SYRACUSE, N.Y. (SYRACUSE CRUNCH) –
Pyotr Kochetkov and the Syracuse Crunch shut out the Laval Rocket, 5-0, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
Kochetkov stopped all 19 shots he faced, while Ilya Usau, Daniel Walcott, Mitchell Chaffee, Declan Carlile and Felix Robert contributed goals in the victory. Syracuse is now 4-2-0-0 on the season.
Rocket goaltender Strauss Mann turned aside 23-of-28 shots. The Crunch special teams went 2-for-6 on the power play and a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Syracuse jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with back-to-back goals just 1:12 apart. Usau opened scoring when he got a cross-zone pass from Devante Stephens and sent in a wrister from the right circle. Just over a minute later, Walcott fired the puck in as he cut across the slot.
The Crunch added another one while on the power play 6:47 into the middle frame to build up a three-goal lead. Strauss Mann made the save on Robert’s initial shot, but the rebound came out for Chaffee to send in.
Carlile continued the scoring onslaught in the third period with a long wrister from the point while on the man-advantage early in the frame. Robert then added a goal of his own during an odd-man rush with Max Crozier. After receiving a last-minute pass, Robert stickhandled in front of the crease and shoved the puck past Strauss.
The Crunch are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to face the Rochester Americans.
