Game 49: Syracuse Crunch (19-20-8-1) at St. John's IceCaps (20-18-7-3)6 p.m., Mile One Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland
St. John's denied Syracucse a standings jump Tuesday, shutting out the Crunch 4-0 at Mile One Centre and leaving the Crunch three points behind at sixth in the North Division. Syracuse, under .500 for the first time since Oct. 28, is winless in six games (0-5-1-0), a season long. The Crunch can climb back to even Wednesday night when they take on the Caps for the fourth of eight meetings.Broadcast Coverage | Countdown to Crunch Time at 5:45 p.m.Radio: ESPN | 97.7FM & 1200AM Syracuse | 100.1FM & 1440AM Oswego |Â
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AHL Live AppSocial: @SyracuseCrunch for in-game updates and @Dan_DUva for insights from the broadcast booth. | #BelieveInBlueLast time outZachary Fucale, the 20-year-old rookie from Laval, Quebec, stopped all 39 Crunch shots Tuesday at Mile One Centre for his first professional shutout and his 11th win in 28 games. Nikita Scherbak, Michael McCarron, Matt Ellis and Gabriel Dumont provided the goals in a 4-0 St. John's win. Syracuse slips to 1-1-1-0 against the IceCaps.
Syracuse held St. John's to 19 shots, the fewest for a Crunch opponent this year, including a season low two shots in the third. St. John's scored on both, Ellis's insurance marker at 16:54 and a Dumont empty-net goal at 18:58. Sherbak and McCarron scored power-play goals in the first and second, respectively. Bud Holloway collected three assists. Dumont also had three points.
The Crunch power play was scoreless in three chances, as
Kristers Gudlevskis made 15 saves in the loss, dropping to 8-9-4. The 20-shot disparity in favor of the Crunch (39-19) is team's highest of the year. Their previous best was 19 Nov. 20 at St. John's (47-28), a 4-3 overtime loss.
Scouting the IceCapsThree points for Bud Holloway Tuesday pushed his season total to 40 (13g, 27a), tied with Toronto's William Nylander for seventh best in the AHL. Michael McCarron's goal Tuesday give him 14 for the year and 30 points, ninth in the AHL among rookies and most on the IceCaps. All-Star Matt Ellis, with his 11th goal Tuesday, second in the AHL for defensemen, trailing Toronto's T.J. Brennan (19). Ellis's 27 points ranks 11th among blueliners.
Zachary Fucale (11-11-3, 3.14) snapped his three game winless streak Tuesday with his first pro shutout. The 20-year-old netminder compiled 13 shutouts over four seasons in the QMJHL. Eddie Pasquale, an original IceCap with the Jets, is 6-4-3 in 16 AHLÂ games. After five wins in his first nine games, he has one win in his last seven appearances.
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