Game 61: Syracuse Crunch (30-20-5-5) vs. St. John's IceCaps (28-25-7-1)
7 p.m. March 8, 2017, War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

The Syracuse Crunch (30-22-5-5) conclude their three-game homestand with a rematch against the St. John's IceCaps (28-25-7-1) at the War Memorial Saturday. Division-leading Syracuse beat fifth-place St. John's Wednesday 4-2. Syracuse leads the eight-game season series with a 4-1-1-1 record.
 

---

Broadcast Coverage | Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio: ESPN 97.7 FM & 1200 AM Syracuse | 100.1 FM & 1440 AM Oswego | Listen | 
Mobile: Free audio on your mobile device with the TuneIn App 
Streaming Video: Pay-to-watch on AHL LIve.com and mobile devices via AHL Live App
Social: @SyracuseCrunch for in-game updates and @Dan_DUva for insights from the broadcast booth.

---

Last Time out
Byron Froese notched two points (1g, 1a) in his Syracuse debut, but Anthony Greco scored two third period goals for Springfield and the Thunderbirds downed the Crunch 3-2 Friday at the War Memorial.

The Crunch were down 1-0 after the opening period, but Tye McGinn evened the score with a rebound goal at 4:13 of the second period. McGinn has three goals and four points in five games since returning from injury. Froese and Ben Thomas assisted on the goal.  

Syracuse pushed ahead 45 seconds into the third period when Byron Froese delivered a power-play score. Cory Conacher and Matt Taormina set it up. "[Taormina] feathered it right into my wheelhouse," said Froese Friday.

Greco tied the game at 10:04 of the third, his eighth. He provided the go-ahead goal at 18:15 on a rush with Paul Thompson. Despite a Crunch 6-on-4 power play in the final minute, Syracuse could find the equalizer.

Dylan Blujus returned to the lineup after missing the last 42 games with injury. Dominik Masin  sat out Friday for the first time since Dec. 10 because of an injury Wednesday.



Scouting the Crunch
Byron Froese has four points in his last two games—separated by a month and a trade. He had two points (1g, 1a) Feb. 17 in his last game with Toronto. He had two points (1g, 1a) Friday in his Crunch debut. He missed three weeks with injury, but has a six-game home goal-scoring streak, the longest in the AHL this year. He has 15 points (8g, 7a) in his last eight games.

Froese ranks third among AHL goalscorers with 25. Froese has already set a career-high in goals, but is now a point away from matching his career-high in points set in 2014-15 as a member of the Toronto Marlies (42). 

Cory Conacher is on a four-game scoring streak with two goals and eight points in that span. His 52 points are tied for second in the AHL. His 38 assists are also tied for second in the league and three short of his career-high 41 set during his MVP season of 2011-12.

The Crunch allowed the first goal Friday for the 30th time in 60 games. The last 17 times Syracuse has allowed the first goal the team is 1-11-3-2. 

When the Crunch score first they are 23-3-2-2 (.833). They have at least one point the last 12 times scoring first at 10-0-2-0. 

Friday was the second regulation loss for Syracuse when tied after two periods (7-2-2-2).

Scouting the IceCaps
Chris Terry leads the IceCaps in scoring at 52 points (22g, 30a) tied with Cory Conacher and two others for second in the AHL. He has five points (3g, 2a) in three meetings against the Crunch this season. 

Max Friberg has seven points (2g, 5a) in seven meetings with Syracuse this season. Friberg scored the first of two goals for St. John's in their 4-2 loss Wednesday. The captain is fourth on the IceCaps at 25 points (10g, 15a). 

Special Teams
Against the IceCaps, Syracuse's power play is 12-for-38 (31.6 percent), including two games with three-goal performances Dec. 31 and Wednesday. After Wednesday's 3-for-7 showing, the Crunch were 1-for-4 Friday. For the season, Syracuse is 45-for-282 or 16.0 percent and 20th in the American Hockey League.

The Crunch have allowed two more power-play goals than they've generated. Opponents are 47-for-267 on the power play, leaving Syracuse with a 13th-ranked penalty kill (82.4 percent). Syracuse 's kill is 9-for-9 this week.

The IceCaps power play was 0-for-4 against Syracuse Wednesday but was 4-for-12 over two games when Syracuse visited St. John's Feb. 18 and 19. They were 0-for-2 Friday in a win at Rochester and are 43-for-237 on the year, 18.1 percent, or 12th in the league.

St. John's stopped each of three Rochester power plays Friday, improving 78.6 percent on the penalty kill. The IceCaps rank 27th in the AHL surrendering 55 goals in 257 times shorthanded.

The Crunch are second in the league with 10 shorthanded goals, but 23rd with nine against. St. John's has scored five and allowed four.

Lightning Flash
Matthew Peca was recalled by Tampa Bay today following injuries to three Lightning centers. Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette all left Thursday's game with lower-body injuries. All three are considered day-to-day. 

Peca, 23, has 30 points (8g, 22a) in 53 Crunch games plus two points (1g, 1a) in nine games with Tampa Bay. He made his NHL debut Dec. 28 and scored his first goal Jan. 3.

The Bolts won Thursday 4-1 against Minnesota to extend their point streak to three games. The Lightning moved within four points of a playoff spot with 16 games to play.

Yanni Gourde skated in his sixth career NHL game Thursday, logging a career high in time on ice (16:35) and provided an assist on Nikita Kucherov's empty net goal to seal the victory. Kucherov has 30 goals (tied for seventh in the NHL) and 66 points (10th in the league).

The Lightning are in action Saturday at Amalie Arena against Florida to kick-off a crucial stretch of three games in four days. Tampa Bay visits the Rangers Monday and the Senators Tuesday. 

Up Next
After Saturday's game, Syracuse is off until traveling to Allentown, Pa. The Crunch take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Syracuse visits Utica Friday and hosts Albany Saturday at 7 p.m.