Crunch Defeat Comets, 3-2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Utica Comets, 3-2, tonight at the Adirondack Bank Center.

Dylan Duke scored twice and Conor Sheary scored once as both players earn their 20th goal on the season and the Crunch secure a third place finish in the North Division.

The Crunch are now 37-22-8-4 on the season and 7-5-1-0 in the 14-game season series against the Comets.

Crunch netminder Ryan Fanti earned the win stopping 26-of-28 shots. Isaac Poulter stopped 23-of-26 between the pipes for the Comets. The Syracuse power play converted on 2-of-5 opportunities, while the penalty kill went a perfect 2-for-2.

After a scoreless first period, the Comets opened scoring 38 seconds into the middle frame. Fanti made a series of saves, but Ryan Schmelzer scored on the third chance when he chipped the puck up and over the netminder. The Crunch responded with two quick goals of their own just 1:21 apart. The first one came at the 6:24 mark when Sheary cut across the zone and fired a low shot through traffic from the top of the left circle. Just over a minute later, Sheary sent a slick feed down low for Duke to redirect into the net while on the power play. Halfway through the frame, Utica knotted the score, 2-2, off Schmelzer’s second of the game.

Duke put the Crunch back on top with his second power-play goal of the game just 53 seconds into the third period. Max Crozier ripped a one-timer from the left point that was stopped by Poulter, but Duke was at the post to sweep in the rebound. Syracuse held on to their lead through the end of the game and took the win.

The Crunch return home to host the Comets for the regular season finale tomorrow.