Binghamton, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell behind 5-0 less than seven minutes into the second period but pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat the Binghamton Senators 6-5 in overtime with Richard Panik scoring the game-winning goal unassisted at 3:44 of the extra frame.
Panik’s first goal of the season capped a three-point night for the 21 year old and extended the Crunch winning streak to three games. Syracuse has recorded points in each of its first four contests, improving to 3-0-0-1.
After Binghamton goals from Mike Hoffman and Pat Cannone in the first and Tyler Eckford, Derek Grant and Mark Borowiecki in the second, the tide turned with an unusual string of penalties at 9:30 of the second period capped by goaltenders Robin Lehner for the Sens and Riku Helenius for the Crunch dropping the gloves at center ice – Lehner took two majors, a minor and a game misconduct in the scrum. The starting netminders were replaced by Nathan Lawson for Binghamton and Dustin Tokarski for Syracuse.
From that point forward, the all the offense came from the Crunch.
Cory Conacher scored a short-handed goal at 10:29 (assist to Tyler Johnson) and Mark Barberio came through on the power play two minutes later (assists to Johnson and Brett Connolly) but the Crunch still trailed at the end of two periods, 5-2.
Connolly scored the Crunch’s third goal at 6:57 of the third by banking a shot off Lawson as both P.C. Labrie and Dmitry Korobov picked up their first assists of the season. Ondrej Palat scored his first goal of the year at 11:39 on scramble around the net as Johnson and Panik drew assists.
With less than four minutes remaining in regulation, and the Crunch going from down a man to a four-on-four, J.T. Wyman scored the tying goal with Panik and Barberio assisting. Syracuse finished the third period with 20 shots on goal and a game total of 42 to Binghamton’s 27. Panik’s overtime score was Syracuse’s second shot of the extra period.
Binghamton finished with 80 penalty minutes on 20 infractions; Syracuse served 72 minutes on 18 infractions.
Syracuse concludes its three-game roadtrip Sunday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 5:05 p.m. with live coverage on The Score 1260 beginning at 4:50.
Courtesy: Syracuse Crunch
