Syracuse Crunch Fall to Charlotte Checkers, 4-3
AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Fall to Charlotte Checkers, 4-3

Published on February 21, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse Crunch defenseman Tommy Miller vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Syracuse Crunch defenseman Tommy Miller vs. the Charlotte Checkers
(Syracuse Crunch, Credit: Eric Payne)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Charlotte Checkers, 4-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.

The loss snaps the Crunch's seven-game winning streak and moves the team to 30-17-3-1 on the season. The Crunch complete the four-game season series against the Checkers going 1-3-0-0.

Crunch goaltender Ryan Fanti turned aside 30-of-33 shots. Kirill Gerasimyuk earned the win stopping 28-of-31 in net for the Checkers. The Syracuse power play converted on 1-of-2 opportunities, while the penalty kill shut down the lone Charlotte man-advantage.

The Checkers were first on the board at the 12:07 mark of the opening period. Jack Studnicka centered the puck for Nate Smith to score with a close-range shot from the slot.

The Crunch responded eight minutes into the middle frame. Conor Geekie set up Matteo Pietroniro for a wrister from the bottom of the left circle to even the score.

Charlotte regained their lead early in the third period. After Ben Steeves broke up a pass, MacKenzie Entwistle grabbed the puck and scored from between the circles. Robert Mastrosimone added another for Charotte at the 12:57 mark when he toe dragged around a defender and fired the puck into the top right corner. Syracuse stole one back with a power-play goal at 14:31. Geekie fired a long point shot that was blocked, but Dylan Duke was down low to shove in the rebound. At 18:18, Smith scored his second goal of the night with an empty-netter, but the Crunch weren't done yet and came back within one for a second time with just 40 seconds remaining in the game. Duke got his stick on the puck behind the net and sent it back out for Lucas Mercuri to jam in. Syracuse kept the pressure on, but ran out of time and suffered a loss to Charlotte in the second game of the weekend series.

The Crunch are back in action on Saturday when they host the Laval Rocket.

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: Dylan Duke is on a six-game points streak (4g, 4a)...Lucas Mercuri has three goals in the last two games.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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Images from this story

Syracuse Crunch left wing Jakob Pelletier vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Syracuse Crunch left wing Jakob Pelletier vs. the Charlotte Checkers
(Eric Payne)		 Syracuse Crunch center Dylan Duke vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Syracuse Crunch center Dylan Duke vs. the Charlotte Checkers
(Eric Payne)		 Syracuse Crunch defenseman Tommy Miller vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Syracuse Crunch defenseman Tommy Miller vs. the Charlotte Checkers
(Eric Payne)



American Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2026


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