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Prospect of the Week: May 15, 2013
Submitted by chad on May 15, 2013 - 15:40
We continue our Prospect of the Week award, an honor (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for their recent contributions on and off the ice.
The Prospect of the Week for April 25 is … Syracuse’s Top Gun line (AHL – USA).
Tyler Johnson is sharing the wealth.
Johnson had a hat trick and seven total points (2 GP, 4-3-7) last week as the Crunch came off a week-long break with two wins over Springfield in Massachusetts. Syracuse holds a 2-0 series lead on the Falcons entering Wednesday’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
Johnson has won our Prospect of the Week three times in the last six weeks and we’re running out of ways to say he’s good at the hockey, so we’re giving the award to his line, made up of Johnson, Ondrej Palat, and Richard Panik. The line was recently named the Top Gun line, though it has also been called the PTPer (Prime Time Players via Dick Vitale). Regardless of what people are calling it, the line is on fire.
World Championships Game Day: 5-19-13
Submitted by pete on May 19, 2013 - 16:18
Bronze Medal Match
Finland 2 vs. USA 3 (SO)
Ben Bishop, USA, DNP
Tournament totals: 5 GP, 3-2-0, 0 SO, 2.83 GAA, .876 sv%
Matt Carle, USA, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Tournament totals: 10 GP, 0-2-2, E, 0 PIM
Nate Thompson, USA, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Tournament totals: 10 GP, 1-2-3, +1, 8 PIM
Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk scored in the 4th round of the shootout to lift USA to a 3-2 win over Finland and a Bronze Medal at the IIHF World Championships. USA held a 2 goal lead heading into the Third Period on markers by Nashville's Craig Smith and Colorado's Paul Stastny, but Lauri Korpokoski scored a pair of goals in the final frame to force extra hockey. Ben Bishop sat backup for Team USA. The result is an excellent one for USA, which has often struggled in international tournaments outside the Olympics and World Cup, but is slightly bittersweet after their loss to Switzerland in the Semifinals.
In the day's other match, Sweden pummeled Cinderella Switzerland 5-1 to win the Gold Medal Match.
World Championships Game Day: 5-18-13
Submitted by pete on May 18, 2013 - 22:47
Semifinal Round
Switzerland 3 vs. USA 0
Ben Bishop, USA, DNP
Tournament totals: 5 GP, 3-2-0, 0 SO, 2.83 GAA, .876 sv%
Matt Carle, USA, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Tournament totals: 9 GP, 0-2-2, +1, 0 PIM
Nate Thompson, USA, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Tournament totals: 9 GP, 1-2-3, +1, 8 PIM
Former Blues draft pick Reto Berra stopped all 29 shots he faced to send unlikely Switzerland to the Gold Medal Match of the IIHF World Championships. Berra received 1 goal and 1 assist of support from Islanders first rounder Nino Neiderreiter in the victory. Ben Bishop sat backup to Anaheim draft pick John Gibson for Team USA.
Switzerland will play Sweden in the Gold Medal Match. USA will conclude their tournament against Finland in the Bronze Medal Match tomorrow.
Crunch Finish Sweep of Falcons With 5-2 Win
Submitted by jghoughtaling on May 17, 2013 - 22:48
With a one goal lead and the third period winding down, Matt Taormina found the puck on his stick and looked for an open shot.
After his first attempt was blocked, the Syracuse Crunch defenseman drove toward the net wristed another toward the Springfield Falcons' net. He lost track of it there.
"I shot and I didn't hear anything until the crowd reacted," Taormina said. "I finally knew it actually went in."
The goal put the exclamation point on Syracuse's 5-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the Onondaga County War Memorial Friday, as the Crunch swept the Falcons 4-0 to move on to the conference finals.
"They were pressing, they could feel it," Syracuse coach Rob Zettler said of Springfield. "Then Taormina steps up and scores that goal, it's huge. It put a stamp on it for us."
AHL Playoff Game Night: 5-17-13 Falcons at Crunch
Submitted by pete on May 17, 2013 - 21:12
Syracuse punches their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they've made it look easy to this point.
SPR-2
SYR-5
Syracuse Wins the Series 4-0
Cedrick Desjardins allowed 2 goals on 30 shots for the victory.
First Period
SYR Wyman, (1) (Devos), 6:04
SYR Barberio, (3) (Namestnikov, Panik), 7:52
Second Period
SPR Craig, (2) (Savard, Jenner), 2:38 (PP)
SYR Wyman, (2) (Brown, Cote), 17:20
Third Period
SPR Joudrey, (1) (Savard, Jenner), 8:35
SYR Taormina, (1) (Connolly), 9:45
SYR Sexton, (2) (Namestnikov), 18:01 (EN)
J.T. Wyman, Mark Barberio, and Matt Taormina were the game's three stars.
You would think with the PTP line held to just 1 point that Springfield would finally get a win in the series, right? Wrong. Syracuse's second and third lines carried the mail and delivered the squad to the next round.
The core of this team that was also in Norfolk for their championship run last season, AKA SyraNo, has won 17 straight playoff games. It's a ridiculous level of success that will be difficult for the league and the media to officially recognize because of the affiliation change. But, it's one of those things that really, in my opinion, gives this group the argument to say they're one of the best in league history. In fact, if they "repeat", I'd say they probably are the best multi-season collection of players in AHL history.
Syracuse's next opponent will probably be top seeded Providence, which holds a 3-1 series lead over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after a Penguins win tonight. This is where taking care of an opponent and getting the sweep can pay dividends. Every game Wilkes-Barre/Scranton can extend that series depletes Providence's energy and possibly leads to more injuries while Syracuse can conserve theirs and stay healthy. There's the added dimension of Boston still being alive in the playoffs and injury call-ups that comes into play, too. Playoff hockey can be about attrition, and bear in mind Providence went the distance in their first round series against Hershey, too. Advantage Syracuse if Providence can't handle their business in Game Five of their series tomorrow.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
