When: Sunday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Giant Center
Radio: The Score 1260
Watch: AHL Live
 
Season Series: This is the first of six meetings between the two East Division rivals. Last year, the Crunch went 3-2-1-0 against the Bears. Syracuse won all three meetings against the Bears at Giant Center last season, outscoring Hershey, 13-5. Patrick Maroon (6 points), Kyle Palmieri (4) and Nicolas Deschamps (4) led the attack last season for the Crunch against the Bears. Of the returning Bears from the 2010-11 season, Kyle Greentree led the way offensively against the Crunch with five points (4g, 1a).
 
Crunch At A Glance: The Crunch recorded points in their first five games this season, with a 3-2 overtime loss to Lake Erie on Saturday. Kyle Palmieri continued his hot streak, scoring a goal in the loss to extend his point and goal streak to five games. Palmieri leads the league in goals with eight coming into this evening's contest.
 
Syracuse experienced several firsts last night, and many weren't good. The team dropped its first overtime game of the season and lost their second game when tied after two periods. Nick Bonino had his streak of assists in a game stopped at three games. Iiro Tarkki also failed to win his first professional game in his second start of the season.
 
Crunch Leaders
Goals: Kyle Palmieri - 8
Assists: Nick Bonino - 8
Points: Kyle Palmieri - 10
Plus/Minus: Kyle Palmieri - +7
PIM: Patrick Maroon - 13
Wins: Jeff Deslauriers - 3
GAA: Iiro Tarkki - 2.34
Save %: Iiro Tarkki - .917
 
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)
 
 
Bears At a Glance: Hershey, a playoff team last season, sits atop the division with nine points in six games. Keith Aucoin, who picked up three points against the Crunch last season, returns after capturing the AHL MVP award in 2009-10. Chris Bourque ranks fifth in the league in points with 10. Goaltender Braden Holtby has begun the season with four wins, a 3.01 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage.
 
Bears Leaders:
Goals: Chris Bourque - 4
Assists: Keith Aucoin – 7
Points: Chris Bourque - 10
Plus/Minus: Sean Collins and Matthew Ford - +3
PIM: Brett Flemming - 21
Wins: Braden Holtby - 4
GAA: Braden Holtby - 3.01
Save %: 0.891
 
Recent Bears Transactions
10/23/2011 - Phillip Grubauer (G) Hershey DEL Reassigned by Washington (NHL) to South Carolina (ECHL)
10/18/2011 - Dany Sabourin (G) Hershey DEL Recalled by Washington (NHL)
10/17/2011 - Dany Sabourin (G) Hershey ADD Returned on loan by Washington (NHL)
10/17/2011 - Garret Mitchell (RW) Hershey ADD Reassigned by Washington (NHL) to South Carolina (ECHL)
10/17/2011 - Maxime Lacroix (LW) Hershey ADD Recalled on loan from South Carolina (ECHL)