SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Utica Comets, 5-2, in the regular season finale tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The team completes the 2023-24 regular season with a 39-24-4-5 record and 87 points.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson stopped 13-of-17 shots. Akira Schmid turned aside 37-of-39 between the pipes for the Comets. The Syracuse power play was unable to convert on three opportunities, while the penalty kill was a perfect 2-for-2.
The Crunch were first to score just 2:03 into the game. Waltteri Merelä forced a turnover along the boards where Jordy Bellerive grabbed the puck and skated it down to the goal line. His quick feed back out into the right circle set up Merelä for a one-timer.
The Comets stole the lead with two goals in the middle frame. At 6:13, Brian Halonen fired in a close-range wrister from the slot. Just 1:09 later, Nolan Stevens came down the left wing and centered a shot that ricocheted off a skate and in.
Utica added two more in the final frame to build up a three-goal lead. Dylan Wendt sent in a shot from the slot halfway through the frame followed by Ryan Schmelzer with a long wrister from the right circle at the 12:56 mark. The Crunch halted the scoring and stole one back at 14:03 when Max Crozier blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle, but Xavier Parent responded by hitting the empty net and locking in a Comets win.
The Crunch have secured their spot in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, but their opponent is yet to be decided.
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