Syracuse Crunch
Volkov scores first goal, but Syracuse Crunch continue to struggle on the ice
By Erik Erlendsson | 
@Erik_Erlendsson | 
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October 27, 2017
The Syracuse Crunch early season struggles continued on Friday against the Toronto Marlies.
In a game filled with special teams play, the Crunch were unable to take advantage of their opportunities while rookie goaltender Connor Ingram failed to get out of the first period.
Syracuse has just two victories on the season.
See more below.
From Syracuse press release
Alexander Volkov scored his first professional goal to pull the Syracuse Crunch within one in the second period, but the team couldn’t catch the Toronto Marlies in a 4-2 loss tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
After Mitchell Stephens opened scoring within the first minute of play, the Marlies netted three consecutive markers to take over and maintain control of the game. The loss moves the Crunch to 2-5-1-0 on the season.
Connor Ingram stopped 3-of-5 before being relieved by Michael Leighton in the first period. Leighton went on to turn aside 18-of-19. Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks earned the win with 29 saves. Syracuse went a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill, but didn’t covert on any of their eight power play opportunities.
Just 48 seconds into the game, Syracuse took the lead. After Dennis Yan cleared the puck out of the defensive zone, Stephens skated down the left wing side and fired a low wrist shot post and in. Erik Cernak picked up the secondary assist.
Toronto answered back four minutes later when Miro Aaltonen scored an unassisted goal off a turnover to tie the game, 1-1. The Marlies then stole the lead with a goal during 4-on-4 play. Travis Dermont fed Colin Greening who wrapped around the net and put one past Ingram to chase him from the game.
The Marlies added their third tally 3:28 into the second period. Chris Mueller set up the give-and-go for Greening to fire on net. Leighton made the initial save, but the puck found its way past him and across the goal line.
The Crunch cut the lead to one halfway through the middle stanza. Erne carried the puck into the zone and left a drop pass for Volkov to send home from the top of the right circle.
Andreas Johnson added an insurance goal for Toronto with an empty-netter in the final three minutes.
Syracuse travels to Rochester to take on the Americans Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
Crunchables: Adam Erne has three assists in the last two games…The Crunch scored their quickest goal of the season tonight. On Oct. 13, Tye McGinn netted the team’s first goal 2:04 into the opening frame against Belleville.