FLAMES CRUNCHITIZE SYRACUSE FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN

Glens Falls, NY – The Adirondack Flames extended their winning streak to seven games, as they defeated the Syracuse Crunch by a 4-1 final on Friday night in front of 3,059 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

It was another strong performance from Joni Ortio, as the Finnish netminder was strong between the pipes once again with 26 saves, while David Wolf, Taylor Vause, Brodie Reid, and Emile Poirier each had a goal and an assist for Adirondack, which earned its tenth win of the season tonight. Defenseman Mark Cundari had a multi-point game with two assists. Vause, who has now played in two games with Adirondack since being called up from Colorado of the ECHL, has recorded three points (1-2-3) over that span.

The Flames wasted no time getting onto the scoreboard, as they found the back of the net just 13 seconds into the contest, a new Adirondack Flames franchise record. After the Flames won the opening faceoff, Wolf picked up the puck between the circles, fought his way to the front of the net and beat Syracuse netminder Kristers Gudlevskis high short-side to put the Flames ahead 1-0. Vause and Tyler Wotherspoon assisted the goal for Wolf, his third of the season.

The Crunch clawed back in the second period with a goal of their own to tie the game at one. Just as Trevor Gillies’ penalty expired, Luke Witkowski ripped a shot from the point that beat Ortio. The goal, which was Witkowski’s first of the season, was assisted by Tanner Richard.

With just 1.8 seconds remaining in the second stanza, however, Adirondack regained the lead as Vause netted his first goal as an Adirondack Flame. The goal, which came in the waning moments of the period, was set up by Poirier, as he shuffled the puck over to Vause, who poked it into the beckoning net. Wolf was credited with the secondary assist on the goal for the first two-point game of his AHL career.

The Flames doubled their lead at 11:56 of the final frame when Reid let a one-time rocket go from the point that blew by Gudlevskis. The goal for Reid, which came on the power play, was his second of the season. Cundari earned the assist, with a pinpoint feed to set up the one-timer.

Poirier sealed the deal exactly five minutes later on the power play, when he fired a blast past Gudlevskis to put the Flames up by three. The goal for Poirier, which was his fourth of the season, came off of another pass from Cundari to complete the one-time bid. Reid notched his second point of the night as he picked up the secondary assist on Poirier’s tally.

The Flames are back in action tomorrow in search of their eighth consecutive win, as the Rochester Americans return to Glens Falls. Tomorrow is Military Appreciation Night at the Civic Center, sponsored by UA Local Plumbers and Pipefitters 773. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s contest, as well as for all of the team’s home games this season. Visit the Flames box office, call 518-480-3355, or order online at glensfallscc.com to be a part of Adirondack Flames Hockey.

Adirondack Flames Hockey • Fired Up