SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch powered past the Belleville Senators, 5-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Ethan Gauthier had a two-goal game to lead the Crunch, while Jakob Pelleteier contributed two helpers. Max Groshev, Lucas Mercuri and Mitchell Chaffee each contributed one goal to help advance the team to 25-16-3-1 on the season and 2-2-0-0 in the eight-game season series against the Senators.
 
Crunch goaltender Jon Gillies turned aside 29-of-32 shots in victory. Leevi Meriläinen stopped 22-of-26 shots in net for the Senators. The Syracuse power play converted on 1-of-4 opportunities. Belleville went 2-for-4.
 
The Crunch opened scoring just 1:56 into the game when Brendan Furry set up Groshev for a wrister from the left face off dot. Belleville evened the score, 1-1, halfway through the frame off a long point shot from Carter Yakemchuk through traffic. Syracuse regained their lead with 2:31 remaining in the period. Matteo Pietroniro fed the puck down low for Mercuri to score with a close-range shot.
 
The Crunch extended their lead with another goal 12 minutes into the middle frame. Milo Roelens dug the puck out from the left-wing boards and centered it for Gauthier to grab and send bar down.
 
Belleville stole one back with a power-play goal early in the third period. Yakemchuk got the puck at the point, stick handled down the slot and scored his second goal of the game at the 5:50 mark. Syracuse responded with a power-play goal of their own at 12:58 to regain their two-goal lead. Gauthier fired a shot from the bottom of the left circle that deflected of a defender and in for his second goal of the night. Three minutes later the Senators capitalized on another man-advantage. Xavier Bourgault threw a cross-zone feed for Arthur Kaliyev to one-time from the right circle and pull back within one, but Mitchell Chaffee hit the empty net to shut down a late comeback effort and secure a Crunch victory.
 
The Crunch and Senators travel to Belleville to complete the weekend's home-and-home series tomorrow night.
 
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: Max Groshev has goals in back-to-back games…Ethan Gauthier recorded his first career two-goal game tonight… Syracuse has earned points in seven straight at home (6-0-1-0) and is 11-1-1-0 in the last 13 home contests.