Game 51: Syracuse Crunch (18-23-4-5) vs. Hershey Bears (29-16-3-3)
7 p.m., Giant Center, Hershey, Pa.
The Syracuse Crunch and Hershey Bears begin a two-game series Saturday at Giant Center in Hershey; they meet again Sunday at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. While the Bears rested Friday, Syracuse suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to Utica, the Crunch's fifth straight game without a win. The Bears have won five straight and now hold the Eastern Conference's fourth-place standing while the Crunch are 14th.
Broadcast Coverage
Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio 97.7 FM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM, Oswego |Â
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Press Clips
1. Post-Standard:Â
DeFazio's overtime goal carries Utica to 2-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch
2. Post-Standard:Â
Syracuse Crunch-Utica Comets game Friday at the War Memorial begs for more of the same
3. The Patriot-News:Â
Hershey Bears-Syracuse Crunch scouting report
Last time out
A sellout crowd of 6.293 watched the Crunch and Comets play at the War Memorial for the first time Friday. Utica prevailed in overtime, 2-1, and leads the season series two games to one and five points to three.
P.C. Labrie's second goal of the season and first point since Jan. 3 in Toronto gave Syracuse a first-period lead. Phil Paradis and
Mike Angelidis provided assists on the even-strength goal. Angelidis led the Crunch with five shots on goal including three standout scoring chances. One wraparound attempt appeared to slide under Comets goalie Joacim Eriksson but video replay evidenced no score.Â
In the second Nicklas Jensen tied the game with his 13th goal, a power-play marker assisted by Cal O'Reilly and former Crunch center Pascal Pelletier. The puck deflected in off Syracuse players attempting to aid
Cedrick Desjardins defend his crease.
Desjardins finished with 34 saves on 36 shots, one short of his season high. He could not make a 35th when four minutes into overtime Cal O'Reilly's whirl-around shot went right to a circling Brandon DeFazio at the side of the net. DeFazio's ninth goal of the year was the game winner.
Syracuse had 11 shots in the first period but only 15 more in the last 44 minutes and went 0-for-3 on the power play. Syracuse is 0-4 in overtime and 2-9 in games decided beyond regulation (2-5 in shootouts).
Scouting the Bears
Since losing in Syracuse, 3-2, Jan. 17 Hershey has won 12 of 14 games, jumping seven spots in the standings from 11th to 4th. Meanwhile Syracuse has sunk from 10th to 14th.  Since the start of 2014, Hershey is 16-4-1-0 in 21 games, and 2-1-0-0 against the Crunch.
The Bears and Crunch have met five times already this season, with Hershey winning three and the Crunch two. The Bears' 19 home wins are tied for the most in the AHL, while only two teams in the Eastern Conference have fewer than their 10 road wins.
Brandon Segal paces the Bears with 38 points (14g, 24a) in 46 games. He's followed by Jeff Taffe's 34 points (14g, 20a) and Ryan Stoa's 29 (10g, 19a). Meanwhile, Dane Byers is on a five-game scoring streak entering the week (3g, 4a) and Michael Latta is on a four-game scoring streak with five points (1g, 4a).
David Leggio has played the majority of the games between the pipes this season, but Philipp Grubauer has played in eight of the last 12 games since being reassigned from the Washington Capitals. Leggio is 15-13-2 in 30 games, along with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. Grubauer is 11-5-1 in 17 games, with a 2.31 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. He's won his last five starts and seven of eight since returning to Hershey.
For the Crunch,
Cedric Paquette has five points (1g, 4a) in five games against the Bears, leading the Crunch in the season series.
