SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch were downed by the Rochester Americans, 3-2, in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals series tonight at Blue Cross Arena.
The Crunch opened scoring with goals from Conor Sheary and Dylan Duke, but the Amerks rallied back and took the win.
Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson turned aside 27-of-30 shots. Devon Levi stopped 25-of-27 between the pipes for the Amerks. Syracuse was held scoreless on three power play opportunities, while Rochester went 1-for-3.
After a scoreless first period, the Crunch were first on the board with a pair of goals in the span of 3:08. The first one came just 21 seconds into the frame. Sheary made a move around a defender and fired in a wrister from between the circles. Three minutes later, Steven Santini fired a shot wide left. Duke picked the puck up behind the net, wrapped around and scored. The Amerks responded with two goals of their own in just under three minutes to tie the game, 2-2. At 4:26, Brendan Warren slid the puck in as he cut in front of the crease. Then Riley Fiddler-Schultz tied the game when he sent in a wrister from the bottom of the left circle.
Rochester went on top early in the third period when Kale Clague ripped a one-timer from the left point at the 3:55 mark. Syracuse was unable to find the equalizer in the final frame and fell in the first game of the best-of-five series.
The Crunch and Amerks will play Game 2 in Rochester on Sunday afternoon.
