Julian Talbot scored his second goal in as many nights in regulation and Ben Walter scored the game winner in the shootout.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Julian Talbot scored his second goal in as many nights in regulation and Ben Walter scored the game winner in the shootout to give the Lake Erie Monsters a 2-1 win in Syracuse on Saturday night.
John Grahame recorded the win in goal, posting 17 saves on 18 shots in 65 minutes. Lake Erie is 2-0 to start the season.
Lake Erie dominated Syracuse offensively, out-shooting the home team, 41-18. But neither team was able to capitalize until nearly the end of the second period. Talbot put the Monsters on the board at the 17:16 mark of the middle frame, assisted by Travis Gawryletz and Cameron Gaunce.
The Monsters finished the second period with a 1-0 lead, but it wouldn't take the Crunch long to tie it up. Just two minutes into the third, Maxime Macenauer scored on the power play for Syracuse, assisted by Stu Bickel and Danny Syvret.
Regulation ended with a 1-1 tie and after five sudden-death minutes of overtime, the teams headed to a shootout.
The home team shot first and missed, as did Lake Erie's first shooter, Ryan Stoa. After another failed attempt by the Crunch, Walter converted for the Monsters. Another miss by Syracuse was followed by Kevin Shattenkirk's goal for the Monsters, forcing Syracuse's fourth shooter to convert or go home. Trevor Smith was unable to get past Grahame.