Syracuse Crunch Blow Past Utica Comets, 5-2
AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Blow Past Utica Comets, 5-2

Published on January 16, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse Crunch right wing Ethan Gauthier vs. the Utica Comets
Syracuse Crunch right wing Ethan Gauthier vs. the Utica Comets
(Syracuse Crunch, Credit: Eric Payne)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Crunch blew past the Utica Comets, 5-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.

Brendan Furry led the team with a goal and two assists, while Nick Abruzzese tallied two helpers. Dylan Duke, Jakob Pelletier, Lucas Mercuri and Conor Geekie each contributed a goal as the team advances to 20-14-2-1 on the season with 43 points. The Crunch are 6-2-0-0 in the 12-game season series against the Comets.

Crunch goaltender Ryan Fanti earned the win stopping 35-of-37 shots. Nico Daws turned aside 31-of-35 between the pipes for the Comets. Both Syracuse and Utica converted on 1-of-3 power play opportunities.

The Comets were first on the board with their first shot of the game at 2:47. Ryan Schmelzer backhanded a feed into the slot for to Brian Halonen send in.

The Crunch evened the score with a power-play goal 4:21 into the middle frame. Abruzzese poked the puck out from along the right-wing boards to Ethan Gauthier. His wrister from the top of the right circle was redirected into the net by Dylan Duke. Seven minutes later, Syracuse took the lead with some quick puck movement. Jarred Tinordi passed the puck to Abruzzese in the left circle who then sent it towards the net where Pelletier was waiting on the back door. The Comets knotted the game, 2-2, with a power-play goal of their own at the 18:05 mark. Fanti made the initial save, but Shane Lachance was able to jam the puck in during a scramble in front of the crease.

Syracuse rallied in the third period scoring three unanswered goals late in the frame. The first one came at the 15:27 mark when Tristan Allard centered the puck for Furry to sweep in. Less than two minutes later, Mercuri got ahead on a short breakaway and beat Daws. Geekie rounded out the scoring when he slammed in an empty-netter in the final minute of play to secure a Crunch win.

The Crunch travel to face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tomorrow.

Ticket packages for the 2025-26 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial 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), X (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).

Crunchables: Brendan Furry has tied his single-game career-high in both assists (2) and points (3) tonight...Both Crunch AHL All-Stars, Jakob Pelletier and Conor Geekie, scored tonight.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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Images from this story

Syracuse Crunch center Conor Geekie vs. the Utica Comets
Syracuse Crunch center Conor Geekie vs. the Utica Comets
(Eric Payne)		 Syracuse Crunch left wing Jakob Pelletier vs. the Utica Comets
Syracuse Crunch left wing Jakob Pelletier vs. the Utica Comets
(Eric Payne)		 Syracuse Crunch right wing Ethan Gauthier vs. the Utica Comets
Syracuse Crunch right wing Ethan Gauthier vs. the Utica Comets
(Eric Payne)



American Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2026


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