SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Eddie Pasquale and the Syracuse Crunch blanked the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-0, tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
Pasquale turned aside all 29 shots for his third shutout of the season and advanced the Crunch to 34-16-3-2. Syracuse went 2-0 in the two-game season series against Lehigh Valley.
Alex Lyon stopped 21-of-24 between the pipes for the Phantoms. Syracuse was unable to convert on two power play opportunities, but went a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Crunch opened scoring 48 seconds into the middle frame. Alex Barre-Boulet carried the puck into the zone and dropped it back for Carter Verhaeghe to ring crossbar and in from the high slot. Ben Thomas tallied the secondary assist.
Syracuse doubled their lead seven minutes later. Barre-Boulet threw a lead pass just as Andy Andreoff was exiting the penalty box. He skated in on a breakaway, cut across the crease and backhanded in his 20th of the season.
At the 14:29 mark of the final frame, the Crunch made it 3-0. Mitchell Stephens passed the puck out from behind the net to Cameron Gaunce along the left-wing boards. He quickly sent a feed for Cory Conacher to one-time from the slot. Andreoff then hit the empty net with 21 seconds remaining in the game to secure the win.
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