Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch early season struggles continue
By Erik Erlendsson | 
@Erik_Erlendsson | 
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October 20, 2017
The slow start to the season continued for the Syracuse Crunch, who continue to struggle in the early going with a group of first-year pros.
The Crunch fell in to a deep hole early and were unable to climb back before falling to Binghamton 3-2 on Friday at War Memorial and fell 1-4-1 on the young season.
See more below.
From Syracuse press release
After going down by three, Michael Bournival and Erik Cernak scored two shorthanded goals on the same penalty to pull the Syracuse Crunch within one, but the team couldn’t catch the Binghamton Devils in a 3-2 loss tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
The Crunch have dropped their last three games and move to 1-4-1-0 on the season.
Michael Leighton got the start in net for the Crunch, but was relieved in the first period after allowing two goals on two shots. Connor Ingram went on to stop 19-of-20 between the pipes. Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood recorded the win turning aside 26-of-28 shots. Syracuse went a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, but did not convert on any of their six power play opportunities.
The Devils jumped out to a quick two-goal lead after scoring on the first two shots of the season. Just 11 seconds into the game, John Quenneville scored on a short breakaway off the opening draw. Nathan Bastian and Brian Strait collected points on the opening tally. Blake Speers followed up with a marker from the top of the right circle with the help of Blake Pietila and Kevin Rooney.
Binghamton further extended their lead halfway through the first when Nick Lappin shoveled in a backhander in front of the net. Tim Erixon and Michael Kapla picked up points for the helpers.
Bournival opened scoring for the Crunch with a shorthanded marker in the second period. The left winger picked off a pass at the blue line and skated it down the ice to beat Blackwood five-hole.
Syracuse cut the lead to one 32 seconds later when Cernak lit the lamp for the second shorthanded goal on the same penalty kill. Mat Bodie picked up a loose puck from in front of the Crunch net and carried it into the zone where he fed Cernak in the slot.
Despite their second period rally, the Crunch were not able to find the equalizer and fell to the Devils, 3-2.
The Crunch host the Springfield Thunderbirds tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the War Memorial Arena.
Crunchables: The Crunch are the first team in the AHL to score two goals on the same penalty kill this season…The Crunch had two shorthanded goals twice last season on Dec. 28 against Hershey and May 6 against Toronto.