SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Laval Rocket, 5-2, this afternoon at Place Bell.
The win improved the Crunch to 13-9-4-3 on the season and 2-2-1-1 in the eight-game season series against the Rocket.
Max Crozier and Jesse Ylonen led the scoring for Syracuse with one goal and one assist each. Conor Sheary and Logan Brown each added two assists.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson turned aside 21-of-23 shots. Luke Cavallin stopped 27-of-31 for the Rocket. Syracuse special teams converted on 1-of-4 power play opportunities, while the penalty kill went 6-for-7.
After a scoreless opening period, the Rocket struck first at the 2:09 mark of the second frame. Lucas Condotta snagged the puck in the neutral zone as he came out of the penalty box and dished it to Xavier Simoneau who potted it from the high slot. Gabriel Szturc capitalized on a power play opportunity and knotted the score at the 8:25 mark. Ylonen fed the puck from the right corner to Szturc who fired it in from the bottom of the right circle. With 2:15 remaining in the period, Sheary set up Ylonen to tip the puck in from the right side of the crease and give the Crunch a one-goal lead. Less than two minutes later, Crozier added another to extend the lead, 3-1, as he rushed down the left side and sniped the puck past Cavallin from the left circle.
The Crunch recorded their fourth consecutive goal 5:25 into the final frame. Logan Brown sent the puck towards Joel Teasdale as he stickhandled and dished it in from the bottom of the slot. Laval cut Syracuse’s lead by one as Alex Barré-Boulet fired a one-timer from the right circle on the power play at the 13:11 mark. Gabriel Fortier sealed the Crunch victory with an empty-net goal with 2:45 left to play.
The Crunch close out their five-game road swing on New Year’s Day when they travel to face the Toronto Marlies.