Despite rattling off 55 shots on goal, Syracuse fell to Springfield and move to 18-12-2-2 on the season.
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins turned aside 22-of-25 shots. Malcolm Subban stopped 53-of-55 shots in net for the Thunderbirds. The Syracuse power play converted on 1-of-4 opportunities, while the penalty kill went 2-for-3.
The Thunderbirds opened scoring with back-to-back goals from Adam Gaudette to start the game. The first came at the 18:13 mark when a blocked shot ended up in the slot for Gaudette to sweep in while on the power play. Then, with just four seconds remaining in the frame, he beat Tomkins on a breakaway to double the lead.
The Crunch responded with back-to-back goals by Waltteri Merela in the second period. Sean Day skated the puck across the blue line and dopped a pass back for Merela to score with a wrister from the right circle at 8:01. Five minutes later while on the man-advantage, he got a stick on the rebound from Jack Thompson’s point shot and fired it in to tie the game, 2-2.
Springfield went back on top just 2:11 into the final frame. Wyatt Kalynuk skated down the left side and netted a shot from the face off dot to lock. Gaudette locked in a Thunderbirds victory when he hit the empty net late in the game to complete his hat trick.
The Crunch host the Cleveland Monsters tomorrow.
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