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Syracuse Crunch

Welcome back! Crunch get back reinforcements, romp to 7-2 victory against Utica

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By Steven DiOssi | @StevenDiOssi | Like us on Facebook
April 12, 2017

The Syracuse Crunch clinched home ice in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs by defeating the Utica Comets 7-2 at Utica Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday.

Syracuse exploded for 17 shots and five goals in the third period, as they took full advantage of the roster additions they received earlier this week from the Tampa Bay Lightning to clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the AHL playoffs.

With the Lightning eliminated from playoff contention, seven Crunch players who had been with the Lightning for an extended period were reassigned to Syracuse on Sunday and Monday. They included six players that dressed for the Crunch against the Comets — Michael Bournival, Cory Conacher, Jake Dotchin, Adam Erne, Yanni Gourde and Joel Vermin.

Those players combined for four goals and six assists in their first game back in action with the Crunch.

Mike McKenna stopped 23-of-25 shots to earn his 13th game of the year and fourth as a member of the Crunch. Utica goaltender Thatcher Demko made 25 saves in the losing effort. Syracuse went 2-for-7 on the power play and was 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

The Crunch got to work quickly in the first period, opening the scoring at the 1:20 mark after Tye McGinn carried the puck around the net and sent it towards Condra, who redirected it past Demko. Matthew Peca also added an assist on Condra’s 14th goal of the year.

Despite scoring first on the contest, the Crunch tallied just two shots on goal to the Comets’ seven during the first period. The Comets evened the score when Michael Carcone banked a shot off of McKenna from the goal line at the 14:20 mark.

During the second period, Conacher fed a pass to Gourde, who stickhandled around a Comets defender and found Matt Taormina in the slot with a pass. Taormina fired the puck into the net to break the tie at the 8:20 mark. Gourde’s assist extended his point streak with Syracuse to seven games — four goals and five assists — and dating back to Feb. 19, just before his call-up to the Lightning.

The teams entered the second intermission tied and the Comets lead in shots by a 32-15 margin. But during the final period, the Crunch exploded for five goals as they outshot the Comets, 17-2.

McGinn gave Syracuse a one-goal lead just 2:03 into the period on assists from Matthew Peca and Brett Howden. For Howden, his assist was his second point in just his third professional game. McGinn’s power-play tally brought him to 10 goals and eight assists in just 20 games this season.

Just 4:19 later, Bourinval potted his eighth goal of the season on assists from Vermin and Mathieu Brodeur.

The Crunch continued to pepper Demko with shots and it was working, as Conacher’s insurance marker came at 9:07 of the period, assisted by Erne and Gourde.

After the Comets pulled Demko early for an extra attacker, Erne tallied his 13th goal of the season at 15:36. Conacher’s assist was his team-leading 59th point of the season. Syracuse added to their lead on the power play when Dotchin scored from the right circle with just 1:45 left to play. Taormina and McKenna each added the assists. For McKenna, it was his first point with the team.

The Crunch are now one point behind the Toronto Marlies for the North Division lead. They will return home to face the Binghamton Senators on Friday.

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