The Crunch hosted the Hershey Bears last night before a crowd of 5,739 with the visitors hosting a 4-3 victory.  

Hershey opened the scoring at the 10:22 mark of the first period as Jordan Krestanovich tallied his fifth of the year, assisted by Jaroslav Obsut.  This was a flukie goal as a communications breakdown between Crunch goalie J.F. Labbe and defenseman Dan Watson regarding who was going to play the puck led to the goal.  Just 76 seconds later, Jody Shelley and Jeff Paul engaged in the game's lone bout.  It was a spirited fight with both players swinging from the hip.  Shelley opened a cut on Paul's right cheek, earning the Crunch left wing the unanimous decision.  The period would end with Hershey leading 1-0 while the Crunch out-shot the Bears 11-9.  

David Ling would tie the score for the Crunch at the 3:42 mark of the second period as he scored his fifth of the year unassisted, beating Hershey goalie Phil Sauve.  The Bears would retake the lead on the power play at the 7:49 mark when Kelly Fairchild netted his 6th of the year, assisted by Paul and former Crunch favorite, Larry Courville.  Hershey would lead at the end of the period in both scoreboard categories, 2-1 in goals and 23-21 on shots on goal.  

Brad Moran scored his fifth of the year at the 7:16 mark of the third period to tie the game at 2.  Duvie Westcott and Ling picked up the assists.  Hershey would retake the lead for good at the 8:27 mark when Mikhail Kuleshov scored his forth of the season, assisted by Steve Moore and Obsut.  This was a tough goal for Crunch fans to swallow as Bears defenseman Brad Norton had thrown several punches at two Crunch players in front of the Hershey net just prior to the goal.  Referee Harry Dumas drew the wrath of Crunch assistant captain Brett Harkins and coach Gary Agnew for the non-call as Jody Shelley had been given a ghost roughing minor earlier in the period.  Hershey opened up a two-goal cushion when Courville scores his third of the year at 11:13, assisted by Fairchild and Obsut.  The Crunch would close out the scoring on the power play at the 17:46 mark when Martin Paroulek tallied his third, assisted by Martin Spanhel and Derrick Walser.  The Crunch managed to pull Labbe in favor of a sixth attacker with less than a minute to go in the game, then spent the remainder of the game fending off a determined Hershey offense who missed at least two clear shots at the open yet.  Syracuse out-shot Hershey 34-33 for the game.  Hershey was 1 of 6 on the power play while the Crunch when 1 of 3.  Crunch D man Andrei Sryubko was selected defenseman of the game while Courville, Ling, and Obsut were third, second, and first stars respectively.  

The Crunch travel to Norfolk tonight to face the Admirals then bus to Philidelphia for an afternoon game against the Phantoms.  Friday the Crunch travel to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to face the Penguins before returning home Saturday night to host the Phantoms.  


Review by K.C.  

 Crunch start a four game road trip on Tuesday against Milwaukee, then to Cincinnati for games Wednesday and Friday, ending the trip Saturday with an early afternoon game in Cleveland. Next home gamll be Friday, November 30 against the Hershey Bears.view by KC