In a thrilling matchup at the Upstate Medical University Arena, the Syracuse Crunch put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell to the Laval Rocket 4-3 in a shootout. The game was marked by Spencer Kersten's dramatic first goal of the season, which came with just 2:23 left in regulation, pushing the game into overtime.
The shootout saw Laval's Sean Farrell clinching the win with a decisive goal in the third round, following Alex Belzile's successful attempt in the second. On the other side, Syracuse's Brandon Halverson managed to stop one of Laval's three shootout attempts, while Kaapo Kähkönen was a wall for the Rocket, denying both attempts he faced.
With this result, the Crunch's record stands at 35-19-3-2, and they wrap up their eight-game series against Laval with a 4-1-1-2 tally. The game was a rollercoaster from the start, with Syracuse taking an early lead thanks to Ethan Gauthier's wrist shot, set up by Ian Mitchell, just over five minutes into the game. Laval responded with Owen Beck tying it up, only for Jakob Pelletier to put Syracuse back ahead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal.
The third period was all about momentum shifts. Lucas Condotta leveled the score for Laval by capitalizing on a rebound, and shortly after, Samuel Blais gave the Rocket their first lead, weaving through the defense to score from the slot.
Kersten's late-game heroics came when he intercepted a misdirected pass from Laval, finding himself alone in front of the net to score and force overtime.
In regulation, Halverson was solid, saving 25 of 28 shots, while Kähkönen stopped 28 of 31 for Laval. Syracuse's power play was effective once, converting one of five chances, and their penalty kill was flawless, shutting down all four of Laval's opportunities.
Jakob Pelletier continued his impressive run, extending his points streak to 10 games, accumulating three goals and 11 assists in that span. Meanwhile, Ian Mitchell marked his debut on the score sheet for Syracuse.
Looking ahead, the Crunch are set to take on the Rochester Americans this Friday, aiming to bounce back with a win on the road.