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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Dominate Marlies, 8-2

January 3, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. --- The Syracuse Crunch fired a season-high 56 shots on goal during an 8-2 thrashing of the Toronto Marlies tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena.

Thirteen Crunch players recorded a point in the win with eight tallying a multi-point effort. The Crunch advance to 17-14-2-1 on the season and 2-0-0-0 in the six-game season series with the Marlies.

Goaltender Spencer Martin made 22 saves in victory between the pipes for the Crunch. Joseph Woll stopped 25-of-29 in net for the Marlies before being relieved by Kasimir Kaskisuo in the second period. He went on to turn aside 23-of-27. Syracuse converted on 2-of-5 power play opportunities and went 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The Crunch jumped out to a quick lead on the first shot just 46 seconds into the game and built a three-goal lead by the end of the first period. Cory Conacher's cross-zone feed bounced off Gemel Smith's skate as he cut down the slot and set him up for a backhander over Woll. Ben Thomas tallied the secondary helper. At 14:15 mark, Thomas deked around a defender, cut across the slot and shoveled in a backhander from the bottom of the right circle. Assists went to Otto Somppi and Danick Martel. With 2:13 remaining in the frame, Taylor Raddysh sniped a wrister from the left circle with the help of Alex Barre-Boulet and Cal Foote while on the power play.

Syracuse made it 4-0 with another power-play goal 3:14 into the second period. Ross Colton found the puck and sent it into the net during a scramble out front. Barre-Boulet and Alex Volkov collected points on the play.

Toronto finally responded with a power-play goal of their own two minutes later. Nic Petan tipped in Timothy Liljegren's shot from the blue line.

At 6:42, the Crunch regained the four-goal lead. Martel stole the puck and fed Conacher for a shorthanded goal that went up and over Kaskisuo. Smith then potted his second of the game when he swept the puck in from the bottom of the right circle. Foote made it a multi-point night with an assist, while Mathieu Joseph tallied the secondary helper.

Halfway through the middle stanza, the Marlies stole back another. Matt Read sped down the right wing and beat Martin short side from the circle.

The Crunch connected for another goal 7:21 into the third period. Somppi battled to dig the puck out from the right-wing boards. Raddysh grabbed it and sent a centering feed for Barre-Boulet to redirect in. Five minutes later, Somppi sent home his third of the season when he got a pass from Daniel Walcott, spun around and backhanded a no-look shot. Jimmy Huntington earned his first AHL point with the secondary assist.

The Crunch travel to face the Laval Rocket tomorrow at 7 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: Gemel Smith is on a five-game points streak with back-to-back multi-point games (3g, 5a)...The last time the Crunch scored on the first shot of the game was Gemel Smith on Dec. 6 against Laval...The Crunch have tied Milwaukee for the second-most shots on goal in the league this season with 56.

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