Pair of Comets Power-Play Goals Spell 2-1 Crunch Loss
April 12, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release
UTICA, N.Y. - The Utica Comets overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Syracuse Crunch, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Hunter Shinkaruk and Cory Conacher provided power-play scores in the second for the Comets who edge the Crunch in the season series seven points to six.
The regulation loss for Syracuse (41-23-9-0), coupled with a Hartford regulation win at Providence, drops Syracuse to second in the Northeast Division. The Wolf Pack's 39 non-shootout wins trump Syracuse's 38 to break a 91-91 points tie. Both teams have three games remaining.
Kevin Lynch garnered a first-period lead for Syracuse with his third goal of the season and second in four games. After a right-circle face-off, he charged the right goal line and slid the puck under Comets netminder Jacob Markstrom at 7:55. Brayden Point notched the lone assist, his first as a pro.
The Comets converted on two of their three second-period power plays. Seconds after Tanner Richard was called for holding the stick at 4:45, Shinkaruk snuck behind the Crunch defense, cut right across the crease and lifted a backhand shot past Kristers Gudlevskis to tie the score, 1-1. Cal O'Reilly and Bobby Sanguinetti assisted.
O'Reilly also had the primary assist on Conacher's goal 10 minutes later. The Comets captain has 22 power-play assists to lead the AHL and 59 points overall (10g, 49a). Shinkaruk collected the second assist on Conacher's 10th goal of the year, a right-wing blast after Jonathan Marchessault had trouble clearing the defensive zone.
Marchessault was returned to Syracuse by Tampa Bay earlier in the day after recording his first goal and assist for the Lighting Saturday vs. Boston. He had a game-high five shots Sunday, along with Ryan Martindale. The Crunch were held to six shots in the first, six in the second and nine in the third. Kristers Gudlevskis made 24 saves on 26 Comets shots, slipping to 25-13-3.
An altercation in the game's final seconds resulted in five misconduct penalties, two against Syracuse and three against Utica.
Syracuse was 0-for-3 on the power play while the Comets were 2-for-7.
The Crunch visit Albany 7 p.m. Wednesday. Syracuse is 6-1-0-0 against the Devils this season.
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