Despite pulling off a huge win on Mullet night Saturday evening, the Lake Erie Monsters succumbed to the Syracuse Crunch.
After stringing together three straight victories, the Monsters were within one point of pulling themselves out of the cellar of the North Division of the West Conference; Syracuse, a team just above them in the standings, presented them with the perfect opportunity.
The first three minutes of the game were wild. Lake Erie was stunned immediately off the faceoff as Syracuse Crunch #24 Derek Mackenzie scored a goal fifteen seconds into the contest with an assist by #19 Derek Dorsett. Had this been golf, a game-starting mulligan would have definitely been in order.
The Monsters were down 1-0 before the popcorn had completely settled in the bag. Additionally right off the ensuing faceoff following the goal a fight broke out and penalties of five minutes for fighting were accessed to #17 Steve Goertzen of the Crunch and #8 Cody McLeod of Lake Erie.
If that weren’t enough action, Dorsett and Love from the Crunch and Monsters respectively each got five minutes for fighting less than two minutes later. That would be four five-minute penalties totaling twenty minutes with only two minutes and seventeen seconds of game time gone.
If that ain’t hockey action, I don’t know what is!
Unfortunately, the only two fired up on the Monsters team were the two in the penalty box. The rest were giving up shots and odd man rushes like there was no tomorrow without registering any of their own. Add to the fact that #15 Eric Healey went to the box for slashing and the first period was very close to getting out of hand.
The penalty kill was somewhat harrowing but held, and the score remained 1-0 through the first half of the first period. The halfway point also marked the Monsters first shot on goal, a problem they continually have in the first, being out shot by a considerable margin every first period.
They got a chance to even up the shooting when #12 Andrew Murry for Syracuse was sent off for holding. One minute thirty into the two minute penalty, the Monsters got another break when #42 Brett Motherwell went off for hooking giving, them a five-on-three for roughly twenty nine seconds. They didn’t score in the five-on-three, but did manage a goal in the remaining five-on-four situation with 7:28 to go in the period. Johnny Boychuk registered his first goal as a Monster, evening the game at one a piece. Assists went to Stewart and Hussey.
The period ended with the shots on goal favoring Syracuse 13-5. This particular statistic has been an Achilles heel for the Monsters all year. Normally, they aren’t paying for it, but at some point it is bound to catch up with them.
The second period opened with a great kick save three minutes into the second period by Bacashihua. Syracuse took a penalty on #11 at 5:11 into the period and the Monsters went on the power play with a chance to take the lead in a contest they had been totally dominated in.
But, forty four seconds into the power play, Syracuse was awarded a penalty shot on a breakaway take-down and #24 Jeffrey Szwez scored to the upper right corner of the net giving the Crunch a 2-1 lead. Not even one minute later, Syracuse generated another quality scoring chance that Bacashihua stopped with a nice glove save, holding the Monsters in the game. His fantastic play was like watching someone with their finger in the dike though.
Eventually all these non-contested scoring chances would pay dividends for Syracuse. At 11:57, right off a faceoff from the left side in the Syracuse offensive end, the Crunch made it 3-1 on a slap shot from #4 Ciay Wilson, assisted by Dupui.
A turnover in the neutral zone led to a 3-on-1 for the Monsters and they capitalized with some nifty passing from Eric Healy to #8 Cody McCleod who shot left as the goalie was out of position right. 3-2 Syracuse. The score was much closer than the actual contest at this point.
Syracuse leveled themselves shorthanded yet again after having too many men on the ice. The Monsters cycled the puck well, but didn’t get off a shot and ended up off-sides on the charge back into the offensive zone.
Jeff Jillson ripped a nice shot that was stopped cold by Adam Munroe, pretty much ending it for the Monsters' power play. Shots favored the Crunch 33-17 at the end of two.
In past games, Lake Erie usually picked up the pace in the second period and at least equaled their opponent's shot total. Today they just lacked the spark.
The third period was a highlight film for Monsters’ goalie Bacashihua. He took a huge gamble and went out of net to stop a breakaway one-on-one chance. The move paid off, but was not pretty.
Later, the Crunch ripped a shot from the left circle and Bacashihua gloved it. The highlight reel took a hit though as Syracuse immediately came back and #39 Trevor Frischmon scored an unassisted goal that looked like the nail in the coffin for the Monsters.
The Monsters did themselves no favors after the goal as #32 Codey Burki took a hooking penalty, putting the Crunch on the advantage. They scored 46 seconds later on a beautiful deflection of a slap shot. The coffin was no longer just nailed—it was getting dirt thrown on top. Sweze scored the goal from MacKenzie and Wilson.
Syracuse did everything they could to let the Monsters back in the game. First came a two-minute penalty to #18 Tom Sastito for hooking. The Monsters desperately needed to convert on this power play, but got nothing.
They got another power play chance with 5:21 left for a high stick to #39 Trevor Frishmon. Sadly the best shot came from Syracuse on a one-on-one versus Goalie Bacashihua. He won that one, but the Monsters could not convert again.
Had these two power plays resulted in goals, the Monsters would have been right back in the game. The power play was bad all day though.
#18 Sestito and #8 McCleod each got 10 minute misconducts and were done for the game. At this point though, the penalties were academic. The four-on-four favored Syracuse even though they left three men back to protect their lead.
The Crunch got in one final blast before the horn sounded and the crowd left disappointed. Third star of the game was #4 Clay Wilson of Syracuse, #3 Johnny Boychuk of the Monsters was the second star, and#24 Derrick MacKenzie of Syracuse was the star of the game.
After the Sunday contests, the Monsters allow the public skating and autographs on the ice with the players. Except for the 5-2 pounding Lake Erie endured at the hands of the Crunch, the evening was a great time.
The next Monster home game is Friday Dec. 7 when the Monsters take on Rockford in back to back contests the Dec. 7 and 8. Take a break from your Christmas shopping and check out a game—you'll leave knowing that hockey really is the coolest game on earth!
