Game Results

Get away day at War Memorial.

BNG-5
SYR-1

Pat Nagle allowed 5 goals on 37 shots for the loss. That was Nagle's second appearance of his AHL career and his first decision as the Crunch threw out a B lineup and B effort with nothing much to play for in the last regular season game.

First Period
BNG Cowick, (16) (Grant, Schneider), 14:13

Second Period
BNG Grant, (19) (Wideman), 1:56
BNG Ceci, (1) (Da Costa, Stone), 4:28

Third Period
SYR Sustr, (2) (Barberio, Sexton), 6:47 (PP)
BNG Schneider, (17) (Cowick), 12:13
BNG Robinson, (2) (Cannone), 19:17

Dan Sexton was the game's third star.

Tyler Johnson was not allowed to sniff the ice. Not surprising. Artem Sergeev made his AHL debut in the game. Again, not surprising. The kids were going to play in this one.

With Portland getting thumped by Bridgeport 4-1, Syracuse's first round opponent is now set. The third seeded Crunch will draw the sixth seeded Pirates. To be honest, if I had to pick an opponent, Portland's not the scariest one on the board. When you look at their lineup, they have some nice defensemen but lack scoring depth up front and, above all, their goaltending doesn't really terrify you. This first round series may be the toughest one for Syracuse to get past, so I am fairly relieved they didn't draw a team like Wilkes-Barre/Scranton right away.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

(4)Florida Everblades 2 vs. (1)Reading Royals 3
Quarterfinals: The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1

D Charles Landry, FLA: 0-0-0, -1, 0 SOG, 5 PIM (fighting)
Playoff totals: 8 GP, 0-1-1, -1, 9 PIM
Season totals: 51 GP, 4-12-16, +7, 33 PIM

Florida was able to split a two-goal deficit late in the first period but Reading answered early in the middle frame and, though the Everblades got within one again with several minutes remaining in regulation, was able to hold off the visitors in order to even the series at a game apiece. The Eastern Conference's best club during the regular season, the Royals again managed to more than double up the Everblades in shots, by a margin of 40-17. Florida again went 1-for-4 with the man-advantage while Reading was slightly more efficient in this contest than in the opening match, scoring once on five power play opportunities. Jesse Deckert was yanked in favor of Brady Hjelle after stopping just 11 of 14 shots in 20:18 of action. Hjelle played the next 38:21, fending off all 26 Royals shots in the process. The series now moves to Estero where both clubs will resume hostilities again on Wednesday night.

Official Recap | Box Score

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.