Syracuse Crunch open the preseason with a victory

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
September 30, 2017

While the preseason wound down for the Tampa Bay Lightning, it started off for the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday.

The Crunch opened a two-game preseason schedule at Utica with a 3-2 victory against the Comets getting a pair of goals from one of the team’s rookie players. The two teams will be back on the ice at War Memorial in Syracuse on Sunday.

Dennis Yan, a third round pick in 2015, scored twice while Mitchell Stephens added a pair of assists. Daniel Walcott notched a shorthanded goal.

Rookie Connor Ingram, who did not see preseason action while in camp with Tampa Bay, got the start in net and finished with 27 saves.

Full report from Syracuse Crunch

UTICA, N.Y. – Dennis Yan scored twice in the second period to lift the Syracuse Crunch over the Utica Comets, 3-2, in the team’s first preseason game tonight at Kennedy Arena.

Mitchell Stephens earned two points on the night, assisting on both of Yan’s tallies, while Daniel Walcott contributed the other Crunch goal.

Connor Ingram stopped 27-of-29 shots on goal in his first appearance between the pipes for the Crunch. Thatcher Demko turned aside 33-of-36. Syracuse went 1-for-6 on the power play and shut down all five Utica man-advantages.

The Crunch opened scoring with a shorthanded marker just 2:29 into the first period. Matthew Peca chipped across the crease for Walcott to bury as he crashed the net from the left side. Alex Gallant picked up the secondary assist.

With six seconds remaining in the opening frame, Utica found the equalizer. Ingram made the stop on Alexis D’Aoust’s wrister, but the rebound kicked out into the high slot for Nikolay Goldobin to clean up.

Syracuse regained the lead on the power play 1:48 into the second period. Yan scored top shelf from the left circle with the help of Stephens and Erik Cernak.

Utica knotted the game for a second time off a goal from former Crunch forward Cam Darcy with 1:40 remaining in the period, but Yan potted his second of the night, and eventual game-winner, 25 seconds later. Stephens made it a multi-point night with the assist.