SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Laval Rocket, 4-1, this afternoon at Place Bell.
The Crunch dropped their final two contests of the 2023 calendar year and are at 16-11-2-2 on the season. The team is now 2-3-0-0 in the eight-game season series against the Rocket.
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins stopped 27-of-31 shots. Jakub Dobes turned aside 25-of-26 in net for the Rocket. The Syracuse power play was held scoreless on six opportunities, while Laval went 2-for-6 on the man-advantage.
The Rocket opened scoring with a power-play goal 5:12 into the game. Tomkins made the save on Emil Heineman’s one-timer from the right circle, but Sean Farrell was able to chip in the rebound. They doubled their lead with a shorthanded goal two minutes later. Jan Mysák tipped in William Trudeau’s shot as he screened Tomkins down low.
Laval added another power-play goal just 1:37 into the second period when Arber Xhekaj sent in a wrister from the high slot. Joshua Roy then made it 4-0 with 55 seconds remaining in the frame after grabbing his own rebound and jamming it across the goal line.
Shawn Element stole one back for the Crunch with a shot from between the circles late in the game, but the team was unable to rally back.
The Crunch are back in action on Jan. 6 when they travel to face the Toronto Marlies.
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