SYRACUSE, N.Y. – After coming back from a one-goal deficit on a penalty shot, the Syracuse Crunch gave up a shorthanded marker with 54 seconds remaining in the game to hand the Binghamton Senators a 3-2 victory tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
Joel Vermin opened scoring for the Crunch in the second period before Jeremy Morin knotted the game on a penalty shot early in the third. When it appeared the game would head to extra time, the Senators scored shorthanded to take the win and a 3-2 lead in the 10-game season series. The Crunch now sit at 23-15-4-5 on the season.
Goaltender Adam Wilcox stopped 19-of-22 shots in net for the Crunch. Matt O’Connor turned aside 25-of-27 in victory. Syracuse was unable to convert on the four power play opportunities, but went a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Senators were first on the board halfway through the first period. Ben Harpur fired from the blue line for Casey Bailey to tip down low. Max McCormick earned the secondary assist on the opening marker.
Four minutes into the middle frame, Binghamton went up by two. Phil Varone sped into the zone down the right-wing side before throwing a cross-slot feed for Andreas Englund to score from the left circle. Jason Akeson earned a point on the play.
The Crunch finally responded at the 17:22 mark of the second period. Cory Conacher fired a shot wide left that ricocheted off the end boards and ended up at the right goal post for Vermin to shove in. Yanni Gourde picked up the secondary helper.
Syracuse evened the score with a penalty shot 9:03 into the final stanza. Morin skated in down the left side, faked as he cut across the slot and netted it five-hole.
With just 54 seconds remaining in the game, the puck jumped over a Crunch stick for Kyle Flanagan to steal. He chased it into the offensive zone and passed over for McCormick to redirect in for the win.
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