Toronto Marlies knock off Syracuse Crunch 3-2 in overtime

The Toronto Marlies took down the Syracuse Crunch 3-2 in a fiery overtime thriller on Friday night at the Upstate Medical University Arena. Vinni Lettieri scored the game-winner just one minute into the extra period, leading the Marlies to victory.

Syracuse could have really used a win after a difficult stretch of the season. The Crunch was coming off a 5-0 loss against Laval, the first time this season that Syracuse was shutout and the first home shutout since Feb. 28, 2025 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Marlies also arrived in central New York looking for a much-needed win after suffering back-to-back losses on the road against Manitoba.

The Crunch came out hot and ready, getting an early power play and scoring the first goal of the game in the opening two minutes with Ethan Gauthier finding the back of the net for the second time this season. The goal was the first in three games that the Crunch scored on a power play. 

“I thought we were really organized early on,” Syracuse Crunch head coach Joel Bouchard said. “I really liked the way we battled.”

The Marlies answered back on their own power-play goal just 11 minutes later. Borya Valis attacked from the far side of the goal and spun around the goalie to find the back of the net, tying the game at 1. The Marlies ended the first period in a flash of offense with three shots on goal in the final minute. 

Toronto cranked up the pressure in the second period, scoring once again on a power play. Lettieri scored from the far side faceoff circle for his fourth goal of the season to give the Marlies a 2-1 lead. 

After the goal, frustration started to flare as both teams turned up the physicality. The rise in tempers finally resulted in a brawl at mid-ice between Syracuse’s Shawn Element and Toronto’s Sawyer Boulton. Both players received five minutes in the penalty box for fighting.

The chaos continued shortly after the brawl as the Crunch’s goal was knocked out of place after a collision, resulting in a delay in the action with officials having to put it back into place. 

Overall, in the second period, Syracuse was again outgained on shots through both periods as the home team’s frustration became increasingly visible. The Crunch came out of the break calm and ready to compete. Gauthier scored his second goal of the night just 1:15 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2.

“I feel like tonight I was holding onto the pucks and getting some confidence,” Gauthier said. 

Crunch goalie Olivier Rodrigue made some impressive saves in goal, deflecting attack after attack from the Marlies. 

Boulard said he likes what he has seen thus far out of his squad, but now wants to see it reflected in the win column.

“I thought guys were engaged,” Boulard said. “We performed better. Now it’s a matter of connecting it for a little bit for 60 minutes.”

With the loss, the Crunch fell to 5-7-2.They return to the ice on Saturday in Utica to take on the Comets.