Crunch Rally Late, Edge Amerks in Shootout Thriller
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Crunch dug deep Sunday afternoon, clawing back from a one-goal deficit late in regulation to knock off the Rochester Americans, 3-2, in a shootout at Upstate Medical University Arena.
It was a game that had a little bit of everything - early momentum, a second-period swing, a clutch equalizer, and a shootout finish that tilted Syracuse’s way thanks to Max Groshev’s third-round dagger.
Let’s break it down.
Fast Start, Mid-Game Stall
Conor Geekie got the Crunch on the board first, finishing off a clean setup from Nick Abruzzese with a wrister from the high slot at 14:59 of the opening period. It was a textbook offensive-zone sequence - puck movement, timing, and a confident finish from Geekie, who continues to show flashes of the high-end skill that made him a first-rounder.
But Rochester flipped the script in the second. A power-play opportunity midway through the frame gave the Amerks their opening, and they didn’t miss.
Jake Leschyshyn redirected a point shot from Zac Jones to tie things up. Then, with just over two minutes left in the period, the duo struck again - this time with Leschyshyn winning a faceoff clean in the left circle and Jones stepping into a long-range shot that beat Ryan Fanti to give Rochester a 2-1 lead.
It was a momentum swing that could’ve buried Syracuse. Instead, the Crunch regrouped.
Pelletier Hits a Milestone - and a Clutch Equalizer
With the clock ticking down in the third and the Crunch still trailing, Jakob Pelletier delivered the moment of the night - and his 200th professional point.
It started with a clean faceoff win at center ice. Matteo Pietroniro wasted no time, launching a long stretch pass up the left wing.
Pelletier turned on the jets, beat the defense wide, and ripped a shot from the circle that beat Devon Levi clean. Just like that, it was 2-2 with 4:16 to play.
It was a goal that showed off Pelletier’s speed, vision, and finishing touch - the kind of play you expect from a player with 200 pro points under his belt.
Fanti Shuts the Door, Groshev Seals It
Overtime came and went without a goal, thanks in large part to both goaltenders standing tall. But in the shootout, it was Syracuse who capitalized.
Max Groshev stepped up in the third round and delivered the only shootout tally of the afternoon. On the other end, Fanti was flawless, turning away all three Amerks attempts to secure the win.
Fanti finished the game with 30 saves on 32 shots, plus three more in the shootout. It was a composed, confident performance from the Crunch netminder, who gave his team a chance to climb back and ultimately walk away with two points.
What It Means
The win moves Syracuse to 22-14-2-1 on the season and gives them a 3-4-0-0 mark in their 12-game season series against Rochester. More importantly, it marks their third straight victory - a sign that this group is finding its rhythm as the second half of the season heats up.
The Crunch didn’t convert on any of their four power-play chances, but they stayed disciplined, giving up just one penalty and limiting Rochester to a single man-advantage - which they did capitalize on. Still, the overall 5-on-5 play and late-game resilience were enough to tilt the outcome.
Up Next
Syracuse will look to keep the momentum rolling when they host the Utica Comets on Saturday. With the team starting to string together wins and key players stepping up in big moments, there’s plenty to be excited about in Crunch country.
And if Sunday’s performance is any indication, this team isn’t just showing flashes - they’re building something.