Game 23: Syracuse Crunch (10-9-2-1) at Albany Devils (15-4-3-0)
7 p.m., Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.
The Crunch continue their run of six games in nine days with another match against the Devils in Albany. The A-Devils have outscored the Crunch 7-1 in two meetings this year and rank third in the Eastern Conference. The Crunch slipped to fifh in the division and eighth on the conference with a 6-2 loss Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre.
Broadcast Coverage | Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio: ESPN | 97.7FM & 1200AM Syracuse | 100.1FM & 1440AM Oswego |
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Vasilevskiy tending to Crunch net
Second-year goalie
Andrei Vasilevskiy is back with the Crunch for the second time this year, swapping roster spots with
Kristers Gudlevskis Thursday. Vasilevskiy has been with Tampa Bay since Nov. 1, appearing in seven games (2-4-0, 2.76) but but losing four consecutive starts. The 6-foot-3 netminder won his first two games with the Lighting, Nov. 1 at Carolina and Nov. 5 at Buffalo, following a conditioning assignment with Syracuse.
Making his season debut in a Crunch uniform Oct. 28 in Toronto, Vaslilevskiy made 29 save in a 3-1 Crunch win. He stopped 27 Hershey shots two days later, a 4-1 Crunch win. In his Crunch career Vasilevskiy is 16-6-5 with a 2.24 goals-against average. In the NHL, he's 9-9-1 with a 2.47 goals-against average.
Last Time Out
The Penguins three times in the first and three more times in the third in a 6-2 win Wednesday vs. Syracuse. The Crunch skid became three games as the Penguins snapped a three-game losing streak.
Jeff Tambellini and
Yanni Gourde provided the Crunch goals. Tambellini potted his team-leading ninth of the year in the second, his second power-play goal, with assists from
Tanner Richard and
Matt Taormina. Gourde smacked a puck out of the air and behind goalie Matt Murray with 29 seconds left for his fifth.
Philippe Paradis and
Luke Witkowski assisted.
The Crunch penalty kill was 5-for-5 and its power play was 1-for-4. The six goals surrendered by
Kristers Gudlevskis are the most allowed in a game by Syracuse this year. For W-B/Scranton,
Murray made 30 saves and Dominik Simon scored twice.
Scouting the Devils
The Devils, riding a franchise-record six-game win streak, have not played since their 4-0 win against the Crunch Sunday. With 11 wins in 13 games, New Jersey's AHL affiliate has surged to second in the North Division and third in the Eastern Conference (.750). The Devils own the AHL's top power play (28.3%) and penalty kill (91.7%).
Yann Danis leads the AHL in wins (14), minutes (1151:30) and shutouts (4). His 1.67 goals-against average ranks second. Mike Sislo, who has five assists in two games vs. Syracuse, leads Albany at 22 points (13g, 9a), fifth in the AHL. His league-leading ninth power-play goal Saturday broke a franchise record for career power-play scores, 28.
Rookie Joseph Blandisi, eighth in rookie scoring (7g, 9a), was recalled by New Jersey Thursday after a goal vs. Syracuse Sunday.
