SYRACUSE, N.Y. ­­– The Syracuse Crunch rolled past the Utica Comets, 5-1, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Nine different Crunch players earned a point as the team advances to 10-6-1-0 on the season and 2-2-0-0 in the 14-game season series against the Comets.
 
Crunch goaltender Sam Montembeault earned his fifth consecutive win turning aside 24-of-25 shots. Comets goaltender Joel Hofer stopped 28-of-33. Syracuse went 1-for-3 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill.
 
The Crunch opened scoring just 17 seconds into the game when Taylor Raddysh chipped a rebound in back door. Syracuse then doubled up the Comets at 16:41 off a quick shot from Devante Stephens in the left circle.
 
Utica stole one back on the power play 2:09 into the second period. Nolan Stevens dropped a pass back for Jack Rathbone to one-time through traffic from the blue line.
 
Syracuse responded and regained their two-goal lead during a 5-on-3 advantage at the 4:50 mark. Raddysh centered the puck for Alex Barre-Boulet to rip a slap shot from the high slot. Two minutes later, Sean Day fired a shot wide left that ricocheted off the end boards for Antoine Morand to grab and backhand past Hofer.
 
The Crunch added one more in the third period to secure victory. At 14:27, Mitchell Stephens deked in front of the cage and set up Boris Katchouk for a quick redirection into the back of the net.
 
The Crunch travel to Utica to rematch the Comets on Tuesday.
 
Ticket packages for the 2021-22 season are on sale now and can be purchased 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.
 
Crunchables: Boris Katchouk is on a seven-game points streak (6g, 5a)…Mitchell Stephens has seven points (1g, 7a) in four games…Alex Barre-Boulet is on a 10-game points streak (8g, 4a)…Taylor Raddysh is on a five-game points streak (3g, 3a).