Crunch Clinch Playoff Berth With 5-3 Win Over Americans

Syracuse Crunch defeat Rochester Americans to secure spot in Calder Cup Playoffs

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:24am

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The Syracuse Crunch clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 5-3 victory over the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena. The Crunch rallied from an early 1-0 deficit, scoring three unanswered goals in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. They added two more goals in the third period before the Americans made a late comeback attempt, but it was not enough as the Crunch held on for the win.

Why it matters

The Crunch's playoff berth secures their spot in the postseason tournament to compete for the Calder Cup, the championship trophy of the American Hockey League. This is an important milestone for the team and their fans as they look to make a deep playoff run.

The details

Nick Abruzzese and Conor Geekie each scored two goals for the Crunch, while Jakob Pelletier, Dylan Duke and Matthew Peca each had two assists. Mitchell Chaffee also scored a goal for Syracuse. Crunch goaltender Brandon Halverson made 29 saves to earn the win. The Crunch converted on 2-of-3 power-play opportunities.

  • The game was played on March 21, 2026 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York.

The players

Nick Abruzzese

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who scored two goals in the game.

Conor Geekie

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who scored two goals in the game.

Jakob Pelletier

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who had two assists in the game.

Dylan Duke

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who had two assists in the game.

Matthew Peca

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who had two assists in the game.

Mitchell Chaffee

A forward for the Syracuse Crunch who scored a goal in the game.

Brandon Halverson

The goaltender for the Syracuse Crunch who made 29 saves to earn the win.

Zac Jones

A forward for the Rochester Americans who scored the first goal of the game.

Scott Ratzlaff

The goaltender for the Rochester Americans who made 16 saves in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was a big game for us to clinch a playoff spot, and the guys really stepped up and got the job done. Now we can focus on making a deep run in the postseason.”

— Benoit Groulx, Head Coach, Syracuse Crunch

“It's tough to come up short, but we gave it our all out there. The Crunch are a tough team and they earned this win. We'll regroup and get ready for the next one.”

— Seth Appert, Head Coach, Rochester Americans

What’s next

The Syracuse Crunch will continue their regular season schedule as they prepare for the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Rochester Americans will look to bounce back in their next game as they aim to secure their own playoff berth.

The takeaway

The Syracuse Crunch's playoff clinching victory showcases their resilience and ability to overcome early deficits, traits that will serve them well as they look to make a deep postseason run. Meanwhile, the Rochester Americans' late comeback effort demonstrates their never-say-die attitude, which will be crucial as they fight to earn a playoff spot of their own.