SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Rochester Americans, 5-2, tonight at Blue Cross Arena.
The win improves the Crunch to 11-8-4-3 on the season and 1-2-0-0 in the 12-game season series against the Americans.
Dylan Duke notched two goals while Jesse Ylonen added three assists in the victory. Six additional Crunch skaters recorded a point.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson turned aside 31-of-33 shots. Devon Levi stopped 23-of-27 for the Amerks. Syracuse was held scoreless on two power play opportunities, while the penalty kill went a perfect 3-for-3.
The Crunch opened scoring at the 10:29 mark of the first period. Levi stopped Ylonen’s shot from the right circle, but Conor Sheary netted the puck on the rebound. The Amerks knotted the score with 1:44 remaining in the frame. Brett Murray took advantage of the rebound from Nikita Novikov’s shot and jammed the puck in from in front of the crease.
Syracuse regained the lead 11:31 into the middle frame. Ylonen forced an Amerks turnover behind the net and fed the puck to Duke, who lifted it over Levi’s shoulder. Just 2:12 later, Steven Santini took a shot which was redirected by Logan Brown at the bottom of the left circle to make the score 3-1. Rochester closed in on the lead a little over one minute later, as Isak Rosén drove in from the left circle and potted the goal off his backhand in front of the net. With 2:03 remaining in the period, Gabriel Fortier picked up Jack Finley’s rebound and dished the puck in from the middle of the left circle.
Late in the third period, Duke notched an empty-net goal to secure the victory for Syracuse.
The Crunch and Americans will face off again in Rochester on Friday.