SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch topped the Utica Comets, 5-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
Jakob Pelletier led the Crunch with two goals, while Wojciech Stachowiak and Mitchell Chaffee recorded a goal and an assist each. Dylan Duke and Nick Abruzzese also had multi-point games with two helpers. The win advances the Crunch to 13-7-0-0 on the season and 5-0-0-0 in the 12-game season series against the Comets.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson earned the win stopping 37-of-40 shots. Nico Daws turned aside 16-of-21 in net for the Comets. The Syracuse power play went 1-for-2, while the power play was 3-for-4.
The Crunch were first on the board just 5:23 into the game. Conor Geekie started the play at the point. He sent the puck down low to Abruzzese at the goal line who quickly redirected it for Pelletier to chip a shot in on the back door. The Comets tied the game less than a minute later when Calen Addison scored from the slot. At 16:35, Syracuse scored again to regain their lead. Tristan Allard chased the puck down in the corner and centered it for Stachowiak to redirect into the net from out front.
Utica evened the score for a second time with a power-play goal six minutes into the middle frame. Halverson made the initial save on a close-range shot from along the goal line, but Mike Hardman was eventually able to shove the puck in during a scramble in the crease. The Crunch took their third lead of the game off a goal by Matteo Pietroniro at the 13:10 mark when he sniped a shot from the left circle. Four minutes later, Pelletier potted his second of the game when a rebound dropped down in the slot and he chipped in it while on the man-advantage. With just 32 seconds remaining in the period, Xavier Parent stole one back for Utica to make it a 4-3 game.
Syracuse built up a two-goal lead 4:15 into the final frame. Max Groshev sent a long stretch pass to Duke as he skated into the zone. He quickly centered it for Chaffee to score with a wrister from the top of the right circle. The Crunch staved off a comeback effort and took the win.
The Crunch are back in action on Thursday when they travel for a pair of games against the Cleveland Monsters.
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