Crunch edged by Phantoms in shootout

4-3 SO Loss

Syracuse, NY- The Syracuse Crunch overcame a three-goal deficit but ultimately fell to the Adirondack Phantoms 4-3 in a seven-round shootout tonight at the War Memorial Arena.

Phantoms defenseman Danny Syvret scored the game-winner in the seventh round of a shootout to avenge a 3-0 shutout loss to the Crunch a week ago. Crunch goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped three Phantom shooters but allowed goals by Garrett Roe, Brayden Schenn, Jason Akeson and Syvret in the tie-breaker.

Syracuse picked up a point in tonight's loss and continue to pace the Eastern Conference with 38 points and a 17-6-1-3 overall record; the team is 6-3-1-1 at home.

The Crunch fell behind after three first-period tallies by the Phantoms. Harry Zolnierczyk struck first, converting from the right side of a two-on-one 1:11 into the contest. Akeson doubled the Phantoms lead with a power-play tally 2:30 into the first period and struck again for his second goal of the game with 4:27 remaining in the first.

The Crunch pulled even with three unanswered goals from Richard Panik, Alex Killorn and Tyler Johnson.

Panik put the Crunch on the board with a power-play tally when his shot from the right side trickled past Phantoms netminder Cal Heeter with 14:12 to play in the second stanza.

Killorn extended his goal streak to five games by finishing a feed from defenseman Matt Taormina at the 14:09 mark of the middle frame.

Johnson scored the equalizer with a five-on-three power play goal. Johnson lifted the rebound of a Mark Barberio shot over Heeter to tie the game 3-3 8:24 into the third period. The score held through the remainder of regulation and the five-minute overtime period. During the shootout the Crunch saw goals from Taormina, Ondrej Palat and Panik but were outlasted by the Phantoms in the seventh round.

The Crunch host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22 at the War Memorial Arena.

CRUNCHABLES: While the season series with the Phantoms is tied with each team having three wins, the Crunch lead the series in points earned, with nine, compared to the Phantoms six…The Phantoms have not beaten the Crunch in regulation this season…Tyler Johnson scored his 17^th goal of the season tonight, good for second in the AHL…

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