Syracuse Crunch suffer lopsided defeat for fourth loss in five games

The Belleville Senators returned to Salt City at Upstate Medical Arena to take on the homestanding Syracuse Crunch. The last time the Crunch faced the Senators at home, it was a tough 4-7 loss.  

This time, the result was the same, but a lower-scoring affair with the Crunch falling to the Senators 4 to 1. 

Goalie Ryan Fanti got the start for the game. In his last five starts, Fanti has gone 4-1 with a .929 save percentage. This game told a different story, as he let up 3 goals on just 14 shots. On the opposite side of the ice, Senators goaltender Jackson Parsons started for only the second time this season. He impressed, stopping all but one of the Crunch’s 35 shots. 

The senators got the scoring going only 2 minutes into the first period with an unassisted goal from forward Mark Durate. Both team had a combined nine power play attempts with the senators able to convert on two of their three while the Crunch could get one of their six. The Senators would build on their lead with another goal from forward Xavier Bourgault, assisted by forward Stephen Halliday and defensemen Carter Yakemchuck.

Just like the last matchup between these two sides, it was a very chippy game with multiple players sent to the box for roughing. Major blows occurred throughout the game, and tensions exploded near the end of the second period, where a fight broke out between Senators forward Landen Hookey and Crunch forward Lucas Mercuri. Both received five-minute fighting penalties for the scrap. 

In the second period, not much went either team’s way with no goals scored. A Syracuse power play bled into the start of the period, but the Crunch couldn’t convert. Ryan Fanti made a miraculous save near the end of the frame to keep it a 2-goal game. The Crunch also had a great opportunity at the end of the period with a three-on-one breakaway, but couldn’t bury the puck in the back of the net. 

After conceding another goal to begin the third period, the Crunch clawed back to within two after a Dylan Duke power-play goal assisted by Mitchell Chaffee. Still, they left a few golden scoring opportunities on the table. With the goalie pulled to try and tie the game up the Senators put the nail in the coffin, scoring an empty net goal to seal the deal. 

After the game, Mitchell Chaffee was asked about playing back-to-back games with no rest. 

“Obviously you know playing back-to-back. You’re always tired. That’s how it is. But there’s no excuses…you got to dig deep and be able to, you know, pull out a win.”  Chaffee said.

Following the loss, the Syracuse Crunch hit the road again to face the Laval Rockets on Wednesday at 7 p.m.