The Monsters hadn't been home for quite a while, and were quite a different looking team when they took to the ice at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland , Ohio First and foremost, Mark Rycroft, the former captain of the Lake Erie Monsters, was on the ice, but in a Syracuse Crunch jersey. He was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets( Syracuse 's parent club) for Defenseman Darcy Campbell and forward Philippe Dupuis. Dupuis didn't even have is name etched on the back of his jersey until the beginning of the second period, that's how quickly this trade went down prior to the two teams suiting up. While Rycroft had been nursing a sore back for a few weeks and not playing, Lake Erie will miss his energy and leadership. He was on ice for the Crunch on this particular evening. Additionally, David Jones and T.J. Hensick both returned to the Colorado Avalanche; both were a foregone conclusion to head back up. The Monsters, hungry for a win, and hoping to edge up in the standings on Syracuse , managed to swing one point in the tie, but lose in overtime 2-1.

The first period was somewhat ho-hum as both teams played flat. While the Monsters enjoyed a six minute to two power play edge over one frame, they trailed where it counted most; on the scoreboard. With the Crunch on their only power play of the period, Alexandre Picard scored with his back to the net from his knees, slamming home his own rebound with just over three minutes left in the first. Duvia Westcott and Gilbert Brule registered assists.

Less than five minutes into the second period, the Monsters evened the score 1-1 on a sweet move by Wyatt Smith. He came in left side, showed the puck to the net minder from about six feet away, then pulled it back, waited for the goalie to go down, skated in front of the crease and wrapped it around the left foot of Syracuse goalie Adam Munro. An assist was registered by Jamie Lundmark. Lundmark and Smith looked good on the same line; one or the other almost always creating traffic in front of the net. Smith had only been back two games after recovering from a knee injury. Unfortunately, that broke up the Lundmark-Kelly tandem that had been so lethal as of late.

Deep into the second, in an inexplicably dunderhead move, the Crunch had removed netminder Adam Munro because of a delayed penalty on Chris Stewart of the Monsters. Syracuse threw the puck back to the non-existent goalie, just missing scoring on them selves. Too bad the defenseman didn't have better aim!! The Monsters took another penalty on Mark McCutcheon, putting the Crunch on a five on three for WELL over a minute. Thirty seconds later Knopka gave up the advantage by taking a hook, making it a Syracuse four-on-three. You knew with the penalties racking up, there was no way it wasn't going to end in confrontation. Dale Purinton grabbed a five minute penalty for spearing, and a game misconduct just as the period ended.

The third period opened with a Monster of a penalty kill by Lake Erie ; both teams continued showing lack of energy. It was obvious this one was going to end 2-1 as the third period only generated six shots by each team.

At the end of regulation it was 1-1. Denisov was a one man wrecking crew for the Monsters, laying big hit after big hit on the Crunch forwards. The hits, though, did not translate into victory for the Monsters when a poor turnover in the neutral zone opened up the winning scoring opportunity. Kinocka of the Crunch took it right in front of the crease on a beautiful between the legs pass to himself, then dumped to Lindstrom, and Lindstrom went high for the win. Lake Erie wasted a huge opportunity to pick up a point on a team they really need to catch if they want any chance of securing a playoff berth come April.

Third star of the game - Lake Erie Monsters Tyler Weiman. Second star of the game Syracuse Crunch Adam Monroe- Star of the game - Jokim Lindstrom.