Syracuse Crunch defeat the Belleville Senators, 4-2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Belleville Senators, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.

The win advances the team to 34-18-4-2 on the season and gives them their first win in the eight-game season series against the Senators. Syracuse is now 1-3-1-1 against Belleville.

Goaltender Hugo Alnefelt earned the win turning aside 19-of-21 shots in net for the Crunch. Mads Sogaard stopped 27-of-30 between the pipes for the Senators. The Syracuse power play went 1-for-4, while the penalty kill was 4-for-5.

Belleville was first on the board halfway through the opening frame when Angus Crookshank skated down the left wing and fired in a wrister.

Daniel Walcott tied the game just 19 seconds into the second period. Sogaard made the save on Phil Myer’s right-point shot, but he kicked the rebound out to Walcott who chipped it into the net. The Senators responded and regained their lead with a power-play goal at the 6:06 mark. Jacob Larsson ripped a one-timer from the blue line that was tipped in by Garrett Pilon. Syracuse knotted the score for a second time late in the frame. Shawn Element backhanded a no-look pass down low for Lucas Edmonds to sweep in behind Sogaard.

The Crunch took the lead for the first time 5:36 into the final frame off a power-play goal. Declan Carlile set up Cole Koepke for a one-timer from the top of the right circle. Carlile then hit the empty net in the final minutes to lock in a Crunch win.

The Crunch travel to face the Hershey Bears tomorrow.

Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2023-24 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.

Crunchables: The Crunch earned their first win against the Senators this season…Phil Myers played in his 100th Crunch game tonight.