SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Jeff Tambellini scored a shorthanded and power-play goal for the Syracuse Crunch as the team was doubled up by the Springfield Falcons, 4-2, tonight at the MassMutual Center.
The loss drops the Crunch to 25-25-9-3 on the season, while the Falcons sit at 22-30-3-4. The teams split the four-game season series, 2-2.
Crunch goaltender Adam Wilcox stopped 28 of 31 shots. His Falcons counterpart, Niklas Treutle, earned the win a 28-save performance. Syracuse struck on 1-of-5 power play opportunities and stopped 4-of-6 Springfield man-advantages.
After a scoreless opening frame, the Falcons broke the stalemate halfway through the second period. With Luke Witkowski in the box serving a boarding minor, Laurent Dauphin redirected a Dakota Mermis shot from the blue line. Dylan Reese earned the secondary assist. At 17:38, Mermis built up a two-goal lead for Springfield. His shot from the left point ricocheted off a Crunch stick and into the net. Tyler Gaudet and Eric Selleck assisted on the goal.
The Crunch cut the lead in half with 1:09 remaining in the middle stanza. While shorthanded, Yanni Gourde stole the puck and carried it down the left wing side before sending over a cross-ice feed for Tambellini to net from the right circle.
Before the period came to a close, the Falcons lit the lamp for a third time. Again, a shot from the high slot was tipped in front of the cage and past the goaltender. Michael Bunting was credited with the marker. Reese and Mermis grabbed the helpers on the power-play tally.
With 6:33 remaining in regulation, Tambellini pulled the Crunch within one for the second time. While on the man-advantage, Cameron Darcy gained control of the puck in the corner and circled it up to Anthony DeAngelo at the right point. He sent it along the blue line for Tambellini to fire crossbar and down from the top of the left circle.
With one click remaining in the contest, Jordan Szwarz netted an empty net marker to stifle a Crunch comeback and solidify a Falcons victory.
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