SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Max Lagace and the Syracuse Crunch blanked the Rochester Americans, 3-0, in Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The win gives the Crunch a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
 
Lagace turned aside all 18 shots he faced in net for the Crunch. Malcolm Subban stopped 29-of-31 between the pipes for the Amerks.
 
Syracuse and Rochester were both 0-for-4 on power play opportunities.
 
The Crunch scored two goals in the first period of play and held the Amerks to zero shots on net in the opening frame. Scoring started just 1:52 into the game when Felix Robert skated the puck down the left side and dropped a pass back for Ryan Jones to score with a slap shot from the left point. Syracuse doubled their lead halfway through the first period. Jack Thompson centered the puck for Alex Barre-Boulet who skated down the slot and pulled Subban out of position before sending a last-minute feed for Gage Goncalves to chip into a wide-open net.
 
With 33 seconds remaining in the game, Goncalves potted his second of the night into an empty net to lock in a Crunch victory.
 
The Crunch and Amerks will travel to Rochester for Game 3 on Friday.
 
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial 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).
 
Crunchables: Tonight was the first time in franchise history that the Crunch have not allowed a shot in a period…Max Lagace recorded his first career Calder Cup Playoffs shutout…The Crunch's last shutout win in the playoffs was a 3-0 victory against Laval on May 14, 2023.