SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch blew past the Cleveland Monsters, 6-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The Crunch swept their first three-in-three weekend of the season, 3-0, outscoring their opponents, 17-8. The team is now 38-19-3-2 on the season and won the four-game season series against the Monsters, 2-1-1-0.
 
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson earned the win stopping 26-of-29 shots. Zach Sawchenko turned aside 13-of-18 in net for the Monsters. The Syracuse power play was held scoreless on four opportunities, while the penalty kill went 3-for-4.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Crunch potted three goals in less than three minutes to open the middle frame. Just 29 seconds in, Nick Abruzzese sent a backhand centering pass behind him for Matthew Peca to redirect past Sawchenko from in front of the net. Syracuse then added two more just 50 seconds apart. At 2:04, Gabriel Szturc changed direction in the right corner, cut towards the net and jammed the puck in. Dylan Duke rounded out the scoring onslaught with a wrister from the left circle as he came in on a 2-on-1 rush with Peca. Jakob Pelletier closed out the third period with a shorthanded breakaway goal at the 19:26 mark to give Syracuse a 4-0 lead.
 
The Crunch potted their fifth straight goal two minutes into the third period. Szturc grabbed the puck along the left half-wall and threw it towards the net where Ethan Gauthier redirected it on the back door. The Monsters finally responded and stole one back nine seconds later when Brendan Gaunce shoveled in a rebound. Owen Sillinger added another one for Cleveland during a 5-on-3 power play at 13:43. Cleveland scored again with just 1:09 remaining in the game when Max McCue sent in a wrister from the right circle, but Pelletier netted his second of the game into an empty net during the final minute of play to secure a Crunch win.
 
The Crunch are back in action on Friday when they host the Hershey Bears.
 
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: Jakob Pelletier has the longest active points streak in the AHL with 13 games (6g, 13a)…Matthew Peca scored his first goal with the Crunch this season…Dylan Duke scored his 30th goal of the season tonight…The Crunch are tied for the league lead with 11 shorthanded goals this season.