SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch earned a point against the Rochester Americans to clinch a berth in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Crunch rallied back with two goals in the third period to force overtime, but eventually fell to the Amerks, 3-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
Syracuse currently sits at 34-24-6-4 on the season and completes the 12-game season series against Rochester with a 6-5-1-0 record.
Crunch goaltender Max Lagace turned aside 38-of-41 shots. Malcolm Subban earned the win stopping 42-of-44 between the pipes for the Amerks.
Syracuse was held scoreless on three power play opportunities, while Rochester converted on 1-of-4 man-advantages.
The Amerks were first on the board 2:40 into the game when Kohen Olischefski snuck the puck past Lagace from a sharp angle along the goal line.
Filip Cederqvist doubled Rochester’s lead late in the second period with a wrister from the left faceoff dot.
The Crunch rallied back and evened the score with back-to-back goals to open the final frame. Six minutes into the period, Alex Barre-Boulet fed Declan Carlile for a long-point shot. Three minutes later, Subban made the save on Felix Robert’s shot from the right circle, but left the rebound out for Ilya Usau to sweep into a wide open net.
The teams remained tied through the end of regulation and went to overtime where Jiri Kulich netted the game-winner for Rochester at the 4:03 mark.
The Crunch host the Laval Rocket tomorrow.