SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Darren Raddysh scored the game-winner with just one second remaining in overtime to lift the Syracuse Crunch over the Utica Comets, 3-2, tonight at the Adirondack Bank Center.
After giving up the first goal, the Crunch came back to tie the game twice before taking the win in the extra frame. The victory advances the team to 23-21-6-1 on the season and 3-7-1-0 in the 14-game season series against the Comets.
Goaltender Max Lagace turned aside 21-of-23 shots between the pipes for the Crunch. Akira Schmid stopped 20-of-23 in net for the Comets. Syracuse was unable to convert on five power play opportunities, but the penalty kill went a perfect 5-for-5.
The Comets were first on the board 3:09 into the game when Tyler Wotherspoon took a shot from the left circle that was redirected in by Ryan Schmelzer as he cut across the slot.
The Crunch evened the score 7:46 into the second period. Alex Barre-Boulet was in front of the net to tip in Sean Day’s right-point shot. Four minutes later, Utica regained their lead when Alexander Holtz beat Lagace with a wrister from the bottom of the right circle.
Syracuse knotted the game for a second time with 2:01 remaining in the middle frame. Gage Goncalves skated the puck down the right side before dropping it back for Otto Somppi. Somppi backhanded a feed into the slot for Remi Elie to chip in as came speeding towards the net.
The teams remained tied through the third period and the game went to overtime where Raddysh went end-to-end before beating Schmid from the left circle with just one second remaining.
The Crunch travel to face the Rochester Americans on Friday.