UTICA, N.Y. – After giving up the first goal, the Syracuse Crunch netted three straight to down the Utica Comets, 3-1, tonight at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Adam Erne evened the score halfway through game before Joel Vermin took over the lead for the Crunch with less than a minute to play in the second period. Matt Peca topped off scoring with an empty netter to secure a big win for Syracuse.
The victory advances the Crunch to 28-25-10-3 on the season and moves the team to fourth in the North Division as they continue their playoff push. Despite the loss, the Comets hold a 4-3 lead in the 10-game Galaxy Cup series and move to 31-23-6-4.
Crunch goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis earned his third straight win stopping 28 of 29 shots. Joe Cannata registered the loss, allowing two goals on 17 shots. Syracuse special teams had a strong showing with the Crunch going 1-for-4 on the power play and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
After a scoreless first period, the Comets were first to break the stalemate 4:12 into the middle frame. Alex Friesen tipped Ashton Sautner’s left point shot in front of the cage for his 10th goal of the season. Ronalds Kenins earned a point with the secondary assist.
Two consecutive goals gave Syracuse the lead before the second intermission. While driving towards the net halfway through the stanza, Erne fired from the right circle over Cannata’s blocker. Helpers went to Tanner Richard and Yanni Gourde. With just 59 seconds remaining in the period, Vermin put the Crunch up, 2-1, while on the man-advantage with a left wing shot off a series of quick passes from Peca and Ryan Martindale.
In the final seconds of the game, Peca added an empty net tally with the help of Jeff Tambellini and Vermin to defeat the Comets and keep the Crunch in the playoff race.
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