SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 3-1, this afternoon at the PPL Center. 
The Crunch had a goal in each of the first two periods before the Phantoms found the back of the net late in the third. Syracuse then potted an empty-net goal with just over a minute remaining to seal their fifth consecutive win.
Nine different Crunch skaters found themselves on the scoresheet this afternoon with each goal and assist coming from a different player. The Crunch improve to 28-16-3-1 on the season and 3-0-0-0 in the four-game seasons series against the Phantoms.
Crunch goaltender Ryan Fanti earned the win turning aside 18-of-19 shots in net. Aleksei Kolosov put a stop to 28-of-30 shots for the Phantoms. Syracuse converted on 1-of-5 power play opportunities while holding Lehigh Valley scoreless on three man advantages.
After a scoreless opening 16 minutes, the Crunch were on the board first with a Dylan Duke power-play goal. Conor Geekie set Ethan Gauthier up for a one-timer from the right circle and Duke tipped it in from in front of the crease.
Brendan Furry scored the second Syracuse goal of the afternoon halfway through the middle frame. Matteo Pietroniro battled for the puck along the left boards and worked it loose to Gabriel Szturc in the left circle. Szturc then centered it for Furry to fire home from the middle of the slot.
With 6:45 remaining in the third period, Tucker Robertson notched Lehigh Valley’s lone goal of the game to make it 2-1. Fanti made the original save on a shot from Robertson, but he picked up his own rebound and slipped it in for a shorthanded goal. Mitchell Chaffee then hit the empty net with 1:15 left in the game to secure the victory for Syracuse.
The Crunch head to Belleville on Wednesday to take on the Senators at 6 p.m.
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