SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Brandon Halverson and the Syracuse Crunch shut out the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 6-0, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
Syracuse opened the game with a five-goal first period and maintained control on their way to the team’s fifth shutout of the season. The Crunch had six different goal scorers in Tristan Allard, Dylan Duke, Jarred Tinordi, Jakob Pelletier, Conor Geekie and Nick Abruzzese as the team snaps a four-game skid to advance to 18-11-2-1 on the season.
Halverson earned the win turning aside all 17 shots he faced. Sergei Murashov stopped 6-of-11 shots in net for the Penguins before being relieved by Filip Larsson to start the second period. Larsson went on to turn aside 19-of-20 shots. The Crunch power play converted on 2-of-6 opportunities, while the penalty kill shut down all four Penguins man-advantages.
The Crunch started the game with three goals in the first 4:34 of play. Allard began the scoring onslaught at the 2:12 mark. Tinordi’s left-wing shot was blocked and the puck kicked out for Allard to fire a close-range slap shot that went bar down. Less than a minute later, Duke was down low to tip in Pelletier’s left-point shot while on the power play. Tinordi then rounded out the early first-period scoring with his first Crunch goal. A rebound came back out into the slot for the veteran forward to score with a wrister.
Syracuse scored again at the 14:46 mark of the first period during 4-on-4 play. Pelletier forced a turnover at the blueline and beat Murashov on a short breakaway. With just 55 seconds remaining in the frame, the Crunch made it 5-0 when Geekie sped down the right wing and snuck a shot past the netminder.
The Crunch added another power-play goal just 45 seconds into the third period. After Pelletier’s shot from the high slot was blocked, Geekie tried to chip the puck in. Larsson managed to use his paddle to keep the second chance shot out, but Abruzzese was on the other side of the crease and jammed in the loose puck. The Crunch continued to fend off the Penguins through the remainder of regulation and took the win.
Syracuse is back in action on Wednesday when they host the Rochester Americans.
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