The Syracuse Crunch moved past the Utica Comets in a Monday matinee, though a first-period blunder almost proved disastrous.
The Syracuse Crunch were caught with one hand deep in the cookie jar in the first period of their Monday matinee clash with the Utica Comets.
The Crunch, holding a 2-1 lead midway through the opening period, made a bizarre choice in pulling their goalie during a powerplay, going 6 on 3 for the man advantage in, again, only the first period.
The plan backfired mightily as Utica's Ryan Schmelzer potted an empty netter, tying the game at 2-2, though Mitchell Chaffe would score on the powerplay only seconds later.
Dramatics aside, it was a closely matched contest, with Topias Vilen and Brian Halonen tying the game 4-4 (Jack Finley scored early in the third period to give the Crunch a 4-3 lead).
Syracuse would put the game on ice in the waiting seconds of overtime off the stick of Joe Carroll, ending a wild and unpredictable Monday tilt.