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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Alex Volkov Records Hat Trick in 6-5 Win over Devils

January 18, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. --- Alex Volkov recorded his first career hat trick in a 6-5 Syracuse Crunch win over the Binghamton Devils tonight at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

The win snaps a three-game skid and moves the Crunch to 19-18-2-2 on the season and 4-1-0-2 in the 10-game season series against the Devils.

Goaltender Martin Spencer stopped 3-of-7 in net for the Crunch before being relieved by Mike Condon in the first period. Condon went on to turn aside 19-of-21. Evan Cormier made 26 saves between the pipes for the Devils. Both Syracuse and Binghamton went 2-for-5 on the power play.

The Devils opened scoring just 1:35 into the game when Josh Jacobs tipped a long right-point shot from Ryan Schmelzer. Four minutes later, Volkov found the puck alone in the slot and fired home a power-play goal to even the score.

Binghamton regained the lead with two power-play goals in two minutes beginning at 8:08. Brett Seney's shot from the left circle was stopped, but the rebound dropped down for Joey Anderson to clean up. Nick Merkley then sent in a wrister from the top of the right circle.

Syracuse rallied and potted two consecutive goals of their own to end the first period knotted, 3-3. Dennis Yan started the comeback at 18:43. He got a crisp tape-to-tape pass from Otto Somppi and sent in a shot from the slot. Daniel Walcott tallied the secondary helper. Volkov then scored his second of the night with five seconds remaining in the opening frame. He forced a turnover along the boards, skated in and picked the near corner.

The Devils went back on top 19 seconds into the second period. Mikhail Maltsev jammed in the rebound of Chris Conner's left-wing shot as he crashed the net.

The Crunch knotted the game for a second time at 13:20 when Taylor Raddysh went off the far post and in with a shot from the right circle. Mathieu Joseph and Devante Stephens earned points on the equalizer.

Volkov completed the hat trick and gave Syracuse the lead with another power-play goal at the 15:53 mark. Cory Conacher sent the puck down low for Boris Katchouk. He shoveled a backhander across the slot for Volkov to finish off from a sharp angle along the goal line.

The Crunch built a two-goal lead halfway through the final frame after Volkov forced a turnover in the corner and fed Ross Colton for a shot from between the circles.

Nathan Bastian stole one back for the Devils with 54 seconds remaining in the game when he was in front of the net to tuck a rebound behind Condon, but the Crunch halted a comeback effort.

The Crunch return home to host the Utica Comets on Monday at 1 p.m.

Ticket packages and single game tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch.

Crunchables: Dennis Yan has goals in back-to-back games...The Crunch have snapped a six-game road winless streak.

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