SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Utica Comets, 3-1, tonight at the Adirondack Bank Center.
The Comets rallied with three third-period goals to snap the Crunch’s five-game winning streak and move the Crunch to 23-13-2-2 on the season. Syracuse is now 5-5-0-0 in the 14-game season series against Utica.
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins stopped 26-of-28 shots. Akira Schmid earned the win turning aside 22-of-23 in net for the Comets. The Syracuse power play was held scoreless on their two opportunities, while the penalty kill went a perfect 3-for-3.
Syracuse opened scoring with the only goal in the first period. Joe Carroll skated the puck down the left wing and beat Schmid with a wrister for his 10th goal of the season.
The Comets scored three in the third period to steal the lead and the win. Just 28 seconds in, Erik Middendorf got the puck along the goal line, skated towards the net and backhanded the puck in top shelf. Graeme Clarke then capitalized on a turnover and scored on a short breakaway. Ryan Schmelzer rounded out scoring with an empty-net goal in the final seconds.
The Crunch travel to face the Rochester Americans on Wednesday.
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