SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch topped the Belleville Senators, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
After giving up the first goal, the Crunch tallied four consecutive goals from Declan Carlile, Gabe Fortier, Jack Thompson and Felix Robert to rally for the win. Syracuse is now 3-6-1-2 on the season and 1-0-0-0 in the six-game season series against Belleville.
Crunch goaltender Max Lagace recorded the win stopping 24-of-26 shots. Senators goaltender Mads Sogaard turned aside all eight shots he faced before leaving the game in the first period. Antoine Bibeau stopped 23-of-27 in relief.
The Senators were first on the board with a power-play goal 4:44 into the game. Lagace made the initial save on Angus Crookshank’s shot, but Jake Lucchini snuck the rebound in. The Crunch evened the score with 1:33 remaining in the first period when Carlile fired a wrist shot through traffic from the high slot.
Syracuse took over the lead late in the second period. Gabe Fortier came speeding down the right side and netted a wrister from the circle.
The Crunch made it 3-1 at the 3:16 mark of the third period off a wrist shot from Thompson in the top of the right circle. The scoring continued at 15:52 when Alex Barre-Boulet sent the puck out from along the end boards for Robert to redirect in just under the crossbar.
Ridly Greig netted a shot from the right circle late in the final frame to pull the Senators back within two, but the Crunch shut down a comeback effort and took the victory.
The Crunch host the Utica Comets tomorrow night.