Game 74: Syracuse Crunch (41-23-9-0) at Albany Devils (34-28-5-6)
7 p.m., Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.

Syracuse plays its final regular season road game Wednesday in Albany. The Crunch have already secured a playoff spot, but the Devils have not. Albany is four points shy of the Eastern Conference's eighth seed with three games left. The Devils visit Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Friday and host Hartford Saturday. Syracuse hosts Adirondack Friday and Bridgeport Saturday.

Broadcast Coverage | Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio | 97.7 FM, 1200 AM Syracuse | 100.1 FM, 1440 AM Oswego | Listen Live | 
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Witkowski returns to Crunch
Defenseman Luke Witkowski is expected to play for Syracuse Wednesday, having been reassigned to the Crunch by the Lightning Tuesday. In 16 NHL games, Witkowski has zero points, an even plus-minus and 15 penalty minutes. In 47 games with the Crunch, he has eight points (2g, 6a), a plus-6 and 91 penalty minutes.He last played for Syracuse March 28 vs. Rochester. Syracuse is 1--1-0 since then.

Standings watch
Syracuse is tied with Hartford with 91 points, but the Wolf Pack hold the Northeast Division lead because they have 39 non-shootout wins. Syracuse has 38. If Syracuse and Hartford finish with the same points total and non-shootout win total, the Crunch would claim the division title. Syracuse leads the season series 12 points (5-1-2-0) to six (3-5-0-0). Syracuse can finish as high as second or as low as seventh.

The Devils are one of four teams hunting for the Eastern Conference's final two playoff spots. Albany is the longshot, needing to jump three teams while making up a four-point hole. Worcester has 86 points, Portland has 83 and the tiebreaker over Springfield and its 83 points, and Albany has 79. 

Scouting the Devils
Paul Thompson and Joe Whitney are tied with 53 points to lead the Devils offensively this season with inverse goal-assist totals. Thompson leads the team with 33 goals, while Whitney leads the Devils with 33 assists. Thompson leads the Devils against Syracuse with four points in seven games.

Scott Wedgewood has started all seven contests against Syracuse this season, losing six and being replaced by Maxime Clermont in the other. Clermont led the Devils back to win their only game against the Crunch this season, a 7-6 Albany victory on Feb. 27. Wedgewood has played in 36 games for the Devils, posting a 13-14-6 record with a 2.74 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. Scott Clemmensen has started 24 games with Albany this season, none against the Crunch, and boasts a 9-11-2 record with a 2.35 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Last time out
Utica captured the season series with Syracuse thanks to a 2-1 win Sunday at the Aud. Kevin Lynch provided Syracuse with a 1-0 lead in the first, but two Comets power-play goals in the second were the difference. Brayden Point notched his first pro assist on Lynch's goal. Hunter Shinkaruk and Cory Conacher did the scoring for Utica. Cal O'Reilly assisted on both goals to extend his league led on power-play assists, 22.

The Comets helped goalie Jacob Markstrom by limiting Syracuse to six shots in the first, six in the second and nine in the third. Syracuse's 21 total shots is the team's fewest since Feb. 14 at Norfolk.  Kristers Gudlevskis made 24 saves for the Crunch, but suffered his first loss vs. Utica in three matchups.