The win extended Syracuse's winning streak to three games and pulled the
Crunch to within five points of first-place Rochester in the Empire Division.
Left wing Steve Kariya, playing in his first game for Syracuse, scored a
dramatic, short-handed goal with 3:45 left in the third period to force the
extra period.
 
The speedy Kariya, demoted by Vancouver Friday, shifted into a rare gear on
the tying goal. He cut down the right wing, eluded Providence center Tim
Lovell and pushed a one-handed shot past Grahame.
 
Seconds later, with Providence still on a power play, Kariya slipped into
warp speed again by bursting from the Crunch end all the way in for a
breakaway on Grahame. Grahame made the save, but Providence left wing Antti
Laaksonen was called for hooking Kariya, thereby ending the Bruins power play.
 
Kariya picked up his first point for the Crunch by setting up the only goal
of the second period. His shot hit traffic in front of the Providence net and
Crunch center Brian Bonin then swooped in to slash a backhand past Grahame at
the 4:31 mark for a 2-1 Crunch lead.