Craig scores two goals but Admirals fall apart late

SYRACUSE, N.Y.

The Norfolk Admirals allowed two third-period goals and lost 5-4 to the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

Ryan Craig scored two goals to help the Admirals (1-4-0-0) to a 4-3 third-period lead before Syracuse (2-3-0-0) rallied.

The Crunch and Admirals each scored on their first shots of the game. Syracuse took a 1-0 lead 48 second in when Stefan Legein scored past Norfolk netminder Dustin Tokarski.

Norfolk tied the game just over two minutes later when Mark Parrish poked in a shot past the right leg of Dan LaCosta at 2:49 for his first goal as an Admiral.

The Admirals took a 2-1 lead with their first power play goal of the season less than four minutes later when Craig chipped a shot up and over LaCosta at 6:45.

After Syracuse knotted the score at 2 on Tom Sestito's goal at 10:36, the Admirals re-claimed the lead less than three minutes later on Paul Szczechura's first goal of the season. Norfolk made it 4-2 on Craig's second goal 5:16 into the second period.

Syracuse made it 4-3 at

16:04 of the middle period, then took control early in the final period. Alexandre Picard made it 4-4 at

4:29, and Jared Aulin scored at

6:17 for a 5-4 Syracuse lead.

The Admirals will conclude their road trip at 7 tonight at Bridgeport.