Crunch go for perfect homestand
Syracuse (43-19-3-4) hosts Charlotte (39-26-1-3) in the final game of its six-game homestand tonight at the War Memorial Arena. The Crunch have won the first five games, and have won seven straight overall, the team's third winning streak of seven or more games this season. The Crunch are 2-1-0-0 against the Checkers this season, including a 5-3 win at the War Memorial Nov. 11.
 
Last time out
The Crunch rolled past the Belleville Senators, 4-1, last night to extend their win streak to seven straight games. 
The Senators scored first just over three minutes into the game, when Boston Leier stuffed home his second of the season from an odd angle at the goal line. The Crunch responded quickly just two minutes later on a tic-tac-toe pass play that resulted in Alexander Volkov scoring on a backhand shot.
 
Volkov struck again in the second, with a laser from the high slot for a 2-1 lead. Syracuse extended its lead to two early in the third period. Mathieu Joseph picked up a loose puck off the draw and fired a wrist shot home from the high slot. Later in the game, Alexey Lipanov threaded the needle to set up Kevin Lynch for a one timer from the left circle to cap the scoring for Syracuse.
 
Crunch goaltender Eddie Pasquale turned aside 27 of 28 shots between the pipes, including a penalty shot attempt for Nick Paul in the victory, improving to 8-1-2 in 12 games with the Crunch. 
 
Scouting the Crunch
The Crunch are on a seven-game winning streak and they've picked up a point in nine straight games (8-0-0-1). Syracuse has had two 10-game point streaks this season: Nov. 22-Dec. 15 and Dec. 27-Jan. 17. They have a point in 20 of the last 22 games (16-2-1-2) since Feb. 9. The Crunch's six-game home winning streak is tied for their longest this season (Nov. 11-Dec. 15).
 
Mathieu Joseph notched a goal and assist last night for his third multi-point game in the last five games; he leads the Crunch with 12 multi-point games. The rookie has 18 points (6g, 12a) in his previous 13 games. Joseph is tied for third among AHL scorers in March with 15 points (5g, 10a) in 11 games. His two points moved him past Kyle Palmieri and Derrick Brassard into sixth place in franchise history for points by a rookie in a single season with 52 (15g, 37a).
 
Gabriel Dumont also has 15 points (3g, 12a) in March. He has a point in 12 of 16 games since joining the Crunch Feb. 21. Last night was Dumont's sixth multi-point performance in those 12 games and moves him to 20 points (4g, 16a) in 16 games, good for 1.25 points per game.
 
The Crunch have limited opponents to nine goals during their seven-game winning streak. Connor Ingram, who turns 21 today, has won seven straight starts since his win in Charlotte Feb. 18. The rookie has not allowed more than two goals in any game during his win streak, totaling a 1.15 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage, both of which rank first in the AHL among qualified goalies in that time. In 32 appearances this season, Ingram has a 2.32 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. His 19 wins rank third among rookies in franchise history.
 
Hitting 20
Alexander Volkov became the first Crunch player this season to hit 20 goals with a pair of tallies last night. He is the 10th Crunch rookie in franchise history to reach 20 goals in a single season. He is the first rookie to reach that mark since Cedric Paquette scored 20 in 2013-14.
 
Volkov, 20, is currently tied for seventh among Crunch rookies in franchise history with 21 goals. The rookie goal record for the Crunch is 30 goals by Geoff Platt in 2005-06 and Lonny Bohonos in 1994-95.
 
Volkov is the third Crunch rookie this season to reach 40 points, joining Mathieu Joseph and Mitchell Stephens.      
Scouting the Checkers
Charlotte enters tonight's game with a 39-26-1-3 record and a .594 points percentage, good for fourth place in the Atlantic Division. The Checkers fell to the Americans, 4-3, last night in overtime, but have points in each of the first three games of their current four-game road trip. They have an eight point lead over Bridgeport for the final Atlantic Division playoff spot and their magic number to clinch a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs is at eight. 
 
Trevor Carrick scored a goal and added an assist in the Checkers' loss to the Amerks last night. In three games against the Crunch, Carrick leads Charlotte with four points (1g, 3a). He leads Charlotte's defensemen with 37 points (8g, 29a), ranking seventh among AHL blueliners.
 
Lucas Wallmark, who has played 43 games for the Checkers this year, is tied for second (Andrew Miller) on the team with 51 points (16g, 35a). His 1.19 points per game ranks 10th in the league, but is tops among AHL regulars this season. 
 
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has appeared in 49 games for Charlotte this year, nearly twice as many as any other goaltender. In those games, he's posted a 2.55 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. He is the only goaltender this season to shut out the Crunch, denying 23 shots in his only start against the Crunch Feb. 17. Jeremy Smith started the lone game in Syracuse, allowing five goals in a loss. On the season, Smith's goals-against average is 2.91 with an .898 save percentage.
 
Special teams
The Crunch didn't convert on three power-play opportunities last night against Belleville. The Crunch are 7-for-32 (21.9%) during their seven-game winning streak. On the season, they have cashed in 48 times in 308 opportunities (15.6%), which sits 24th among AHL teams. In three meetings against Charlotte, Syracuse has scored twice with the man advantage in 10 power-play opportunities (20.0%). 
 
The Checkers power play ranks fourth in the AHL at 20.4%. They are one of four teams converting over 20% and their 62 power-play goals lead the league, one ahead of Manitoba.
 
Syracuse was perfect on the penalty kill again last night, killing off all five infractions. In their last three games, the Crunch have not allowed an opposing power-play goal, killing 16 penalties in the process. Their penalty kill is sixth in the league at 84.6%.
 
Charlotte has allowed a power-play goal in its last two games and a total of 54 in 280 man-down opportunities (80.7%) this season. Their percentage ranks 25th in the AHL.