Syracuse Crunch close out preseason schedule

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
October 1, 2017

The Syracuse Crunch closed out a brief two-game preseason schedule on Sunday with a home loss to the Utica Comets (Vancouver farm team).

Syracuse trailed throughout the contest before falling 3-1 at War Memorial. Goaltenders Connor Ingram and Michael Leighton split the game.

Jason Akeson, signed to an American Hockey League contract with Syracuse, scored the lone goal for the Crunch, which finished the preseason with a 1-1 record. Ingram stopped 19 shots while Leighton finished with 20 saves.

Syracuse opens the season at Rochester on Friday.

Full report from Syracuse Crunch

The Utica Comets handed the Syracuse Crunch a 3-1 loss in the final preseason game tonight at the War Memorial Arena.

The Comets were first to score and built up a 2-0 lead before Jason Akeson found the back of the net for the only Crunch goal.

Connor Ingram turned aside 19 shots in his second preseason start. His counterpart, Michael Garteig, stopped 20 in net for the Comets. Syracuse was halted on all five power play opportunities, while Utica converted on 1-of-4.

After a scoreless first period, the Comets broke the stalemate halfway through the second stanza. Ingram made the initial save on Philip Holm, but he couldn’t control the puck as it slid through his legs and behind him for Alexis D’Aoust to tap across the goal line.

Utica doubled their lead four minutes into the final frame. Michael Carcone potted one from the right side while skating in on a 2-on-1 rush with Brett McKenzie.

The Crunch finally solved Garteig with 9:21 remaining in the game. Tye McGinn shoveled the puck out from in front of the net for Akeson to roof from his knees as he cut across the crease. Shane Conacher tallied the secondary helper. Utica never allowed Syracuse to overcome the deficit and Anton Cederholm added an insurance marker off passes from D’Aoust and Griffen Molino less than a minute later to seal the victory.