Hudson Fasching scored at 10:05 of overtime as the Syracuse Crunch fell to the Cleveland Monsters 4-3 in Game 3 of the North Division semifinal series on Friday night at Upstate Medical University Arena, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five matchup. The Crunch battled back multiple times but could not hold off the decisive extra-period push.
Syracuse showed resilience throughout, with Spencer Kersten, Nick Abruzzese and Ethan Gauthier each finding the back of the net to keep the game even. The Crunch matched Cleveland’s intensity shift-for-shift, responding to each Monsters surge and forcing overtime after a tightly contested third period.
Brandon Halverson kept Syracuse in the game with 28 saves, turning aside several quality chances late in regulation. However, Cleveland capitalized midway through overtime when Fasching chased down his own rebound behind the net and tucked in the game-winner following a breakaway opportunity.
Despite the setback, the Crunch received balanced offensive production and maintained pressure throughout, generating scoring chances against Cleveland goaltender Zach Sawchenko, who finished with 31 saves. Syracuse also held firm defensively for long stretches but was unable to prevent the lone overtime breakdown that proved costly.
With the loss, the Crunch now face a must-win situation.
Syracuse will host Game 4 against Cleveland on Sunday, May 3, at Upstate Medical University Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].