1
0
Halverson gets the whole shutout.
UTI-0
SYR-1
Brandon Halverson stopped all 20 shots he faced for his fifth shutout victory of the season. He shook off the ill effects of that tough start with Tampa Bay quickly, to his credit.
First Period
NO SCORING
Second Period
19:39 SYR Geekie (6), (Sheary, Duke)(PP)
Third Period
NO SCORING
Halverson and Conor Geekie were the game’s first and second stars.
Syracuse outshot Utica a solid 30-20 in the contest, but nothing has come easily against the rival Comets this season. Tonight’s victory does get Syracuse back to a .500 mark against Utica this season. More importantly, it allowed them to mostly maintain their standings position.
Since Syracuse’s last outing Belleville lost a couple of head-to-head matchups with Cleveland, so entering the night the Crunch were four back of Cleveland with a couple of games in hand and still two up on Belleville, but now with a game in hand on the Senators. Belleville defeated Lehigh Valley tonight in regulation, so the Crunch maintained their two point hold on the final playoff spot in the North Division with a game in hand. Texas defeated Cleveland in a shootout, so the Crunch are now three back of Cleveland with two games in hand. And, also, Toronto fell to Laval, moving Syracuse to within three of the Marlies with a game in hand on the Maple Leafs’ farmhands.
11 regular season games left to go. Big games with Rochester on Saturday and Sunday. Pressure makes diamonds.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
