When: Friday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Oncenter War Memorial Arena
Radio: The Score 1260
Watch: AHL Live
 
Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the two teams and the start of a back-to-back set at the War Memorial Arena. Last season, Lake Erie and Syracuse helped kicked off the 75th anniversary celebration of the American Hockey League. The Crunch dropped both games during the home-and-home series. The Monsters won the opening game in Cleveland, 3-2. The next night, Lake Erie spoiled Syracuse's home opener, handing them a 2-1 shootout loss.
 
Crunch At A Glance: The Crunch earned five of a possible six points through their first three games of the season. After going undefeated during their opening weekend, Syracuse lost to the Rochester Americans, 3-2, in a shootout Tuesday in Rochester. Kyle Palmieri continued his hot start, picking up one goal in regulation and adding a shootout goal. Tuesday saw the debut of Finnish netminder Iiro Tarkki, who stopped 24 of 26 shots in the shootout loss. Last season, it took the Crunch six games to record five points.
 
Palmieri and Nick Bonino lead the Crunch's early season offensive success. Palmieri, the AHL's reigning Player of the Week, has seven points through three games. He's averaging 2.33 points per game. Bonino's five assists lead all Crunch skaters. Goalie Jeff Deslauriers enters the game with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
 
Crunch Leaders
 
Goals: Kyle Palmieri - 5
Assists: Nick Bonino - 5
Points: Kyle Palmieri - 7
Plus/Minus: Kyle Palmieri - +6, Nick Bonino - +6
PIM: Matt Kennedy - 11
Wins: Jeff Deslauriers - 2
GAA: Iiro Tarkki – 1.85
SV%: Iiro Tarkki - .923
 
Recent Crunch Transactions
10/18/2011 Nate Guenin (D) Syracuse ADD Loaned from Anaheim (NHL)
10/18/2011 Patrick Maroon (LW) Syracuse ADD Returned on loan from Anaheim (NHL)
10/16/2011 Kurtis Foster (D) Syracuse DEL Recalled from loan by Anaheim (NHL)
10/16/2011 Patrick Maroon (LW) Syracuse DEL Recalled from loan by Anaheim (NHL)
10/13/2011 Kurtis Foster (D) Syracuse ADD Conditioning loan from Anaheim (NHL)
 
 
Monsters At a Glance: Lake Erie, a playoff team last season, is one of three remaining winless teams in the league. They've scored just five goals in their first five games, and the team has a collective minus-26 rating. Former Crunch defenseman Jake Newton, traded to the Colorado Avalanche earlier this month, has played in two games, recording no points. Also returning to the War Memorial is former Crunch defenseman Dave Liffiton and left wing Greg Mauldin, who leads all skaters with two goals.
 
Monsters Leaders
 
Goals: Greg Mauldin - 2
Assists: Stefan Elliott - 2
Points: 4 tied with 2
Plus/Minus: 4 tied with +1
PIM: 3 tied with 15
Wins: N/A
GAA: Trevor Cann – 2.57
SV%: Trevor Cann - .852
 
 
Recent Monsters Transactions
10/18/2011 Adrian Foster (C) Lake Erie ADD Signed to SPC
10/18/2011 Mike Kompon (C) Lake Erie ADD Signed to PTO
10/17/2011 Billy Ryan (C) Lake Erie DEL Released from PTO
10/17/2011 Scott Langdon (C) Lake Erie DEL Loaned to Allen (CHL)
10/15/2011 Jonas Holos (D) Lake Erie DEL Reassigned by Colorado (NHL) to Vaxjo (SEL)