TORONTO – Garret Sparks and the Toronto Marlies blanked the Syracuse Crunch, 4-0, tonight at Ricoh Coliseum.
 
The loss puts the Crunch at 33-23-6-5 on the season and 3-2-1-0 in the eight-game season series with the Marlies.
 
Goaltender Mike McKenna stopped 24-of-27 shots on goal for the Crunch, while his counterpart, Sparks, earned the shutout for the Marlies with 26 saves. Syracuse was unable to convert on five power play opportunities, but went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
 
The Marlies jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 1:13 into the game. Kasperi Kapanen fed Colin Greening in the slot where the center to sent a wrister over McKenna's glove. Rinat Valiev assisted on the opening tally.
 
Toronto doubled their lead at the 6:22 mark of the third period. Greening skated in on the left wing and left a drop pass for Steve Oleksy to net far corner from the circle. Mike Sislo recorded a point on the goal.
 
Five minutes later, Andreas Johnsson sent a centering pass for Sergey Kalinin to skate in on a short breakaway and backhand in. Oleksy made it a two-point night with the helper.
 
With 2:41 remaining in the game, Brendan Leipsic added an empty netter with the help of Greening.
 
The Crunch are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to face the Binghamton Senators at 7:05 p.m.
 
Syracuse Crunch single game and ticket packages for the 2016-17 season are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. 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 (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch, #WeAreOne and #BLUnited.
 
Crunchables: The Crunch are 1-4 in the third game of a three-in-three this season…The Crunch have been shutout twice this season, the last time was Jan. 21 against Utica…Cory Conacher had a six-game scoring streak snapped tonight (4g, 8a)…The Crunch are 18-for-18 on the penalty kill in the last three games.