SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch blew past the Utica Comets, 6-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The win moves the Crunch to 21-19-5-1 on the season and 2-5-1-0 in the 14-game season series against the Comets.
Crunch goaltender Max Lagace earned the win blocking 22-of-25 shots. Mareks Mitens turned aside 21-of-26 between the pipes for the Comets during 53 minutes of ice time. Akira Schmid stopped both shots he faced in the second period during his five minutes of play in net for the Comets. Syracuse went 1-for-1 on the power play and a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Crunch opened scoring 8:10 into the game when Gabriel Dumont fired a slap shot from the top of the right circle. Anthony Richard then doubled the lead halfway through the frame with a wrister as he cut across the slot.
Syracuse continued building on their lead 1:10 into the second period. Mitens made the save on Alex Green’s left point shot, but left the rebound out for Gabe Fortier to chip in. The Comets finally responded at the 8:15 mark of the second period when Fabian Zetterlund dropped a pass for A.J. Greer to send home.
The Crunch regained their three-goal lead with a power-play goal halfway through the middle frame. Goncalves set up Sean Day for a backdoor redirection. At 14:38, Syracuse scored again when Remi Elie blasted a one-timer from the right point off a feed from Fortier.
Samuel Laberge stole a couple back for Utica to start the third period. Just 2:51 into the frame, Laberge scored with a wrister from the top of the left circle. At 6:28, he did it again from the left faceoff dot.
Goncalves hit the empty net with 21 seconds remaining in the game to secure the Crunch win.
The Crunch finish the weekend with a road trip to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tomorrow afternoon.
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