SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Erik Condra recorded his first professional hat trick in the Syracuse Crunch's 4-3 takedown of the Rochester Americans tonight at the War Memorial Arena.
 
Erik Condra led the team with three goals on the night, while Yanni Gourde also earned a multi-point game with one goal and one assist. The win advances the Crunch to 28-17-5-5 as they hold their North Division lead. Syracuse took the 10-game season series with Rochester, 8-1-0-1.
 
Netminder Adam Wilcox blocked 27-of-30 shots in victory for the Crunch. John Muse made 31-of-35 saves in net for the Amerks. Syracuse was 1-for-6 on the power play and shut down 2-of-3 of Rochester man-advantages.
 
Condra opened scoring just 46 seconds into the first frame. After Matthew Peca launched the puck into the zone, Condra picked it up and fired a wrister from the slot. Mathieu Brodeur earned credit for the secondary assist.
 
Halfway through the first, Gourde doubled the lead. Joel Vermin passed down low to Mike Halmo for a quick redirection back into the slot. Gourde was there to chip the shot for his 20th of the season on the power play.
 
The Crunch struck again with eight minutes remaining in the first stanza. Condra skated up through the left circle before turning and firing for his second of the night. Daniel Walcott and Matt Taormina earned with the helpers.
 
The Amerks finally got on the board with a power-play goal 11:03 into the second period when Alexander Nylander solved Wilcox with the help of Derek Grant and Tim Kennedy.
 
Condra completed hat trick with 4:01 left in the second. Gourde retained possession of the puck in the high slot before passing down for Condra to net from a sharp angle in the bottom of the left circle. Ben Thomas picked up a point on the play.
 
The Americans climbed back within one off two unanswered goals in the final stanza. Kyle Bonis and Nick Baptiste both found the back of the net, but Rochester couldn't overtake Syracuse in their final meeting of the season.
 
The Crunch are back in action when they host the Hershey Bears on Friday, March 3 at the War Memorial Arena.
 
Syracuse Crunch single game and ticket packages for the 2016-17 season are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch, #WeAreOne and #BLUnited.
 
Crunchables: Erik Condra earned his first professional hat trick tonight… Tonight is Erik Condra's ninth professional multi-goal game…The Crunch are 21-3-2-2 when scoring first.