SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch scored four consecutive goals to rally back from a two-goal deficit and defeat the Springfield Thunderbirds, 4-2, tonight at the MassMutual Center.
The Crunch are now 35-24-7-2 on the season and sweep the two-game season series against the Thunderbirds, 2-0.
Goaltender Max Lagace earned his third straight win stopping 23-of-25 shots in net for the Crunch. Charlie Lindgren turned aside 24-of-27 between the pipes for the Thunderbirds. Syracuse went 0-for-3 on the power play, but a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Thunderbirds opened scoring 14:55 into the game. Keean Washkurak stole the puck in the neutral zone and carried it down the left wing before centering it for Mathias Laferriere to score backdoor.
Springfield doubled their lead at the 8:09 mark of the second period when Dakota Joshua put his stick back between his legs and flipped the puck in.
The Crunch responded with three goals to steal the lead in the middle frame. At 9:18, Gemel Smith wrapped around the back of the net and chipped the puck into the cage with his backhand. Riley Nash then tied the game at 15:17 off a give-and-go play with Cole Koepke. A minute later, Gabriel Dumont put the Crunch on top when he grabbed the loose puck along the end boards and jammed it past Lindgren.
Syracuse held onto their lead through the third period and with just 35 seconds remaining in the game, Dumont potted his second of the game when he hit the empty net to secure the Crunch win.
The Crunch head to Utica to face the Comets on Friday.
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2021-22 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), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).
Crunchables: Gemel Smith has goals in back-to-back games.
