 0 0 0 – 1 

Hartford 0 0 1 0 – 2 

1st Period-1, Syracuse, Aulin 9 (Fritsche), 8:28. Penalties-Parenteau Hfd (high-sticking), 1:02; Mayorov Syr (hooking), 10:20; LaVallee-Smotherman Syr (elbowing, fighting), 13:28; DiDiomete Hfd (fighting), 13:28. 

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Byers Hfd (slashing), 10:31; Urquhart Hfd (interference), 14:32; Battaglia Syr (tripping), 16:12. 

3rd Period-2, Hartford, Heikkinen 6 (Locke, Parenteau), 11:08. Penalties-Potter Hfd (hooking), 7:00; Ferguson Syr (fighting), 10:27; DiDiomete Hfd (fighting), 10:27; Blunden Syr (fighting), 17:26; Sauer Hfd (fighting), 17:26. 

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties 

Shootout – Syracuse 0 (Aulin NG, Battaglia NG, MacKenzie NG), Hartford 3 (Locke G, Parenteau G, Heikkinen G). 

Shots on Goal-Syracuse 8-8-10-5-0-31. Hartford 9-13-12-0-1-35. 

Power Play Opportunities-Syracuse 0 of 4; Hartford 0 of 3. 

Goalies-Syracuse, Lalande 8-9-2 (34 shots-33 saves). Hartford, Johnson 12-7-2 (31 shots-30 saves). 

A-3,322 

MEANWHILE BACK IN CHARLOTTE  

      VERSUS     

CHECKERS OUTDUEL GLADIATORS, WIN 5-2  

Rowe Records 400th ECHL Point 

The Charlotte Checkers scored four second-period goals and cruised to a 5-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown Charlotte.Mike Harder led the way offensively with a goal and two assists while T.J. Reynolds and Randy Rowe chipped in with a goal and an assist each. 

Just over two minutes into the contest, the Checkers struck first on a goal by Mike Harder. Randy Rowe forced a turnover down low in the Gladiators zone, took a shot and Harder was there to stuff home the rebound for his seventh of the season. The assist was Rowe’s 400th career ECHL point. 

Charlotte again benefited from a quick start out of the locker room as Michel Leveille notched his 11th of the season two and half minutes into the second period. T.J. Reynolds fired a shot from the point and Leveille was there to tip it past Gwinnett goaltender Danny Taylor. 

Gwinnett forward Sam Roberts was assessed an interference penalty at 6:04 of the period and the Checkers went to work on the power play. Julien Brouillette took a shot from the point that was tipped by Harder and Rowe was there to pot the rebound. 

Charlotte would then take a four-goal lead midway through the period as Tyler Doig, on a two-on-one, fed a pass over to Aaron Slattengren who one-timed a shot past Taylor. The goal came at 11:25 and was the end of the night for Taylor as he was pulled out of the Gwinnett net and replaced by David Brown. 

The goaltending change did not turn out as the Gladiators had hoped as T.J. Reynolds netted his fourth of the season just 46 seconds later. 

Gwinnett would add a goal midway through the third period and one with 10 seconds left but it wasn’t enough as the Checkers walked away with the victory. 

Miika Wiikman stopped 30 of 32 shots for the win while Danny Taylor and David Brown combined for 35 saves on 40 shots in a losing cause for the Gladiators. 

The Checkers (17-10-4-0) will host South Carolina on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com 

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET  

NOTES:  

* Ryan Munce ranks second among all ECHL goaltenders with a .922 save percentage…  

* Tyler Doig has 14 points in his last 12 games and seventh overall in the ECHL with 35 points, third overall in assists with 26.  

* Randy Rowe has five goals in the last four games and now has 401 career ECHL points…  

* Why is Miika Wiikman still in the ECHL? The Mariestad, Sweden native has only one regulation loss in 10 games this season (6-1-2)…  

* The Checkers are 9-3-1 in their last 13 home games…  

* T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 137 penalty minutes, and is second in overall plus-minus with a +19 rating  

* Trevor Glass reports to Howlings he is getting close to returning to action. He, Codey Burki and Chris Chappell are all on the 21-day injured reserve.  

* Fascinating Stat: Charlotte is drawing 5,067 fans per game. Hartford, 3,567. OUCH!  

* The Checkers special teams need work. They are currently 13th out of 20 on the power play and 19th on the penalty kill.  

LINES:  

Doig – Leveille © – Slattengren
Rowe – Harder – Schepke
Taylor – Chabot – Carroll
Marshall  

Brouillette – Schaeffer
Berube – Reynolds
Ward  

Wiikman
Munce  

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized)  

THREE STARS;  

1. CHR – M. Harder
2. CHR – R. Rowe
3. CHR – T. Reynolds  

ON ICE OFFICIALS:  

Referee:
Jason Rollins (13)  

Linesmen:
Mathieu Chenier (71)
Paul Reid (97)  

NEXT GAME:  

Hey…here’s a team the Checkers haven’t seen in a while. They’ll play one more at home against the South Carolina Sting Rays. They’re already amassed a 4-3-1-1 against the overall first place in the ECHL Rays. The two teams played six of their last seven games in December against each other. After that one, they will head to the road for back-to-back games with the Kalamazoo Wings and the Toledo Walleye.  

You can buy tickets for any Checkers game home or away at Ticketmaster.com.  

Should you want to watch this very exciting team from the comfort of your computer chair, all Checkers games are available on B2Live.  

SCORE-SHEET:  

Gwinnett Gladiators 2 At Charlotte Checkers 5 – Status: Final  

Jan 3, 2010 – Time Warner Cable Arena  

Gwinnett 0 0 2 – 2  

Charlotte 1 4 0 – 5  

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Harder 7 (Rowe), 2:03. Penalties-Marshall Chr (roughing), 2:11; Paris Gwt (hooking), 6:05; Carroll Chr (boarding), 6:37; Schepke Chr (tripping), 18:55.  

2nd Period-2, Charlotte, Leveille 11 (Reynolds), 2:29. 3, Charlotte, Rowe 11 (Brouillette, Harder), 6:19 (pp). 4, Charlotte, Slattengren 2 (Doig, Ward), 11:25. 5, Charlotte, Reynolds 4 (Harder), 12:11. Penalties-Roberts Gwt (interference), 6:04.  

3rd Period-6, Gwinnett, Galivan 16 (Roberts, Berti), 11:03. 7, Gwinnett, Forney 3   19:50. Penalties-Francis Gwt (fighting – major), 4:54; Doig Chr (fighting – major), 4:54.  

Shots on Goal-Gwinnett 8-14-10-32. Charlotte 13-16-11-40.  

Power Play Opportunities-Gwinnett 0 of 3; Charlotte 1 of 2.  

Goalies-Gwinnett, Taylor 7-6-1-2 (24 shots-20 saves); Brown 5-5-1-0 (16 shots-15 saves). Charlotte, Wiikman 6-1-1-1 (32 shots-30 saves).  

A-4,517