Crunch set their sights on Senators
The Crunch (24-12-1-2) make their final regular season visit to Yardmen Arena to face the Belleville Senators (16-21-0-3). The Crunch enter with a nine-game winning streak, tied with Manitoba for the second-longest streak in the league this season; the Crunch's 10-game streak Nov. 22-Dec. 15 is the longest. Including earlier this season, Syracuse has won 10 straight games three times in franchise history. 
 
Last time out
Syracuse cruised to a ninth straight win with a second consecutive shutout victory, 3-0, over the Binghamton Devils Monday afternoon at the War Memorial Arena.
 
Neither team scored in a penalty-fill first period that saw the Devils earn the first three power plays, including a 5-on-3, and the Crunch get the next six power plays, also including a 5-on-3. That 5-on-3 Crunch power play carried over into the second period and the Crunch would finally capitalize with a 5-on-4 power-play goal by Mitchell Stephens 1:43 into the period. Stephens took a chip pass from Alex Volkov and rifled home a one-timer for a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, Jonne Tammela scored his first AHL goal by diving to jam in a rebound off a Dominik Masin shot at 7:32. 
 
The Crunch wrapped up the scoring early in the third period. Matthew Peca carried the puck down the left wing and fired a shot on goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made the initial save, but the rebound kicked to Masin at the left circle and he banged it in to make it 3-0 at 1:12 of the third. Louis Domingue faced just 17 shots in the game for his second straight shutout win.
 
Scouting the Crunch
The Crunch are fourth in the league both offensively (3.44 goals per game) and defensively (2.64 goals per game). Their nine-game winning streak has the Crunch (24-12-1-2) at third place in the North Division, fourth in the Eastern Conference and fifth overall in the AHL. 
 
Defenseman Dominik Masin snapped a nine-game scoreless drought with his fifth multi-point game of the season Monday afternoon. He netted a goal and assist to give him a career-high six goals and 16 points. Prior to Monday, his last game with a point was Dec. 22 in Belleville when he also netted two points. He's had a multi-point game in each of the last four games he's registered a point.
 
Rookie forward Jonne Tammela scored his first AHL goal Monday against the Devils in his sixth career game. The Finnish forward, who has been recovering from multiple knee surgeries for over a year, returned to action and made his season debut Friday at Utica. He hadn't played since Nov. 11, 2016 for the Peterborough Petes (OHL). 
 
Connor Ingram returned to the Crunch roster after being loaned from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The rookie goaltender has won six straight decision and nine of his last 10 since Nov. 25. He is 10-5-1 with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.       
 
Nine straight wins
The Crunch have won nine games in a row, their second-longest winning streak of the season. Syracuse won ten games in a row from Nov. 22 to Dec. 15.
 
During the current nine-game winning streak, the Crunch have outscored their opponents 34-14. Three of their four shutouts this season have come in the last nine games. The Crunch have scored at least three goals in every single game during the winning streak.
 
Mitchell Stephens leads the team with 10 points (6g, 4a) during the win streak. He has recorded a point in seven of the nine games; he had logged a point in just nine of his first 29 games played. Twenty skaters have recorded a point for the Crunch during the win streak.
 
Connor Ingram has won six games in the streak for Syracuse. The rookie has a 1.65 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage during the last six games. Louis Domingue has the other three wins for Syracuse. 
 
Scouting the Senators
The Senators are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games and are 16-21-0-3 on the season. Their 0.438 points percentage is sixth in the North Division. Belleville is 10-9-0-0 at Yardmen Arena, with one win in three games against the Crunch.
 
Belleville ranks 28th in the AHL with 2.55 goals per game. Max McCormick leads the Sens offensive efforts with 20 points (5g, 15a) in 38 games. He has one more point than Ethan Werek (9g, 10a) and Jim O'Brien (9g, 10a).
 
Belleville's top goaltender Andrew Hammond is currently on recall with the Colorado Avalanche; Hammond was traded by Ottawa to Colorado Nov. 5, but Hammond remained in Belleville. Among active goalies, Danny Taylor has played in the most games (15). He is 4-9-1 with a 3.65 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage.
 
Special teams
The Crunch power play has connected in four straight games for the third time this season. Their longest run is seven games Oct. 28-Nov. 18. Over the last four games, the Crunch are 4-for-18 (22.2%) and are 20th in the league at 15.8% (29-for-183).
 
Syracuse's penalty kill has been perfect in the last four games (24-for-24) and is 79-for-84 (94.0%) since Dec. 6. The Crunch penalty kill is fifth in the AHL at 86.7%.
 
Belleville's power play ranks 27th in the AHL on the power play with a 13.6% conversion rate (23-for-169). The Sens are slightly better at home with a 14.9% success rate.
 
The Senators penalty kill ranks 29th out of 30 teams in the AHL. They have allowed 41 power-play goals, second most in the league (Laval, 46) and their penalty kill is at 76.6%. They've allowed eight power-play goals against the Crunch in 30 chances this season.
 
Comparing the streaks
The Crunch's current nine-game winning streak trails only their 10-game streak from earlier this season as the longest streaks in the AHL this year.
 
Their 10-game streak, which ran from Nov. 22 to Dec. 15, was powered by a potent offense that put up 47 goals in 10 games (4.70 goals per game). They only allowed 22 goals (2.20 goals against per game), good for a +25 goal differential.
 
Their defense and goaltending have keyed their current streak; Syracuse has allowed just 14 goals in nine games (1.56 goals against per game) with three shutouts. The Crunch have scored 34 goals (3.78 goals per game) for a +20 goal differential.
 
Their power play was 7-for-38 (18.4%) in the first streak, but is 7-for-33 (21.2%) in their current streak. Their penalty kill was at 87.0% (47-for-54) over 10 games and is at 94.9% (37-for-39) in this nine-game run.