SYRACUSE, N.Y. ­­– The Syracuse Crunch were surpassed by the Utica Comets, 5-2, tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
 
The Crunch tied the game twice off goals from Alex Barre-Boulet and Boris Katchouk, but couldn't catch the Comets and move to 7-6-2-0 on the season. Utica takes a 2-1-0-0 lead in the 12-game season series.
 
Goaltender Spencer Martin stopped 17-of-21 in net for the Crunch before being relieved by Scott Wedgewood to start the third period. Wedgewood turned aside all seven shots he faced. Zane McIntyre earned the win with 21 saves in net for the Comets. Syracuse converted on 2-of-9 power play opportunities and went 6-for-8 on the penalty kill.
 
The Comets opened scoring with a power-play goal 12:14 into the first period. After Kole Lind took the face off, Reid Boucher grabbed the puck and scored from the right circle.
 
The Crunch evened the score with a power-play goal of their own late in the opening frame. Chris Mueller skated the puck into the zone down the right-wing boards and dropped it back for Cameron Gaunce. He fed Barre-Boulet for a slap shot from the left point.
 
Utica went back on top 13:07 into the middle stanza with another power-play marker. Nikolay Goldobin centered a puck for Lind to redirect from the slot. Brogan Rafferty recorded the secondary helper.
 
Syracuse climbed back for a second time to tie the game two minutes later on the man-advantage. Ross Colton chased the puck down behind the net and sent it back out front for Katchouk to send in with a quick stick. Taylor Raddysh earned a point on the play.
 
Boucher potted his second of the night one minute later when he threw the puck from a sharp angle that snuck behind Martin with the help of Goldobin and Mitch Eliot. With 2:20 remaining in the second period, the Comets built a two-goal lead. Francis Perron took a shot from the right point for Carter Bancks to redirect in from between the circles.
 
Boucher completed the hat trick with an empty-netter late in the third to lock in a Utica victory.
 
The Crunch host the Cleveland Monsters for Hockey Fights Cancer Night tomorrow at 7 p.m.
 
Ticket packages and single game tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. 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.
 
Crunchables: Alex Barre-Boulet has eight goals in 15 games this season. He leads the team with five power-play goals…Cameron Gaunce is on a three-game points streak (1g, 2a).