SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch fell to the Laval Rocket, 4-3, in a four-round shootout this afternoon at Place Bell.
 
The Crunch got out to a 2-0 lead, but the Rocket scored with 20 seconds remaining in the second period. They added two more in the third frame, but Syracuse tied it at three with 6:38 left in regulation. After a scoreless overtime period, Laval earned the win in the fourth round of the shootout. 
 
The Crunch earned a standings point as they move to 17-10-1-1 on the season and 1-0-0-1 in the eight-game season series against the Rocket.
 
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson stopped 21-of-24 shots and 1-of-4 shootout attempts. Kaapo Kähkönen earned the win turning aside 33-of-36 shots and 2-of-4 shootout attempts for the Rocket.
 
Syracuse struck first with 4:40 remaining in the opening period. Ethan Gauthier stole the puck along the left boards and cut to the middle. He lifted it over the shoulder of Kähkönen for it to go off the bar and in, giving the Crunch a 1-0 lead. 
 
The Crunch doubled their lead, 2-0, just 20 seconds into the second frame. Nick Abruzesse picked the puck up in the neutral zone and sent it ahead to Conor Geekie who scored from the slot on a breakaway. The Rocket brought the score within one with one second remaining in the period as William Trudeau sent a one-timer from the point. 
 
Laval evened the score, 2-2, 4:20 into the final period as Florian Xhekaj potted a one-timer from the left circle. A few minutes later they made it 3-2 with their first lead of the afternoon. David Reinbacher took a shot from the right circle and Lucas Condotta deflected it in from in front of the net. Syracuse tied it at three with 6:38 remaining with a goal from Wojciech Stachowiak. Mitchell Chaffee worked the puck out from the right boards, Brendan Furry skated it down low and pushed it in front of the net which set up Stachowiak to punch home the rebound. 
 
The teams remained tied through the overtime period to send the game to a shootout. Geekie scored in the first round and Stachowiak and Alex Belzile each found the back of the net in the second round. Joshua Roy potted one in the third round to extend the shootout, then Sean Farrell scored the game-winner for Laval in the fourth round. 
 
The Crunch and the Rocket close out their two-game set at Place Bell tomorrow afternoon. 
 
Ticket packages for the 2025-26 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).
 
Crunchables: Conor Geekie has a goal in back-to-back games…Nick Abruzzese has an assist in each of the last three games…Conor Geekie's goal 20 seconds into the second period was the quickest the Crunch have scored into a period this season. The quickest before today was 36 seconds on December 12 against Lehigh Valley.