SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Belleville Senators, 4-1, tonight at CAA Arena.
Niko Huuhtanen led the team with two goals and an assist, while Derrick Pouliot added two helpers. The Crunch improve to 6-5-1-0 on the season and take a 3-1-0-0 lead in the eight-game season series against the Senators.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson turned aside 27-of-28 shots. Malcolm Subban stopped 24-of-27. Syracuse special teams had a successful night going 2-for-2 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill.
The Crunch opened scoring on the man-advantage halfway through the first frame. Pouliot dished the puck from the top of the left circle to Declan Carlile, who took a shot from the high slot for his first goal of the season.
Syracuse took advantage of a takeaway and gained a 2-0 lead at the 5:38 mark of the second period. Milo Roelens snagged an errant Belleville pass and fed it to Conor Sheary, whose attempt from the left circle was saved by Subban. Huuhtanen picked up the rebound and netted the puck from in front the crease. Huuhtanen potted his second of the night with 3:13 remaining in the second frame. Pouliot fed him from the right point for a one-timer from the left circle, giving the Crunch a 3-0 lead on the powerplay.
Belleville stole a score on the man-advantage 17:52 into the final frame. Garrett Pilon set up Angus Crookshank for a shot from the top of the left circle to cut the Syracuse lead by one. Daniel Walcott sealed the victory for the Crunch with an empty-net goal with 30 seconds remaining.
The Crunch will face off against the Laval Rocket at home on Friday.