HERSHEY, Pa. – Newcomer Andrew Yogan notched the only goal for the Syracuse Crunch late in the first period before the team allowed five unanswered tallies and fell to the Hershey Bears, 5-1, tonight at the Giant Center.
The loss puts the Crunch on a three-game skid as they enter All-Star break. The team now sits at 19-17-8-1 and 3-2-1-0 in the six-game series with the Bears. Hershey takes their second victory over the Crunch in as many nights and advance to 24-13-3-6.
Crunch goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis made 23 saves. Bears netminder Dan Ellis turned aside 24 of 25. Syracuse was unable to convert on four power play opportunities, while stopping 3-of-4 Hershey man-advantages.
Yogan put the Crunch on the board 15:57 into the first period. Henri Ikonen dropped a pass at the top of the right circle for Yogan to pick up and fire off the crossbar.
With 1:51 remaining in the frame, the Bears evened the score. Riley Barber swung around the back of the cage and shoveled a pass for an unguarded Nathan Walker to net. Aaron Ness grabbed the secondary assist.
Hershey struck twice in the middle stanza to build up a 3-1 lead over the Crunch. Late in the frame, Dustin Gazley backhanded a shot on goal. Gudlevskis made the save, but the right-winger was able to grab his own rebound and set up Carter Camper to light the lamp. Paul Carey recorded a point on the go-ahead goal. Three minutes later, Scott Gomez received the puck from Madison Bowey and skated into the zone with some speed. Near the right circle face-off dot, he sent a backhand saucer pass for Barber to rifle home.
Just over a minute into the third, the Bears notched their fourth consecutive goal. Gomez sent a feed along the blue line to Travis Boyd. He powered it from the left point, but missed wide. The errant shot bounced back from the end boards, where Barber gained control and potted his second of the night.
With 25 seconds remaining, Barber completed a hat trick with an empty net tally with the help of Connor Carrick and Chris Bourque.
The Crunch were unable to come back and fell to the Bears, 5-1. The team is back in action on Feb. 5 when they host the Rochester Americans.
Syracuse Crunch single game and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch Box Office located in the War Memorial at 800 South State Street in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@officialsyracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch and #BelieveInBlue.
Crunchables: Andrew Yogan was signed to a PTO by the Crunch today…The Crunch have allowed 22 goals in the last five games.
