The Syracuse Crunch rolled past the Hershey Bears, 5-3, Friday night at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The team is on a three-game winning streak to advance to 10-10-2-1. The Crunch now lead the four-game season series against the Bears, 2-0-0-1.
Goaltender Max Lagace stopped 20-of-23 shots for his fourth consecutive win in net. Pheonix Copley turned aside 21-of 25 between the pipes for the Bears. Syracuse was unable to convert on two power play opportunities, while Hersey went 2-for-4.
The Crunch opened scoring just 2:45 into the game. After some quick passing between Alex Barre-Boulet and Gabriel Dumont, the captain centered the puck for Cole Koepke to tip it in backdoor. The Bears evened the score on the power play at 8:36 when Axel Jonsson-Fjallby chipped in a shot from the bottom of the left circle while Lagace was screened.
At 12:51, Alex Green potted his first of the season with a wrister from the right face-off dot to put the Crunch back on top.
Syracuse built up a two-goal lead 1:15 into the second frame when P.C. Labrie tipped in a long point shot from Ryan Jones. Hershey responded with another power-play goal at 16:33. Jonsson-Fjallby skated in and netted his second of the game from the left circle.
The Crunch regained their two-goal lead at the 1:58 mark of the third period. Green’s left-side shot snuck through traffic before deflecting off Gabe Fortier and in. Less than two minutes later, the Bears stole it back during 4-on-4 play. Garrett Pilon cut in front of the net and stuffed the puck past Lagace.
Barre-Boulet secured the win with an empty-netter in the final seconds to give the Crunch the 5-3 win.
Syracuse is back in action Saturday when they host the Rochester Americans.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].