SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Bridgeport Islanders, 5-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The loss moves the Crunch to 17-14-5-4 on the season. Syracuse splits the two-game season series with Bridgeport, 1-1.
 
Crunch goaltender Matt Tomkins stopped 18-of-22 shots. Jakub Skarek recorded the win stopping 43-of-45 shots in net for the Islanders. The Crunch power play went 1-for-4, while the Isles were 2-for-3.
 
The Isles were first on the board just 2:12 into the game. Eetu Liukas chipped the puck up for William Dufour to get ahead on a short breakaway.
 
Bridgeport doubled their lead early in the middle frame when Grant Hutton set up Chris Terry for a wrister from the left circle. Just 1:02 later, Gemel Smith got his stick on a rebound and jammed it into the net while on the man-advantage. Terry potted his second goal of the night on the power play with a wrister from the right circle to put the Isles up, 4-0. The Crunch finally got on the board with a goal late in the second period. Skarek made the save on Steven Santini's shot, but Tristan Allard was down low to send in the rebound.
 
The Crunch added another goal 3:02 into the final frame. Gage Goncalves sent a feed into the slot for Jujhar Khaira to redirect in. It remained a two-goal game until Liam Foudy hit the empty net in the final minutes of the period.
 
The Crunch host the Cleveland Monsters tomorrow.
 
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2024-25 season 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), X (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).
 
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