SYRACUSE, N.Y. (SYRACUSE CRUNCH) –
The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Utica Comets, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The loss moves the Crunch to 3-2-0-0 on the season.
Crunch goaltender Hugo Alnefelt turned aside 16-of-20 shots. Isaac Poulter stopped 33-of-35 in net for the Comets. Syracuse was successful on 1-of-5 power play opportunities, while Utica went 1-for-3.
The Comets were first to score just 46 seconds into the game. Shane Bowers was down low to tip in a long left-point shot by Topias Vilen. Four minutes later, Max Willman doubled the lead with a wrister from the right circle as he came in on an odd-man rush.
The Crunch cut the lead in half with a power-play goal late in the opening frame. Jack Thompson walked the blue line and sent a wrister through traffic to net his first of the season.
Max Crozier knotted the score four minutes into the middle frame with his first professional goal. Gage Goncalves set up Crozier with a cross-zone feed has he sped down the right side. The rookie forward grabbed the puck and chipped it into the back of the net. Halfway through the frame, Utica regained their lead when Robbie Russo ripped a one-timer from the left circle.
Utica added an insurance marker late in the third period to secure their victory. Willman passed the puck out from behind the net for Xavier Parent. His shot was stopped, but Graeme Clarke was there to clean up the rebound.
The Crunch host the Laval Rocket tomorrow night.
