COMETS DROP ROAD CONTEST TO CRUNCH, LOSE 7-1
Apr 25, 2021
Utica, N.Y – Both Utica and Syracuse came into Sunday afternoon’s game with a win streak. Utica won their previous two games while Syracuse was on a four game win streak. At the conclusion of the game, it was only the Crunch whose win streak remained intact winning five straight while defeating the Comets, 7-1.
In the opening frame, the Comets came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, and it was a breakaway by Sven Bärtschi that put his team up 1-0. Bärtschi made a lovely move and sliced the puck off the blocker of Crunch goaltender Spencer Martin and in at 4:53 for his fourth goal of the season from Nolan Stevens and Lukas Jasek. As the period progressed, Crunch defenseman Lucas Carlsson capitalized on a loose puck that bounced out to the blueline. Carlsson stepped into a slapper just went off the far post and in past Comets netminder Joel Hofer at 6:32 tying the contest at 1-1. Carlsson struck yet again in the first in virtually the same spot as he hammered the puck through traffic and in at 7:46. At the conclusion of 20 minutes, the Comets trailed 2-1.
In the second period is when things became unglued for the Comets and it started with a goal by Henry Bowlby for Syracuse at 4:15. Bowlby took a nice feed from Peter Abbandonato and his shot beat Hofer to go up 3-1. After a few minutes of back-and-forth play, Syracuse took advantage of another point shot. This time, it was Andreas Borgman who’s one-timer from the point went through traffic and into the bet putting the Crunch up 4-1. Then, two quick-strike goals took place and the first would spell the night for Hofer when Ryan Lohin slid the puck through the legs of Hofer for a 5-1 lead at 14:44. Comets goalie Evan Fitzpatrick stepped into the game and only seven seconds after the previous goal, he saw a blazing one-timer that went off the post and in. It was the first professional goal by Cole Koepke. The goal at 14:51 put Syracuse up 6-1 after forty minutes.
In the final period of regulation, Lohin added another goal in the contest as he skated uncontested down the right side and shot the puck blocker side and in at 9:30 putting Syracuse up 7-1.
The Comets and Crunch will faceoff once again on Wednesday night at the Adirondack Bank Center.
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