Walter Merelä hit a breakaway 10:18 into the second overtime as the Syracuse Crunch took a 2-1 decision over Rochester in a pivotal Game 3 of their North Division semifinal series Thursday night.
With a 2-1 series lead thanks to back-to-back OT wins, the Crunch can eliminate the Amerks with another win at home in Game 4 on Saturday.
Gage Goncalves he found Merela coming up the ice to change the line, and the Finnish forward ran alone and slipped past. Devon Levy completing the first multi-OT Calder Cup Playoff game ever played at Upstate Medical University Arena.
Levi finished the night with 60 saves for Rochester, including 23 in halftime overtime. The Americans went out 62-34 on the night.
Alex Barré-Boulet broke a scoreless tie at 11:10 of the second period, tapping in a rebound Declan Carlyle side of the crease to record his third Calder Cup Playoff goal.
Rochester responded with 54.4 seconds to play in the middle frame as Isak Rosén he was tied up in the back on the break and given a penalty. He beat the Crunch goalie Brandon Halverson on the glove side to make it 1-1.
Halverson (2-1) would finish with 33 saves for Syracuse.
The Americans were a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill, including two opportunities in overtime.
(Syracuse leads series, 2-1)
Game 1 – Friday, April 26 – ROCHESTER 3, Syracuse 2
Game 2 – Sun., April 28 – Syracuse 4, ROCHESTER 3 (OT)
Game 3 – Thursday, May 2 – SYRACUSE 2, Rochester 1 (2OT)
Game 4 – Sat., May 4 – Rochester at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 5 – Friday, May 10 – Syracuse at Rochester, 7:05
*if necessary… All times in Mpumalanga
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