Utica Comets Top Syracuse Crunch, 5-2
Utica scored five times at NBT Bank Arena to hand the Syracuse Crunch their fifth loss of the season.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Hockey
The Utica Comets defeated the Syracuse Crunch 5-2 at NBT Bank Arena on November 6. Syracuse fell to 5-5-1-0 on the season.
Why it matters
The loss leaves the Syracuse Crunch with a .500-level record through early November, while Utica's win came on the power play and from a pair of goals that shaped the game's momentum. The result matters to Syracuse fans tracking the team's early-season standing.
Utica converted 2 of 3 power-play chances while Syracuse managed 1 of 5, and Rittich turned aside 24 of 26 shots against Sogaard's 16 saves on 20 attempts.
The players
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning and play their home games at NBT Bank Arena in Syracuse, New York.
Utica Comets
The Utica Comets are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks and play their home games in Utica, New York.
The details
Vladislav Kolyachonok opened the scoring on a power-play one-timer from the blue line that Gabe Klassen tipped down low in front of the net at 2:20 of the first period. Ben Steeves stole the puck in the Syracuse zone, beat Sogaard one-on-one, and scored unassisted on a power play at 4:48 of the second period; Dylan Duke and Jakob Pelletier later scored for Syracuse before Lenni Hämeenaho and Klassen added goals for Utica.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: Utica Comets defeat Syracuse Crunch 5-2 at NBT Bank Arena.
November 7, 2026: Syracuse Crunch host the Hartford Wolf Pack at home.
Season Trajectory
Within the American Hockey League's affiliate system, early-season results like this one help shape which clubs are positioned for playoff races and which are rebuilding. The Crunch's 5-5-1-0 start places them in the middle of the pack as the season's first month closes.
Syracuse's loss drops the Crunch to 5-5-1-0, and Sunday's home game against Hartford is the next chance to change that record. Fantasy and roster watchers should note that Utica's power-play production was the difference between the two teams.
The takeaway
Special teams decided this game: Utica's 2-for-3 power play outpaced Syracuse's 1-for-5, a gap that often separates winners from losers in close AHL contests. Watching how the Crunch handle their power-play struggles in the next few games will show whether this was an isolated result.
What happens next
The Syracuse Crunch host the Hartford Wolf Pack on November 7, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the team's early-season form, see Syracuse Hockey coverage.
