Palat, Ondrej

Oh so close to getting the 2 points in the final road game of the season.

SYR-4
LE-5 (OT)

Cedrick Desjardins allowed 5 goals on 25 shots for the loss. Yuck.

First Period
LE Thomas, (22) (Hishon, Lauridsen), 4:13
SYR Sexton, (8) (Palat, Richard), 18:28

Second Period
SYR Namestnikov, (6) (Sustr, Korobov), 10:50 (PP)
LE Connolly, (9) (Thomas, Beaupre), 14:14
LE Vincour, (15) (Pock, Sullivan), 18:34 (PP)

Third Period
SYR Sustr, (1) (Korobov, Namestnikov), 2:03 (PP)
SYR Devos, (6) (Brown, Taormina), 3:26
LE Vincour, (16) (Hishon, Carey), 9:42

Overtime
LE Agozzino, (19) (Walker, Pock), 2:49

Ondrej Palat got the extremely rare penalty shot in Overtime, but failed to convert against Lake Erie netminder Kent Patterson.

Congratulations to Andrej Sustr on his first pro point, first pro goal, and first pro multi-point game.

Tanner Richard got a helper. In related news, water is wet.

Syracuse is now 3 points back of Providence and 1 points back of Springfield in the conference and 3 points ahead of Binghamton in the division. They head home for a hugely important 5 game homestand to finish the regular season. With Ryan Malone back for Tampa Bay, might Coach Zettler get back one of his star players for the kick at the finish line?

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Rob Zettler's first win allows Syracuse to keep pace in the East.

SYR-2
HER-1

Riku Helenius allowed just 1 goal on 20 shots for the big win. Once again, he's eased his season save percentage up to .900.

First Period
SYR Cote, (3) (Devos, Hutchings), 10:07

Second Period
HER Crabb, (2) (Taffe, Schmidt), 19:05

Third Period
SYR Palat, (12) (Richard, Sexton), 3:50

Ondrej Palat and J.P. Cote were the game's first and second stars.

Congratulations to Tanner Richard on his first professional point. Naturally, it was an assist. Luke Witkowski made his professional debut in the game.

This is how Syracuse has to scratch out wins with their finishers called up to Tampa Bay. It's got to be low scoring games and finding a way to get key goals at key times. Providence and Springfield won tonight, and Binghamton is going down late to Norfolk. If that holds, that will leave Syracuse 2 points behind Providence for tops in the East and 2 points clear of Binghamton for the East Division lead. Syracuse's last road game of the regular season is Tuesday against Lake Erie. They'll end with 5 straight at home, which might be edge they need to take the top spot in the East.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Dana Tyrell and Brett Connolly from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. Additionally the team has reassigned forwards Mike Angelidis and Ondrej Palat, along with defenseman Andrej Sustr and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the Crunch.

I still hate shootouts.

FLA-3
TB-2 (SO)

Mathieu Garon allowed 2 goals on 25 shots and was 1 for 2 in the shootout for the SOL. He got outdueled badly by Markstrom, and Lightning fans have to be cursing the day Lindback got his high ankle sprain.

First Period
08:36 FLA Kopecky (13), (Brennan, Fleischmann)

Second Period
16:41 FLA Rallo (1), (Brennan, Kuba)(PP)

Third Period
05:38 TB Pyatt (7), (Purcell, Carle)
10:32 Killorn (6), (Hedman, Purcell)

Overtime
NO SCORING

Shootout
FLA- Mueller
TB- NONE

The Lightning completely dominated large swaths of this game and deserved better than to only get 1 point out of it. It's damned hard to put together a winning streak when you're surrendering a soft goal or two every game, and the Lightning desperately need a winning streak.

Mike Angelidis was 43% on draws in 7:22.

Alex Killorn had a goal and was +1 with 4 shots in 23:20. He's so money.

Andrej Sustr was +1 with 1 shot in 8:19. Officially 2 giveaways. That'll get your ice time down in single digit minutes as a rookie.

Tyler Johnson had 1 shot, 1 hit, and was 58% on draws in 16:53.

Ondrej Palat was +1 with 2 shots and 3 hits in 11:39.

Radko Gudas had a fight, 2 shots, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot in 11:55.

Cory Conacher played 14:04 in the game.

Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.

Jon Cooper knows the way to the pay window.

NJ-4
TB-5 (SO)

Mathieu Garon allowed 4 goals on 25 shots, but was 2 for 2 in the PS session for the victory. He was pretty dreadful tonight, but the Lightning picked him up.

First Period
NO SCORING

Second Period
05:50 NJ Loktionov (7), (D'Agostini, Greene)
06:41 NJ Kostopoulos (1), (unassisted)(PS)
08:00 TB Stamkos (24), (St. Louis, Aulie)
10:26 TB Thompson (7), (Panik, Gudas)
13:58 NJ Greene (3), (D'Agostini, Zidlicky)(PP)

Third Period
02:39 NJ Carter (4), (unassisted)(SH)
07:11 TB Stamkos (25), (Killorn)
19:44 TB Killorn (5), (Stamkos, Carle)

Overtime
NO SCORING

Shootout
NJ- NONE
TB- Purcell, Hedman

Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn were the game's first and third stars. Coach Cooper saw just what a special player he inherits in Stamkos tonight. Everytime the Lightning looked ready to implode, Stammer got a big goal, and then he had the cool assist on Killorn's game tying tally with the extra attacker.

Love that the effort level is back from the entire team.

Killorn had 1 goal and 1 assist and was +2 with 2 shots, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot in 20:52.

Andrej Sustr had 1 shot and 1 blocked shot in 13:07 in his NHL debut. High praise for a rookie defenseman: I didn't notice him.

Tyler Johnson had 1 hit and was 67% on draws in 14:26.

Richard Panik had a helper and was +1 with 1 shot in 12:25.

Ondrej Palat was +1 with 3 hits in 12:52.

Radko Gudas had a helper and was +1 with 7 penalty minutes, 2 shots, 6 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 15:23. Pretty standard for Radko's office hours.

Cory Conacher was +1 with 3 shots, 2 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 8:22.

Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.