SYRACUSE, N.Y. – After giving up the first two goals, the Syracuse Crunch scored four unanswered tallies to rally past the Rochester Americans, 4-2, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Lucas Mercuri kicked off the Crunch scoring with his first of the season in the second period before Sam O'Reilly potted his first professional goal off one knee to tie the game. Jansen Harkins and Clark Bishop both scored their first goals with the Crunch to help break the team's three-game skid and advance Syracuse to 2-3-0-0 on the season. The Crunch are now 1-1-0-0 in the 12-game season series with the Amerks.
 
Crunch goaltender Mads Sogaard earned the win stopping 15-of-17 shots. Talyn Boyko turned aside 24-of-28 in net for the Amerks. The Syracuse power play converted on 2-of-5 opportunities while the penalty kill shut down 4-of-5 Rochester man-advantages.
 
The Amerks were first on the board halfway through the opening frame when Aidan McDonough beat Sogaard on a shorthanded breakaway halfway through the opening frame. Rochester doubled their lead three minutes later during a 5-on-3 advantage. Conor Sheary set up Matthew Peca for a one-timer from the right circle.

The Crunch rallied back with two goals to tie in the game in the second period. At 9:32, Mercuri was in the slot to redirect Bishop's point shot. Five minutes later, O'Reilly tallied his first professional goal when he dropped to one knee and swept the puck in from the bottom of the right circle.
 
Syracuse continued their scoring onsalught with two more goals in the third period. Harkins came down the right side on a 2-on-1 rush with Max Groshev at the 7:06 mark. Groshev missed high on his one-timer, but the puck ricocheted off the end boards and back into the crease for Harkins to jam in. Five minutes later, Boyko made the initial save on Bishop's close-range shot, but left the rebound out for the veteran forward to shovel in. The Crunch maintained their control through the final minutes of the game and took the win.
 
The Crunch travel to face the Hamilton Hammers tomorrow afternoon.
 
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2026-27 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: Matteo Pietroniro made his season debut tonight…Sam O'Reilly scored his first professional goal tonight…Lucas Mercuri scored his first goal of the season tonight…Jansen Harkins and Clark Bishop both scored their first goals with the Crunch tonight.