SYRACUSE, N.Y. ­­– The Syracuse Crunch were edged by the Laval Rocket, 3-2, in overtime tonight at Place Bell.
 
Gemel Smith and Taylor Raddysh both scored to give the Crunch two different leads, but the Rocket responded both times and eventually took the game in the extra frame. The team is now 20-18-3-2 on the season and 1-3-1-0 in the six-game season series against Laval.
 
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood stopped 5-of-6 shots in net for the Crunch before being relieved by Spencer Martin after leaving the game in the second period. Martin went on to stop 18-of-20. Cayden Primeau recorded the win with 21 saves between the pipes for the Rocket. Both Syracuse and Laval went 1-for-5 on the power play.
 
The Crunch opened scoring with a shorthanded goal 6:26 into the game. Daniel Walcott passed ahead for Smith to speed in on a breakaway and beat Primeau five-hole. Laval evened the score just one minute later. Lukas Vejdemo was in front of the net to redirect Alexandre Alain's left circle shot. Nikita Jevpalovs recorded the secondary assist.
 
Syracuse regained the lead while on the power play with 21 seconds remaining in the first period. Alex Barre-Boulet passed the puck down to Ross Colton along the goal line. He quickly found Taylor Raddysh who finished it off all alone between the circles.
 
The Rocket tied the game for a second time with a power-play goal halfway through the middle stanza. Riley Barber cut down the right wing and threw the puck towards the net for Phil Varone to tip in.
 
After a scoreless third period, the game went to overtime. Jake Evans won it for Laval after firing in a one-timer from the left circle during a 2-on-1 rush with Charles Hudon just six seconds into the extra frame.
 
The Crunch return home to host the Binghamton Devils on Friday.
 
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: Gemel Smith has goals in three consecutive games…The Crunch are 0-5-2-1 when tied after two periods this season.