GEDDES -- The game was exciting and the atmosphere was electric, as a record-breaking crowd of 21,508 saw the Syracuse Crunch edge the Binghamton Senators by a 2-1 count in the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the AHL’s first-ever outdoor game, played this afternoon at the New York State Fairgrounds.
A booming rendition of the national anthem by Mercury recording artist Jessie James, complete with a fly-by from the 174th Fighter Wing New York Air National Guard and introductions of Crunch all-time greats J.F. Labbe and Dan Smith and NHL legends Danny Gare, Bobby Nystrom and Rob Ray set the tone for a memorable afternoon.
If that wasn’t enough, skydiver Ray Maynard proceeded to float down from above to deliver a puck to Governor David Paterson and Senator Chuck Schumer from the first-ever NHL outdoor exhibition game, that featured Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers facing off in 88-degree weather in Las Vegas on September 27, 1991.
It was only fitting that in a game of this magnitude, fan favorite and longest-tenured member of the Crunch, Alexandre Picard, scored the game’s first goal.
Picard took a pass from Mike Blunden while racing in down the left side, then shot the disk quickly and found daylight on the short side of Binghamton starter Mike Brodeur at the 6:47 mark of the opening frame, sending the packed house into a frenzy.
Fans had plenty of attractions to keep themselves busy with VIP and fan zone tents, a live band and an ice sculpting contest, until Binghamton knotted the scored at 1-1 just over five minutes into the second stanza when Josh Hennessy buried a Martin St. Pierre feed from the right post past Kevin Lalande.
The game continued to ebb and flow back and forth until the Crunch re-took the lead with just 12 seconds left in the second period, when David Liffiton corralled a nice touch pass from Dan Fritsche and rifled a wrister from the slot to the top right corner past Brodeur to make it 2-1.
Liffiton’s marker stood up as the game-winner, while Mike Blunden notched two assists and Lalande shut the door on a flurried Binghamton power play attack in the final minutes, finishing with 36 saves and first star of the game honors.
CRUNCHABLES: The previous attendance record at an American Hockey League game was 20,672, set by the Carolina Monarchs at the Greensboro Coliseum in 1997…Picard has six goals over his last nine games…Lalande has allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances.
Courtesy: Syracuse Crunch
