Eventually the perseverance paid off.

The Adirondack Phantoms capitalized on two late power plays at the end of regulation and beginning of overtime for an exciting, come-from-behind 4-3 victory at the Syracuse Crunch on Sunday.
 
Trailing 3-2 for the duration of the third period, the Phantoms got their best chance with time running out and found themselves with a rare 6-on-3 advantage stemming from a pair of Syracuse penalties while Adirondack removed their goalie for an extra-attacker. With all the extra room to move the puck, Brayden Schenn thrived and he blasted the equalizer from the right circle with 1:02 remaining to set the stage for overtime.
 
Still with a 5-on-3 advantage, it didn't take long for Brandon Manning to score the game-winner just 14 seconds into the extra period from outside the right ring not far from the spot where Schenn had tied it just a couple minutes earlier.
 
Tye McGinn scored a pair of goals for Adirondack in the second period, the third multi-goal game of his career. And Schenn had points on all the Phantoms' tallies with one goal and three assists.
 
The wild victory to conclude the Phantoms' three-in-three weekend improved their season record to 3-4-0. Syracuse fell to 4-1-2 with the heartbreaking loss.
 
Rookie goaltender Cal Heeter recorded his first win as a pro with a 32-save performance that included a number of gems particularly in the second period.
 
Adirondack really had a lot going against them heading in. The Phantoms were playing on the road and it was their third game in three days. But for host Syracuse, it was only their second game in two days. The Crunch did not play on Friday night. Normally when teams play "three-in-three" it is an equal situation for both teams. But the Crunch had the advantage of the extra-rest.
 
Additionally, the Syracuse team is essentially the former Norfolk Admirals team who won the Calder Cup last season and ended the regular season with a professional hockey record 28-game win streak.
 
But the Phantoms prevailed against the talented Crunch team with their most complete effort of the weekend.
 
Again the Phantoms found themselves battling the opposition as well as the penalty box. At the end of the game though, it turned out that a couple of Syracuse penalties made the difference. Similar to the night before against Rochester, 5-on-5 hockey was in short supply. Syracuse went 2-for-7 on the power play while Adirondack finished 2-for-10.
 
NHL'er Brett Connolly capitalized after a steal by last year's AHL MVP, Cory Conacher, and Syracuse enjoyed a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.
 
Tye McGinn scored a pair of goal in the first nine minutes of the second period to put the visiting Phantoms in front. His first came moments after Schenn rocketed a blast off the post. McGinn was there for the rebound of a Sean Couturier shot after that.
 
His second came as Matt Mangene led Schenn into the zone on a 2-on-1. McGinn connected on the perfect give across to give the Phantoms the lead.
 
All three of McGinn's multi-goal games have come against the Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate and essentially this team. He had two last year when they were the Norfolk Admirals and now he has one more against head coach Jon Cooper's crew.
 
Penalties cost Adirondack the lead later in the second period as Alex Killorn scored a pair of goals 30 seconds apart to make it 3-2 in favor of the Crunch. The go-ahead goal came on the power play after a few previous penalty kills by the Phantoms. His blast from the high-slot would be enough for Syracuse until the closing dramatic moments.
 
A number of scuffles broke out at different times and while nobody dropped the gloves or took fighting majors, the game began to take a decidedly nasty tone. Danny Syvret was body-slammed onto the back of his head by Richard Panik of the Crunch with 2:05 remaining in the third but was okay and able to serve his minor for interference that precipitated the take-down.
 
Panik took a double-minor and then a few seconds later J.T. Wyman inadvertently flipped the puck over the glass from the defensive-zone to give Adirondack a two-man advantage with 1:48 remaining. Goalie Cal Heeter race for the bench with 1:32 to go and then Schenn fired home his 6-on-3 rocket with 1:02 left to tie the game. It was Schenn's fourth of the season.
 
It was still 5-on-3 into the overtime when Manning set off the big Phantoms celebration to a stunned and silenced contingent at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse.
 
Scratches for the Phantoms included Oliver Lauridsen, Tyler Brown, Matthew Ford, Garrett Roe and Jeff Dimmen.
 
It was the first of eight games this year between the two New York state rivals and they won't have to wait long for match-up number two. The Crunch arrive to the Glens Falls Civic Center this Friday night hungry for redemption.
 
That is the opener of a back-to-back weekend at home for the Phantoms which concludes on Saturday against the Albany Devils on Phantoms Poster Night presented by Glens Falls Printing and Team Autograph Night after the game featuring all the players.
 
Get your tickets in advance and save. Call the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.

BOXSCORE

Sunday, October 28, 2012 - Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter

Adirondack 0 2 1 1 - 4

Syracuse 1 2 0 0 - 3

1st Period-1, Syracuse, Connolly 3 (Conacher), 8:21 (PP).

Penalties-Connolly Syr (hooking), 5:06; Bourdon Adk (hooking), 6:44;

Korobov Syr (hooking), 9:29; Connolly Syr (interference), 14:55;

Bordson Adk (high-sticking), 17:18; Panik Syr (closing hand on puck),

19:03.

2nd Period-2, Adirondack, McGinn 2 (Syvret, Schenn), 1:07. 3,

Adirondack, McGinn 3 (Schenn, Mangene), 8:45. 4, Syracuse, Killorn 1

(Palat), 13:31. 5, Syracuse, Killorn 2 (Taormina), 14:01 (PP).

Penalties-FitzGerald Adk (hooking, unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:01;

Connolly Syr (cross-checking), 12:04; Wellwood Adk (tripping), 12:09;

Syvret Adk (tripping), 13:53; Gudas Syr (roughing), 17:18.

3rd Period-6, Adirondack, Schenn 4 (Couturier, Gustafsson), 18:58

(PP). Penalties-Palat Syr (tripping), 2:12; Syvret Adk (slashing),

3:41; Conacher Syr (roughing), 7:52; Couturier Adk (interference),

13:00; Connolly Syr (cross-checking), 13:00; Syvret Adk

(interference), 17:55; Panik Syr (roughing, holding), 17:55; Wyman Syr

(delay of game), 18:12; served by Gauthier Syr (bench minor - too many

men), 19:49.

OT Period-7, Adirondack, Manning 2 (Schenn, Couturier), 0:14 (PP).

Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Adirondack 9-4-15-1-29. Syracuse 12-16-7-0-35.

Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 2 / 10; Syracuse 2 / 7.

Goalies-Adirondack, Heeter 0-2-0 (35 shots-32 saves). Syracuse,

Helenius 1-0-0 (29 shots-25 saves).

A-4,019

Referees-Tom Chmielewski (65).

Linesmen-Fraser McIntyre (94), Brian Lemon (25).