SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch were edged by the Laval Rocket, 3-2, tonight at Place Bell.
The loss snaps a four-game winning streak and moves the Crunch to 11-11-2-1 on the season and 1-1-0-0 in the eight-game season series against Laval.
Goaltender Max Lagace turned aside 25-of-28 shots in net for the Crunch, while Michael McNiven stopped 31-of-33 between the pipes for the Rocket. Syracuse was unable to covert on three power play opportunities, but went a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Rocket opened scoring 5:12 into the game when Alexandre Fortin redirected a long right-point shot from Charles-David Beaudoin.
The Crunch tied the game 3:31 into the second period. After getting the puck along the blue line, Max Cajkovic skated in down the right side and fired a wrister off the crossbar and in. Just three minutes later, Laval regained their lead with a shorthanded goal. Brandon Gignac scored on a give-and-go play during an odd-man rush with Gabriel Bourque.
Syracuse knotted the score for a second time at the 11:13 mark of the middle frame. P.C. Labrie forced a turnover in the corner and poked the puck toward Charles Hudon. He deked around a defender as he cut across the slot and shoveled a backhander past McNiven.
Laval went back on top at the 13:31 mark of the third period. Carl Neill fired a shot wide that went off the end boards and back out for Jean-Sébastien Dea to chip into an open net.
The Crunch travel to face the Utica Comets on Friday.
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