SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Providence Bruins, 3-1, tonight at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The Crunch move to 17-10-1-0 on the season and 0-1-0-0 in the two-game seasons series with the Bruins
Crunch goaltender Ryan Fanti turned aside 26-of-28 shots faced. Simon Zajicek put a stop to 23-of-24 in net for the Bruins.
The Bruins got out to an early lead just a minute into the game. Georgii Merkulov ripped a shot from the right circle that went off the bar and in. Conor Geekie knotted the score at one with just under five minutes to play in the opening frame. Nick Abruzzese passed the puck from down low for Geekie to wind up and rip in from the right circle.
Merkulov tallied his second goal of the night to give Providence a 2-1 lead halfway through the second period. He deflected a point shot by Billy Sweezey and it bounced into the net.
In the final minute of the third, Merkulov hit the empty net to ice the game.
The Crunch continue their road swing after the holiday break when they take on the Laval Rocket on December 27.