Game 26:Â Syracuse Crunch (12-10-1-2) at Hershey Bears (10-9-2-3)
7 p.m., Giant Center, Hershey, Pa.
The Crunch have played 12 games versus East Division opponents (4-6-1-1) but have yet to face rival Hershey. That changes Wednesday night as the Bears, affiliate of the Washington Capitals, host the Crunch for the first game of eight meetings this season. Hershey has played 14 division contests (6-5-1-2) including six with Binghamton (2-3-0-1).
Syracuse (12-10-1-2) is two points better than Hershey (10-9-2-3) in the standings, with the Crunch fourth in the division and ninth in the conference; Hershey is fifth and 11th, respectively. Both teams are coming off victories in decidedly different fashion. The Crunch snapped a four-game skid with a 1-0 win over Rochester Saturday while the Bears drubbed Binghamton 7-4.Â
Broadcast Coverage
Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio:Â ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego |Â
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Mobile:Â Free audio on your mobile device with theÂ
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Streaming:Â Pay-to-watch video onÂ
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Who's in the lineup?
Syracuse signed former Hershey Bear
Jon DiSalvatore to a one-year contact earlier this week, but the winger will not be with the Crunch in Hershey. The 32 year old from Bangor, Maine, who's played 746 AHL games, began this year in Germany. A Providence College alum, DiSalvatore has averaged 22 goals per season and was the Houston Aeros' leading scorer and captain in 2011-12 when the club lost in the Calder Cup Finals.
Evan Rankin, who's missed nine games since suffering an injury in Montreal Nov. 22, is slated to return tonight for Syracuse. The Notre Dame alum appeared in each of Syracuse's first 16 games, recording five goals and two assists.
Defenseman
Matt Taormina and forward
Dana Tyrell were assigned to Syracuse from Tampa Bay Wednesday are not expected to be available for the game in Hershey.
Forwards Ray Kauniston and
Carl Nielsen were sent back to their respective ECHL teams earlier this week.Â
Last time out
Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 27 Rochester shots as the Crunch beat the Amerks 1-0 in the Tired Teddy Toss game Saturday. The win snapped the Crunch's four-game losing streak.
Brett Connolly scored the lone goal of the game with under six minutes to play in the first period. From the slot, he redirected a
Dmitry Korobov drive past Amerks goaltender Nathan Lieuwen to give the Crunch a 1-0 lead. That came a few minutes after
Artem Sergeev hit the post, crossbar, and other post without the puck crossing the goal line. Despite that, a Tired Teddy Toss celebration commenced, although the game remained scoreless until Connolly's marker.
Gudlevskis made several keys saves to earn the shutout, including a stop on Johan Larsson's shorthanded breakaway in the waning minutes of the first period. He made 12 of his 27 saves in the third period. Its his second shutout in his AHL career. Syracuse was charged only two minor penalties on the night, including one at the 20-minute mark of the third, there smallest home total. The Amerks fifth-ranked power play could not convert on its lone chance.. Â Â
Scouting the Bears
The Bears took four out of six points last week with a pair of victories over Binghamton sandwiched around a loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. They scored 14 goals in the span of three games. By contrast, Syracuse has scored 14 goals over its last nine games.
Jeff Taffe (7g, 7a) and Peter Leblanc (6g, 8a) lead the Bears with 14 points in 24 games. Casey Wellman is tied for the team lead in goals (7) and has 13 points in 23 games this season (7g, 6a).
David Leggio has appeared in 14 games for the Bears with a record of 5-7-2. The former Amerk has a 3.03 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Brandon Anderson will be Leggio's backup Wednesday. The 21-year-old netminder is 4-4-1 with the ECHL's Reading Roayals.
Goaltender Michael Neuvirth is back with Washington after a conditioning assignment in Hershey. He played Saturday against Binghamton, his first AHL game since the 2010 Calder Cup. The Czech Republic native allowed four goals on 37 shots. Neuvirth had a 2-3-1 record with a 2.83 GAA and a .912 save percentage in seven games in Washington this season.Â
When they last met: Apr. 6, Syracuse win season series with Bears
The Crunch beat the Bears 2-1 at Giant Center Apr. 6, 2013, after suffering a 4-1 loss to Hershey the night before in Syracuse. The Crunch took the six-game season series from the Bears, 4-2, with goalieÂ
Philipp Grubauer earning both Hershey wins. Jeff Taffe led the Bears with seven points (3g, 4a) in six games vs. Syracuse.
Tyler Johnson potted five goals vs. the Bears for Syracuse, while
Cory Conacher and
Richard Panik had a goal and four assists each.
Dustin Tokarski and
Riku Helenius had two wins each vs. Hershey while
Cedrick Desjardins' only win in three starts vs. Hershey came in a Hamilton Bulldogs uniform.
Special Teams
Syracuse dropped to 17th in the AHL's power play standings (16.5%) after an 0-for-7 showing Saturday vs. Rochester. The Crunch PP unit hasn't scored since a 1-0 win at Adirondack Nov. 30. Since
Cedric Paquette's game-winning power-play goal in the third period, Syracuse is scoreless in its last 22 man-up chances. In the same period of time, they've allowed five power-play goals. However, they've stifled opposing power plays the last two games (5-for-5) and are 18th overall. Syracuse's road penalty kill is best in the AHL (90.9%) despite allowing its fourth and fifth power-play goals last Tuesday in St. John's.
The Bears are enduring similar struggles on special teams, producing only 20 power-play goals, the same as Syracuse but with 10 more chances. At 15.3% Hershey is 22nd in the AHL. Of Jeff Taffe's team-leading 24 points, eight are on the power play (5g, 3a), most on the team. The Bears penalty kill ranks 17th in the league overall (81.7%) but is stronger at home at 12th in the league (
84.4%).
