Amerks’ win streak 9 with OT win over Syracuse
Call this the one that got away from the Rochester Americans.
A 3-0 lead vaporized in the third period as the Syracuse Crunch scored three goals, the last with just 13.2 seconds left.
One of their reliable defenseman, Jason Garrison, for an instant looked like a rookie again.
Their Rookie-of-the-Month goalie, Alexander Salak, looked human and, even worse, rattled.
Yet the Amerks still didn’t lose on Friday.
Chris Taylor’s power-play goal with 1:06 remaining in overtime gave the Amerks a 4-3 victory, extending their winning streak to nine games.
With Graham Mink creating a moving screen down low, Mike York, Clay Wilson and Taylor played catch until Taylor was set up in the right circle for a one-timed slap shot into an open net.
“We sat back in the third period but we’re lucky we’ve got a veteran like ‘Tails’ to score in overtime,” said winger Michael Duco, who scored the game’s first goal and set up the second by York.
Mink had the third after a great rush, deke and pass by Evgeny Dadonov.
A season-high crowd of 6,035 watched at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
“We learned a lesson,” said Wilson, whose puck-handling on the OT power play created Taylor’s goal.
The lesson: Don’t relax, even with a three-goal lead and even coming off an absolutely dominating second period.
“You don’t want to sit back but mentally it’s hard to be aggressive,” Wilson said. “The 50/50 pucks, you’re not aggressive on them.”
So battles are lost, plays are created by the opposition and goals are scored.
Except not all the Crunch goals were the result of what the Amerks didn’t do. The first goal, by Kevin Harvey, was the direct result of a blatant elbow to the jaw of Amerks winger Luke Beaverson — by Harvey.
The Amerks will ask the American Hockey League to review the incident. Referee Nygel Pelletier called no penalty.
With Beaverson on his knees in the corner and unable to get up, the Crunch controlled the puck and Harvey scored 5:26 into the third period.
It was the first Crunch goal on Salak in a span of 155 minutes, 35 seconds.
“He seemed very confident the first couple periods, then after the first one (goal), it seemed the whole team got rattled,” said Crunch defenseman Nick Holden, who tied the score less than 14 seconds before the final buzzer.
Garrison’s giveaway created the scoring chance after he lost the puck to an open-ice, forechecking double-team by forecheckers Dan Fritsche and Tom Sestito.
“I kind of had the deer-in-the-headlights look,” Garrison said. “It’s just a mental mistake. My fault. Obviously I had more options than the one I did.”
KEVINO@DemocratandChronicle.com
Hockey night
The matchup: Amerks vs. Toronto Marlies.
Time/place: 7:05 tonight/Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Tickets: $11, $14, $17, $19, $20.
Special appearance: Lou Gramm will sing the anthems before the game, then sign autographs after the first period.
Broadcasts: WHTK-AM (1280), WHTK-FM (107.3), Time Warner Cable channel 26.
Kevin’s 3 stars
1. Graham Mink, RW, Amerks … 1 goal, 1 assist, drew 2 penalties, key role on GWG.
2. Michael Duco, LW, Amerks … 1 goal, 1 assist, his best game.
3. Chris Taylor, C, Amerks … GWG, assist.
