SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Providence Bruins, 3-2, in a shootout today at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The win advances the Crunch to 36-20-4-2 as they take sole possession of first in the North Division with 78 points. The team is now 3-0-0-0 in the four-game season series against the Bruins.
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins recorded the victory stopping 41-of-43 shots and all three shootout attempts. Michael DiPietro turned aside 23-of-25 shots and 2-of-3 shootout attempts in net for the Bruins. Both the Syracuse and Providence power plays converted on 1-of-4 opportunities.
After a scoreless first period, the Crunch broke the stalemate 3:27 into the middle frame. DiPietro made the save on Max Groshev’s redirection, but Tristan Allard was able to get a stick on the rebound and send it in. Just over a minute later, the Bruins evened the score when Patrick Brown scored during a scramble in front of the net. Syracuse regained their lead with a power-play goal late in the period. Gage Goncalves fired a shot from the left circle that went off the post and back out into the crease behind the netminder for Jack Finley to poke in.
The Bruins knotted the score, 2-2, with a power-play goal halfway through the third period to eventually send the game into overtime. Anthony Richard centered a feed from along the goal line that banked off a Crunch defender and into the net.
Neither team scored in the overtime frame and the game went to a shootout where Goncalves scored the only goal and game-winner in the second round.
The Crunch return home to host the Rochester Americans on Wednesday.
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