ROCKET RETURN FOR REMATCH WITH CRUNCH
 
The Crunch (11-9-2-0) continue their three-game homestand to kick off December with a matchup against the Laval Rocket (13-9-3-0).
 
Tonight's game is a rematch against the Rocket who defeated the Crunch, 4-2, last Friday at the War Memorial Arena to take the first tilt of the six-game series. Syracuse sits five points behind Laval in the North Division standings, but the Crunch have played three fewer games.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch fell to Charlotte, 5-1, Wednesday night at the War Memorial Arena.
 
The Checkers scored twice in the opening 12 minutes. Down 2-0, Syracuse cut the deficit in half after Ross Colton punched a rebound in off a Cameron Gaunce shot. After that goal, the Checkers' offense broke out, scoring three more times—two of which came in the second period—on the way to a victory. One of those markers came on the power play. Offensively, the Crunch went 0-for-3 on the man advantage. Spencer Martin played all 60 minutes in goal for Syracuse, making 29 saves.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH 
 
Wednesday's loss dropped the Crunch to 11-9-2-0 on the season. With 24 points the Crunch rank sixth in the North Division. Syracuse has lost two straight games at the War Memorial Arena, which includes a 4-2 loss to the Rocket last Friday. The Crunch have not lost three straight home games since losing their first three at home to begin last season between Oct. 13 and Oct. 27.
 
Ross Colton scored the lone goal for the Crunch against the Checkers. It was the 23-year-old forward's third goal of the season and his second marker in the past five games; Colton has also logged four points in that five-game span (2g, 2a). In his second AHL season, the New Jersey native has picked up 13 points through 22 games (3g, 10a); as a rookie last season, he had seven points and one goal in the first week of December.
 
Cameron Gaunce picked up his team-leading 14th assist on Colton's goal, which is good for sixth in the AHL. Through 21 games, the veteran defenseman has picked up 15 points (1g, 14a), which puts him in a second-place tie with forward Chris Mueller. He has 197 career assists in the AHL.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCKET 
 
Following a six-game unbeaten streak between Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, the Rocket have won just four of their last 10 games. Laval returns to Syracuse in third place in the North Division with Utica and Belleville in hot pursuit; both teams remain two points back of Laval with three games in hand.
 
Quebec native Alex Belzile returned to the Rocket lineup on Wednesday night following a five-game absence due to injury. The 28-year-old center tallied a power-play goal and assist in Laval's 3-2 win over Cleveland. His 14 points (7g, 7a) tie him with Riley Barber (5g, 9a) and Lukas Vejdemo (7g, 7a) for the team scoring lead.
 
With 14 points in 19 games, Barber produces more points per game than any other Rocket skater (0.74). The American winger is riding a three-game point streak coming into tonight's faceoff, which started when he scored Laval's second goal in its 4-2 victory against Syracuse last Friday night. Barber posted a career year with the Hershey Bears last season, totaling 60 points in 64 games, or 0.94 points per game.
 
Charlie Lindgren saved 26-of-28 Crunch shots in Laval's victory last Friday night, and he followed that performance up with another 26-save win against the Cleveland Monsters Wednesday night. Sporting a 6-5-2 record on the year, Lindgren's current two-game win streak marks just his second winning streak of the season. Rookie Cayden Primeau was recalled to the Montreal Canadiens earlier this week and made his NHL debut against the Colorado Avalanche last night. Veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid cleared waivers and joined the Rocket after going 1-1-3 in six appearances with the Canadiens this season. Kinkaid's last AHL appearance came Dec. 12, 2014 with the Albany Devils in a 1-0 loss.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS 
 
The Crunch's power play has connected on just one of their last 20 opportunities across the past four games. This cold streak has dropped Syracuse to 18.3%, fifth in the North Division and 15th in the AHL. Alex Barré-Boulet has scored five times on the power play for the Crunch and teammate Chris Mueller has added three man-up goals.
 
Meanwhile, the Rocket, after registering five power-play markers on 12 opportunities in their past two games, have raised their conversion rate to 20.6%, good for eighth in the league. Charles Hudon paces Laval with five power-play goals, while Xavier Ouellet and Michael McCarron have chimed in with three man-advantage tallies.
 
Despite the Checkers notching two power-play goals on Wednesday, Syracuse's penalty kill leads the North Division at 86.5%, which ranks fifth in the AHL. Laval kills off penalties successfully 83.8% of the time, 11th in the league. The Rocket have secured five shorthanded goals this season, tied for sixth in the league. The Crunch have earned four shorthanded goals.
 
Both penalty-killing units shined in the matchup last Friday. Syracuse received five power-play chances, but couldn't score. The Rocket went scoreless on two power-play opportunities.
 
CAPTAIN CRUNCH
 
The Crunch named 29-year-old defenseman Luke Witkowski team captain for the 2019-20 season yesterday. Witkowski was selected through a vote by the players.
 
"We felt that it was important for the team to select the captain this year," said head coach Ben Groulx.
 
Witkowski has played all 231 games of his AHL career with Syracuse, scoring eight goals and recording 43 points. He's also skated in 131 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings, registering 13 points.
 
"It's an honor to be chosen by your teammates and know that a majority of the guys see you as a leader," said Witkowski.
 
Witkowski previously served as Crunch captain early in 2016-17 before being permanently recalled to the Lightning for the remainder of the season. During the 2015-16 season, the defenseman served as an alternate captain. 
 
CON AIR
 
Cory Conacher has gained some serious airline miles recently. With the Lightning roster battling injuries, Conacher has been sent up to Tampa Bay and back down to Syracuse three times in the past few weeks. The 29-year-old forward was originally called up to the Lightning Nov. 19 and picked up one assist through three games.
 
Conacher was reassigned to Syracuse Nov. 29, where he played in both weekend games against Laval and Binghmaton. He was then recalled by the Bolts Dec. 3, but he made his way back to Syracuse the very next day. Yesterday, Conacher was once again sent up to Tampa Bay, but the Ontario native is back in the Salt City for tonight's matchup.