By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com
Tying an AHL playoff record, the Manitoba Moose and Syracuse Crunch headed to overtime for the fifth time in six games Tuesday night. The Moose were desperate to stave off elimination, but a broken stick and opportunist Crunch forward Trevor Frischmon combined for a 3-2 Syracuse victory, effectively ending Manitoba's Calder Cup run.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
First Period
After firing one shot to Manitoba's three attempts, Syracuse benefited from the game's first two powerplays at the five and nine-minute marks. Moose penalty killers and goalie Cory Schneider stalled the Crunch's man-advantage, however, maintaining the scoreless game.
With just over six minutes remaining in the opening frame, an interference penalty to Syracuse's Trevor Frischmon offered Manitoba their first powerplay, but penalty killers continued to dominate the play and forced another unproductive man-advantage.
A late penalty to Danny Groulx tipped the powerplay tables back in the other direction, but strong backstopping by Schneider and an unsuccessful shorthanded surge from Alexandre Bolduc and Jannik Hansen kept both teams scoreless through the first 20 minutes.
Second Period
A roughing penalty to Gilbert Brule gave the Moose their second powerplay early in the second period. After taking some time to set themselves up, Danny Groulx slapped the puck past goalie Karl Goehring, but referee Terry Koharski disallowed the goal, citing goaltender interference from forward Greg Classen.
But 20 seconds later, Derek Dorsett joined Brule in the Crunch penalty box and Brad Moran tallied a powerplay goal that counted. Poised at the bottom of the far face-off circle, Manitoba's regular-season scoring leader went top shelf from a sharp angle to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Although the club trailed 14 shots to seven at the start of the second period, Manitoba assumed a 19-17 shot lead just past the midway point of the game thanks to two more powerplays.
Minutes later, the Crunch countered with their own powerplay and reclaimed the top spot on the shot clock. Though the home team couldn't connect on the five-on-four, Derick Brassard's even-strength attempt turned out to be the equalizer. Syracuse cycled the puck around the Moose zone, and Brassard caught Schneider sliding in the opposite direction and beat the rookie goalie to his glove side to tie the game at one.
Third Period
A Crunch powerplay, then a Moose powerplay, and then another Crunch powerplay kept special teams hopping in the first five minutes of the third period. With Classen serving a hooking penalty and another Moose infraction pending, Alexandre Picard pounced on a rebound and fired the puck into the net to give Syracuse their first lead of the game.
The Crunch resisted the desperate Moose until the final five minutes of the game, at which point Manitoba's top line connected for the game-tying goal. While Jason Jaffray was being bounced around in the far corner, Moran set up Hansen for a quick wrist-shot that found its way past Goehring and into the net to set the score 2-2.
In the minutes following the goal, a trio of penalties resulted in two powerplays for the Moose, including a 10-second five-on-three. But the tie game would continue to the end of regulation, forcing overtime for an AHL record-tying fifth time this series.
Overtime
Trailing 34-29 on the shot clock, the Moose began their sudden-death battle with the Crunch. Five minutes into overtime, Manitoba benefited from their 10th powerplay of the game and attempted to tally the most important powerplay goal of the season. But only 31 seconds in, Nolan Baumgartner nullified the man-advantage by taking a hooking penalty.
An exciting scoring opportunity had Crunch fans on their feet during the following Syracuse powerplay, but it would take another minute for the real celebration to begin. After a broken stick hindered Manitoba's defence, Frischmon shot through the scramble and past Schneider to end Manitoba's playoff hopes and propel Syracuse into the second round.
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| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
| Manitoba |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Syracuse |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Apr 28, 2008 - Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter FIRST PERIOD:No Scoring Penalties - D. Groulx Mtb (hooking) 5:12, P. Labrie Mtb (holding) 8:44, T. Frischmon Syr (interference) 13:42, R. Rypien Mtb (unsportsmanlike conduct) 16:12, Z. Konopka Syr (unsportsmanlike conduct) 16:12, D. Groulx Mtb (tripping) 18:10 SECOND PERIOD:1. Manitoba, B. Moran (1) (J. Jaffray, N. Baumgartner) 2:22 PP 2. Syracuse, D. Brassard (2) (N. DiCasmirro, D. MacKenzie) 17:12 Penalties - G. Brule Syr (roughing) 0:27, G. Classen Mtb (goaltender interference) 1:51, D. Dorsett Syr (hooking) 2:11, D. MacKenzie Syr (hooking) 8:48, D. Westcott Syr (interference) 12:03, D. Groulx Mtb (interference) 14:38, A. Picard Syr (interference) 17:42 THIRD PERIOD:3. Syracuse, A. Picard (1) (Z. Konopka, N. DiCasmirro) 6:03 PP 4. Manitoba, J. Hansen (2) (B. Moran, J. Jaffray) 14:35 Penalties - M. Keane Mtb (hooking) 0:21, Served by A. Picard Syr (bench minor - too many men) 3:39, G. Classen Mtb (hooking) 4:51, N. Baumgartner Mtb (slashing) 6:03, M. Keane Mtb (interference) 15:18, A. Plekhanov Syr (slashing) 15:28, G. Brule Syr (roughing) 16:44 OT PERIOD:5. Syracuse, T. Frischmon (1) (D. Dorsett) 8:35 Penalties - B. Motherwell Syr (tripping) 5:17, N. Baumgartner Mtb (hooking) 5:49
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
| Manitoba |
7 |
14 |
8 |
3 |
32 |
| Syracuse |
14 |
8 |
12 |
9 |
43 |
POWER PLAYS:Manitoba Moose 1-10. Syracuse Crunch 1-9. GOALTENDERS:Manitoba Moose Schneider 1-4-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 68:31 SV: 40 GA: 3 [L] Syracuse Crunch Goehring 7-6-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 68:21 SV: 30 GA: 2 [W]
Attendance:
4,863
- SYR - Tyler Frischmon
- SYR - Derick Brassard
- SYR - Nate DiCasmirro
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Updated: Apr. 28, 2008 at 9:18 PM CDT
