JOHN’S, NL – Zachary Fucale earned his first professional shutout with a 39-save performance as the St. John’s IceCaps blanked the Syracuse Crunch, 4-0, tonight at the Mile One Centre.
The victory snaps a five-game winless streak for the IceCaps, while extending the Crunch to a six-game skid. Syracuse is now 1-1-1-0 in the eight-game season series with St. John’s and 19-20-8-1 on the season.
Crunch goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 15-of-18 in defeat. His counterpart, Fucale, turned aside all 39 shots. Syracuse was unable to convert on two man-advantages. The IceCaps power-play unit was highly effective against the Crunch, scoring the first two goals, going 2-for-3.
At the 9:45 mark of the first period, Nikita Scherbak was parked at the back door to redirect a cross-crease feed from Gabriel Dumont and put St. John’s on the board. Bud Holloway recorded the secondary assist on the opening tally.
With 5:05 remaining in the second, the IceCaps built up a two-goal lead. Michael McCarron carried the puck to the bottom of the right circle before pulling the trigger and beating Gudlevskis with a wrister. Morgan Ellis and Holloway earned credit for the helpers.
St. John’s added two more in the final frame to down Syracuse, 4-0. With Gudlevskis screened, Ellis snuck one in from the left wing side at 16:54. Dumont grabbed the assist before netting one of his own into the open cage with 1:02 remaining in the game. Holloway picked up his third assist of the night on the final tally.
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