SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Rochester Americans, 3-2, tonight at Blue Cross Arena.
The win advances the Crunch to 24-21-6-1 on the season and 6-3-1-0 in the 12-game season series against the Amerks.
Crunch goaltender Max Lagace recorded his second consecutive win stopping 14-of-16 shots. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 40-of-43 between the pipes for the Amerks. The Syracuse power play went 1-for-3, while the penalty kill was a perfect 3-for-3.
The Amerks were first on the board when Nick Pastujov jammed the puck across the goal line during a scramble in front of the net 2:29 into the game.
The Crunch evened the score at 7:03 when Boris Katchouk set up Alex Green for a one-timer from the right point. At 17:42, Syracuse took the lead with a power-play goal as Sean Day fed Alex Barre-Boulet for a shot from the right circle.
Syracuse continued building their lead 3:46 into the second frame. After Barre-Boulet’s close-range shot was blocked, Charles Hudon found the rebound and sent it in behind Luukkonen.
Halfway through the second period, Brett Murray tipped Josh Teves’s long left-point shot to steal one back for Rochester.
The Crunch held onto their lead through the third period to take the road victory.
The team returns home to host the Toronto Marlies tomorrow.