SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Belleville Senators, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The win advances the team to 34-18-4-2 on the season and gives them their first win in the eight-game season series against the Senators. Syracuse is now 1-3-1-1 against Belleville.
Goaltender Hugo Alnefelt earned the win turning aside 19-of-21 shots in net for the Crunch. Mads Sogaard stopped 27-of-30 between the pipes for the Senators. The Syracuse power play went 1-for-4, while the penalty kill was 4-for-5.
Belleville was first on the board halfway through the opening frame when Angus Crookshank skated down the left wing and fired in a wrister.
Daniel Walcott tied the game just 19 seconds into the second period. Sogaard made the save on Phil Myer’s right-point shot, but he kicked the rebound out to Walcott who chipped it into the net. The Senators responded and regained their lead with a power-play goal at the 6:06 mark. Jacob Larsson ripped a one-timer from the blue line that was tipped in by Garrett Pilon. Syracuse knotted the score for a second time late in the frame. Shawn Element backhanded a no-look pass down low for Lucas Edmonds to sweep in behind Sogaard.
The Crunch took the lead for the first time 5:36 into the final frame off a power-play goal. Declan Carlile set up Cole Koepke for a one-timer from the top of the right circle. Carlile then hit the empty net in the final minutes to lock in a Crunch win.
The Crunch travel to face the Hershey Bears tomorrow.