Syracuse Crunch quick start continues as Hugo stops them all

CLEVELAND – Hugo Alnefelt was perfect on Friday night to help the Syracuse Crunch remain perfect to start the season.

Alnefelt stopped all 35 shots he faced to record his fourth career shutout. The offensive support was provided by the first AHL goal for Max Groshev, a shorthanded marker from Daniel Walcott, Felix Robert (again), Cole Keopke and Gabriel Dumont. Crunch special teams once again had an excellent night as the power play went 2-for-5, while the penalty was a perfect 7-for-7.

Jet Greaves turned aside 13-of-17 shots in net for the Monsters before being relieved by Pavel Cajan in the second period. Cajan went on to stop 15-of-16.

The Crunch opened scoring with a power-play goal just 1:36 into the game. Gabriel Dumont sped down the right wing and tucked the puck behind Greaves. When the goaltender stuck his glove out to make the save, the puck banked off it and across the goal line

That's a vet move pic.twitter.com/pKLbL90V2X

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) October 20, 2023

Three minutes later, Felix Robert doubled the lead with a wrister from the top of the right circle for his third of the season in as many games.

Three goals in three games. Is that good? That seems good. pic.twitter.com/bge2Vr4I5I

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) October 20, 2023

Syracuse continued the one-sided scoring with two more in the middle frame. At 8:21, Daniel Walcott grabbed a loose puck in the neutral zone and lit the lamp on a shorthanded breakaway

OKAY OKAY OKAY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/z9W0ArHUcR

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) October 21, 2023

Then halfway through the frame, Cole Koepke came in on a 2-on-1 with Dumont and chased Greaves from the game with a shot from the left face off dot.

We are just having a GREAT time pic.twitter.com/5Z192J4Vgc

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) October 21, 2023

Max Groshev scored his first AHL goal on the man-advantage to build up a 5-0 lead for the Crunch early in the third period. The rookie forward skated the puck down the left side and beat Cajan from a sharp angle along the goal line.

Max Groshev makes the first one a real beauty 🚨 pic.twitter.com/POdBnSKJW4

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) October 21, 2023

Crunchables: Felix Robert has a goal in all three games of the season…Daniel Walcott has goals in back-to-back games…Max Groshev scored his first AHL goal tonight… Tristan Allard recorded his first pro point with an assist on Max Groshev’s goal…This is the first time the Crunch have started the season 3-0 since the 2008-09 season.