ST. JOHN'S, NL – Zachary Fucale earned his first professional shutout with a 39-save performance as the St. John's IceCaps blanked the Syracuse Crunch, 4-0, tonight at the Mile One Centre.
 
The victory snaps a five-game winless streak for the IceCaps, while extending the Crunch to a six-game skid. Syracuse is now 1-1-1-0 in the eight-game season series with St. John's and 19-20-8-1 on the season.
 
Crunch goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 15-of-18 in defeat. His counterpart, Fucale, turned aside all 39 shots. Syracuse was unable to convert on two man-advantages. The IceCaps power-play unit was highly effective against the Crunch, scoring the first two goals, going 2-for-3.
 
At the 9:45 mark of the first period, Nikita Scherbak was parked at the back door to redirect a cross-crease feed from Gabriel Dumont and put St. John's on the board. Bud Holloway recorded the secondary assist on the opening tally.
 
With 5:05 remaining in the second, the IceCaps built up a two-goal lead. Michael McCarron carried the puck to the bottom of the right circle before pulling the trigger and beating Gudlevskis with a wrister. Morgan Ellis and Holloway earned credit for the helpers.
 
St. John's added two more in the final frame to down Syracuse, 4-0. With Gudlevskis screened, Ellis snuck one in from the left wing side at 16:54. Dumont grabbed the assist before netting one of his own into the open cage with 1:02 remaining in the game. Holloway picked up his third assist of the night on the final tally.
 
The Crunch return to rematch the IceCaps tomorrow at the Mile One Centre at 6 p.m. ET.
 
Syracuse Crunch single game and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch Box Office located in the War Memorial at 800 South State Street in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@officialsyracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch and #BelieveInBlue.
 
Crunchables: Dylan Blujus played in his 100th professional game tonight…A six-game winless streak is the longest the Crunch have had this season.