SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch were blanked by the Rochester Americans, 4-0, in Game 2 of the best-of-five North Division Semifinals series today at Blue Cross Arena.
 
The Crunch now face a 0-2 deficit as the series shifts to Syracuse for Game 3 and Game 4, if necessary.
 
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson stopped 18-of-21 shots. Devon Levi turned aside all 35 shots he faced between the pipes for the Amerks. Syracuse was held scoreless on their two power play opportunities, while Rochester went 1-for-4.
 
The Amerks were first on the board halfway through the opening frame. Kale Clague fired a shot from the left point that hit a defender and dropped down for Konsta Helenius to sweep in.
 
They doubled their lead with a power-play goal late in the second period. Clague set up Jiri Kulich for a one-timer from the right point.
 
Five minutes into the final frame, Kulich won the draw back for Clague to score with a slap shot to build up a 3-0 lead. Isak Rosén then hit the empty net in the final minutes of play to lock in an Amerks win.
 
The series will head to Syracuse for Game 3 on Thursday.
 
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 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), X (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).
 
Crunchables: Daniel Walcott and Gabriel Dumont have tied the franchise record for most Calder Cup Playoffs games with 40.