SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch were downed by the Providence Bruins, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The Crunch are now 39-21-3-3 on the season. The Bruins won both games of the two-game season series.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson stopped 13-of-16 shots before being relieved by Ryan Fanti in the second period. Fanti went on to stop all 11 shots he faced. Simon Zajicek turned aside 24-of-26 shots between the pipes for the Bruins. The Syracuse power play was held scoreless, while Providence went 1-for-2.
The Bruins were first on the board with a goal 2:52 into the game. Colin Felix fired a shot from the right-point that was tipped by Navrin Mutter and snuck past Halverson. The Crunch responded to tie the game four minutes later. Ian Mitchell let off a wrister from the right-point that Matthew Peca redirected as he cut across the slot. Providence regained their lead with a power-play goal late in the period. Georgii Merkulov grabbed the puck along the goal line and centered it for Patrick Brown to send home.
The Crunch tied the game for a second time just 1:35 into the middle frame. Max Groshev started the play on the left wing. He passed over to Jakob Pelletier who fed Nick Abruzzese for a goal from the slot. The Bruins responded yet again and went back on top at 3:56 when Max Wanner scored from the right face off dot and chased Halverson from the game.
Providence maintained their lead through the third period and then Brown hit the empty net in the final minute for his second of the game to secure the win.
