SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch notched three goals in the first period to help lift the team over the Utica Comets, 3-1, in their first preseason contest tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
Adam Erne and Cameron Darcy opened scoring before new arrival Gabriel Dumont added a shorthanded marker. Adam Wilcox stopped 29-of-30 shots in goal for the Crunch, while his counterpart, Thatcher Demko, allowed three goals on 34 attempts.
Syracuse kicked off the first period with a power-play goal early in the frame. Dylan Blujus fired a shot from the point that was tipped past the netminder by Erne. Michael Bournival tallied the secondary assist. Seconds later, Darcy cleaned up his own rebound from the crease to double the lead. He cut in from the right wing and tried to stuff one past Demko. His attempt was blocked, but he picked up the rebound and chipped it in from the left post.
Dumont put the Crunch up, 3-0, before the first came to a close. After he was stopped on a short-handed breakaway, Bournival dug the puck out from behind the cage and fed it back for Dumont to backhand into the net.
The Crunch held a three-goal lead through the final frame before the Comets ended hopes of a shutout. Halfway through the third, Utica converted on the power play when Jordan Subban beat Wilcox with a wrist shot from the left circle
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