MIRACLE IN TORONTO: CRUNCH RALLY LATE TO STUN CRUSADERS IN OT; RECLAIM TOP SPOT IN MLIS LEAGUE TABLE

Toronto, ON, CA - The Cleveland Crunch delivered an electrifying performance on the road, rallying from a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Canadian Crusaders 8-7 in a dramatic overtime finish. The victory flips the script from their previous matchup, where the Crusaders handed Cleveland a rare home defeat in a penalty shootout.

Cleveland took control early, building a 2-0 lead behind goals from Mikey Derezic and Ryan Minick. The Crusaders responded with two quick strikes to even the score, but Derezic converted his first penalty kick of the night to restore Cleveland’s lead. Moments later, Bryan Kern extended the advantage to 4-2 with a power-play goal, however, Toronto struck back just before halftime, cutting the Crunch’s lead to one.

The second half saw momentum swing in Toronto’s favor as they scored five unanswered goals, turning a 4-2 Crunch lead into a 7-4 deficit early in the fourth period. With time running out, Cleveland mounted an incredible comeback. Omar Najjar found the back of the net to pull the Crunch within two, and Derezic buried his second penalty kick of the night to make it a one-goal game. Moments later, Najjar struck again, tying the game at 7-7 and forcing overtime. In overtime, Bryan Kern delivered the final blow, scoring the game-winner off an assist from Gabriel Pewu to cap off the stunning victory.

Goalkeeper Liam McIntosh delivered a strong performance in his first start of the season for the Crunch, making 15 saves to help secure the victory. Mikey Derezic led the offensive charge with a standout four-point performance (three goals, one assist), while Ryan Minick, Omar Najjar, Gabriel Pewu, and Bryan Kern each tallied two points, playing pivotal roles in Cleveland’s comeback efforts. Bryan Kern, who netted the game-winning goal in overtime, earned the MetroHealth Man of the Match honors for his clutch performance.

With the win, the Crunch reclaim the top spot in the MLIS standings and will look to build on their momentum when they host the Crusaders in a highly anticipated rematch at the Soccer Sportsplex this Saturday, February 15. To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.theclevelandcrunch.com/tickets.