Game Results

By Jeremy Houghtaling

JT Wyman doesn't classify himself as a shootout specialist.

But after the Syracuse surrendered a three-goal lead in the third period, the Crunch forward found himself up in the shootout with a chance to win the game and clinch the East Division title.

Wyman tried to focus on the task at hand. He had an idea of where he wanted to shoot, and did his best to read Worcester Sharks goalie Alex Stalock.

"I'm not really thinking about that when I'm going down there," Wyman said of the division implications.

Wyman made it to the top of the circles and wired a shot over Stalock's glove. The goal emptied the Crunch bench, as the team celebrated the 4-3 win and the franchise's second division title and first since 2001-02.

Syracuse wins the AHL East Division title... barely.

WOR-3
SYR-4 (SO)

Cedrick Desjardins allowed 3 goals on 22 shots before stopping all 3 shooters he faced in the penalty shot session for the SOW.

First Period
SYR Connolly, (31) (Sexton, Barberio), 11:39

Second Period
SYR Devos, (7) (Connolly, Namestnikov), 3:50
SYR Johnson, (37) (Brown, Cote), 5:40

Third Period
WOR Gogol, (4) (Comrie, Demelo), 6:37
WOR Hayes, (3) (Comrie, Tarasov), 8:20
WOR Tarasov, (14) , 12:26

Overtime
NO SCORING

Shootout
WOR- NONE
SYR- Sexton, Connolly, Wyman

Brett Connolly and Tyler Johnson were the game's first and second stars.

My God, they made that so much harder than it needed to be. Syracuse needed the win tonight to nail down the division title with Binghamton defeating Hershey, and they looked in good shape holding a 3-0 lead heading into the final frame against a non-playoff team. And then the bottom fell out. Thank goodness they were able to get the extra point in the skills gimmick, because if they didn't Binghamton coming to town tomorrow could've stole the division title with a regulation win.

Now tomorrow's game looks to be rather meaningless, and I wouldn't be surprised if certain key players like Mark Barberio, Connolly, and Johnson find most of their ice time given to younger players for precautionary reasons.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(8)Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 @ (1)Halifax Mooseheads 6
Halifax leads Best-of-7 Semifinals, 1-0

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: 2-0-2, +1, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 0 Hits
Playoff totals: 11 GP, 9-11-20, +11, 10 PIM
Season totals: 33 GP, 29-34-63, +17, 14 PIM
With R-N: 27 GP, 26-27-53, +18, 12 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Bolt prospect Nikita Kucherov scored twice, but it wasn’t enough for the upstart Huskies to upset heavily favored Halifax in Game 1 of their semifinal series. Nathan MacKinnon, who will go top-3 in this summer’s draft, scored three times and added an assist. His teammate, Jonathan Druin, who is also expected to go top-3, had two goals and five points. Kucherov has five goals and eight points in his last two games. Game 2 is Sunday in Nova Scotia.

Ontario Hockey League

(E2)Barrie Colts 5 @ (E1)Belleville Bulls 0
Best-of-7 Eastern Conference Finals tied, 1-1

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-0-0, +1, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 10 GP, 0-3-3, +5, 19 PIM
Season totals: 66 GP, 4-18-22, E, 81 PIM
With Barrie: 28 GP, 2-6-8, -1, 42 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Barrie got to Bulls goalie Malcolm Subban early and often beating him five times en route to a 5-0 Game 2 win. Colts goalie Mathias Niederberger (undrafted) stopped 32 shots for the shutout. Game 3 is on Monday in Barrie.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(3)Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 1 @ (2)Baie-Comeau Drakkar 2
Drakkar lead best-of-7 semifinals, 1-0

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 0-0-0, E, 4 PIM, 2 SOG, 4 Hits
Playoff totals: 10 GP, 7-5-12, +5, 17 PIM
Season totals: 63 GP, 27-56-83, +29, 103 PIM

The Drakkar struck first in their semifinal series with the Armada, scoring a 2-1 win. The winning goal was scored on the power play near the mid-point of the final period.

Ontario Hockey League

(E2)Barrie Colts 2 @ (E1)Belleville Bulls 3
Bulls lead best-of-7 Eastern Conference Finals, 1-0

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-0-0, -1, 7 PIM
Playoff totals: 9 GP, 0-3-3, +4, 19 PIM
Season totals: 66 GP, 4-18-22, E, 81 PIM
With Barrie: 28 GP, 2-6-8, -1, 42 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Belleville scored the game’s final two goals and Bruins first rounder Malcolm Subban stopped 26 shots to lead the Bulls to a Game 1 win over Barrie. Dotchin fought Garrett Hooey of Belleville in the second period.

(4)Florida Everblades 4 vs. (1)Reading Royals 3
Quarterfinals: Florida leads the best-of-seven series 1-0

D Charles Landry, FLA: 0-0-0, E, 0 SOG, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 7 GP, 0-1-1, -1, 4 PIM
Season totals: 51 GP, 4-12-16, +7, 33 PIM

Florida, which never trailed in the opening match of the series, took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission but had to retake the lead after a lackluster start to the second period saw the game tied and fend off the Eastern Conference's top club during the course of the regular season for the better part of the final half of the contest. The host Royals doubled up the Everblades in shots, 37-16, hammering the visitors particularly hard with a 14-shot, 2-goal second period that Florida only salvaged by scoring on one of the mere 3 shots it managed to muster. Florida's special teams play, which was so critical to its first round success, shined again as the Everblades went 1-for-4 with the man-advantage while the penalty-killers negated 6 of 7 Royals opportunities. Jesse Deckert did an admirable job holding the fort, thwarting 34 of 37 shots against. Both teams square off again Saturday night in Reading.

Official Recap | Box Score