WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Syracuse Crunch completed a weekend sweep of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with a 4-3 victory on the road tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
The Crunch pick up all six points this week and build a three-game win streak as they advance to 7-9-1-2 on the season and take a 2-1 lead in the four-game season series against the Penguins.
Connor Ingram earned the win with 30 saves in net for the Crunch. Casey DeSmith stopped 21-of-25 between the pipes for the Penguins. Syracuse went 1-for-3 on the power play and a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Daniel Walcott opened scoring with his first of the season 1:39 into the game. Carter Verhaeghe cut around the cage and threw a centering feed. Walcott grabbed the loose puck on the backhand and swept it in past DeSmith. Erik Cernak tallied a point with the secondary assist.
Just 1:19 later, the Penguins evened the score on the power play. Adam Johnson fed Gage Quinney for a one-timer from the right face off dot. His shot didn’t make it through, but Freddie Tiffels was down low to chip in the second chance. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the lead at the 7:39 mark. Ingram made the save on Ryan Haggerty’s shot from the right circle, but left the rebound out for Teddy Blueger to clean up.
With 2:32 remaining in the first period, the Crunch knotted the score, 2-2, on the power play. Verhaeghe skated the puck into the zone, cut through the right circle and sent a low wrister off the post and in. Alexander Volkov and Mat Bodie earned points on the equalizer.
The Crunch took back the lead with their fifth shorthanded goal in their last four games halfway through the second period. Michael Bournival came in on a breakaway and beat DeSmith on the forehand.
Syracuse doubled up Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 3:10 remaining in the middle stanza. Adam Erne sent a lead pass ahead to Matthew Peca who slid through the neutral zone and got ahead of the defense. He skated in, switch over to the backhand and shoveled the puck over the netminder.
The Penguins got one back seven minutes into the final frame. Frank Corrado ripped a slap shot from the right point with the help of Dominik Simon and Christian Thomas.
Syracuse was able to stave off a comeback and held on for victory. The Crunch are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to face the Toronto Marlies at 7 p.m.
Ticket packages for the 2017-18 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or by logging on to Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch.
Crunchables: The Crunch have five shorthanded goals in their last four games…Matthew Peca has six points (2g, 4a) in his last three games…Michael Bournival leads the league with four shorthanded points (3g, 1a).
