7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.
The Syracuse Crunch wrap up their season series with the Hershey Bears with a home-and-home series starting Friday at the War Memorial, needing just one point to clinch a playoff spot. The Crunch have won three of the first four meetings this season with the Bears, but have dropped their last three games. The Bears defeated Providence Saturday, and topped the Crunch in the last meeting, 5-3, in Hershey after Syracuse took the first three matchups.
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@SyracuseCrunch and broadcaster
@Dan_Duva. For post-game recap, visit
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Where They Stand
With their win over the Bruins Saturday, the Bears have won two of their last five and are 4-5-0-1 in their last ten games. Now at 32-26-3-6 overall, 71 points, Hershey is fourth place in the East Division, eighth in the Eastern Conference. They hold a two point cushion over the Norfolk Admirals for the final playoff spot in the conference.
Syracuse is locked in a four-way tie for most points in the Eastern Conference, 87, along with Binghamton, Providence and Springfield. After one point in their last three games, Syracuse is 39-19-4-5, but can clinch a playoff spot with one point against the Bears Friday.
A full breakdown of playoff-clinching scenarios is available at
The AHL Playoff Primer.
Scouting Report
The Bears are led by center Jeff Taffe (18g-44a-62pts), center Casey Wellman (15g-31a-46pts), and right wing Jon DiSalvatore (16g-27a-43pts). Taffe's 62 points are tied for the AHL lead and his 44 assists puts him one behind the league leader. Casey Wellman has 23 points (8g, 15a) in 24 games since being acquired from San Antonio. In goal, Dany Sabourin and Philipp Grubauer have shared time since the end of the lockout, although Grubauer has seen action in seven of the last eight games. Overall he is 11-6-2 in 21 games, with a 2.16 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. He recorded the Bears' lone win against the Crunch.
Mark Barberio leads active Crunch players with four points in four games against Hershey. In net,
Riku Helenius won his only start against the Bears, while
Cedrick Desjardins suffered the loss in his lone appearance vs. Hershey. Syracuse has Desjardins and
Ondrej Palat back in the lineup after stints in the NHL, while
Brett Connolly is now with Tampa Bay, his first call up of 2012-13. Right wing
Eric Neilson scored his first goal (first point) of the season Saturday at Norfolk. The eighth-year pro now has 16 goals in 365 games, seven in 220 AHL games plus nine in 145 ECHL contests.
Last Meeting: March 3
The Crunch dropped the cap to a three-in-three weekend with a 5-3 loss Sunday, Mar. 3 in Hershey. In the first ten minutes, Jon DiSalvatore gave the Bears a 1-0 lead, but former Bear
Kyle Wilson tied the game for Syracuse.
Tyler Johnson scored his league-leading 29th goal to give Syracuse a 2-1 lead with 35 seconds left in the opening frame.
Evan Oberg added his first of the year less than 2:00 into the second to give Syracuse a 3-1 lead, chasing starting netminder Dany Sabourin. From there, Hershey scored four unanswered goals for the win. Jeff Taffe scored the first two to tie the game at three. He also had two assists. Cameron Schilling had the game-winner for the Bears, finishing a sloppy goal after a scrum in front of the net. Syracuse goalie
Cedrick Desjardins allowed five goals on 19 shots in the loss. The Crunch's penalty kill was 3-for-3 in the loss, but the power play was 0-for-2. Syracuse is 3-1-0-0 against Hershey on the season.
