Brett Murray cleaned up a rebound with 11:46 gone in overtime to give Rochester a 4-3 win over Syracuse on Saturday night, completing a season-saving rally and sending the teams’ North Division semifinal series to a winner-take-all Game 5.
Facing elimination and a three-goal deficit at the start of the third period, the Amerks got two goals from Brandon Biro and one from Joseph Cecconi to send the series to its third consecutive overtime game. Lukas Rousek assisted on all three third-period tallies.
In OT, Mason Jobst’s shot was tipped on net by Nikita Novikov, and Murray – in the Rochester lineup for the first time since Apr. 3 – found the rebound sitting in the crease and knocked in his second career playoff overtime goal.
Coming off a 60-save performance in Game 3, Devon Levi stopped 41 shots for the Amerks, who are 5-1 over the last two postseasons when facing elimination, including 4-0 against Syracuse.
Cole Koepke, Waltteri Merelä and Alex Barré-Boulet scored for the Crunch, and Gage Goncalves recorded two assists. Brandon Halverson turned aside 43 of 47 shots in the loss.
(Series tied, 2-2)
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 26 – ROCHESTER 3, Syracuse 2
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 28 – Syracuse 4, ROCHESTER 3 (OT)
Game 3 – Thu., May 2 – SYRACUSE 2, Rochester 1 (2OT)
Game 4 – Sat., May 4 – Rochester 4, SYRACUSE 3 (OT)
Game 5 – Fri., May 10 – Syracuse at Rochester, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern