SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch were downed by the Utica Comets, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The Crunch are now 18-16-6-4 on the season and 3-4-0-0 in the 14-game season series against the Comets.
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins stopped 28-of-31 shots. Isaac Poulter turned aside 28-of-30 between the pipes for the Comets. Both Syracuse and Utica went 1-for-3 on man-advantages.
The Crunch were first on the board 5:54 into the game. Poulter made the initial save on Derrick Pouliot’s shot, but the rebound came out for Jack Finley to shovel in with a backhander. The Comets evened the score 10 minutes later when Adam Beckman ripped a slap shot from the left point while on the power play.
Syracuse regained the lead with a power-play goal of their own at the 15:43 mark of the middle frame. Conor Sheary got a cross-slot feed from Ryder Korczak and fired a wrister from the left circle. His first shot was stopped, but he grabbed his own rebound and scored on the second chance. With just 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Utica knotted the score, 2-2, when Brian Halonen forced a turnover and beat Tomkins.
Utica took over the lead with 5:51 remaining in the game. Xavier Parent sped down the right side and sniped a shot from the face off dot. Ryan Schmelzer then added an empty netter in the final seconds to secure a Comets win.
The Crunch travel to face the Hershey Bears tomorrow.
You must be logged in to post a comment.