CRUNCH CELEBRATE PAST IN BATTLE WITH COMETS
 
The Crunch finish off the home portion of the Galaxy Cup series with a meeting with the Utica Comets.
 
It's the 11^th of 12 head-to-head meetings this season with the Crunch ahead 6-4. The Crunch have outscored the Comets 44-22, including 24-3 in the last four home games of the series.   
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch's third-period comeback effort fell short in a 3-2 loss to the Providence Bruins last night in Syracuse.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Bruins got on the scoreboard 13:44 into the second frame as Lee Stempniak beat Eddie Pasquale from the right circle.
 
The Crunch evened things up 5:09 into the third period with a goal from Boris Katchouk. Gabriel Dumont picked up the puck on the left-wing boards and fed it to Katchouk at the circle who fired the puck past Dan Vladar. Providence responded just 15 seconds after the equalizer. Skating into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1, Stempniak sent a cross-ice pass to Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson who gave the Bruins a 2-1 advantage. Providence then made it a two-goal lead as Gemel Smith converted on the power play.
 
The Crunch pulled within one with just under five minutes left in regulation. Carter Verhaeghe set up Gabriel Dumont in the slot and the captain's quick shot found the back of the net.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH 
 
Syracuse dropped its third game in a row with a 3-2 loss to Providence last night; this is the first time the Crunch have gone winless in three straight games since a five-game skid from Jan. 5 to Jan. 16. Despite this stretch, Syracuse (42-20-4-3) still sits at the top of the North Division standings, one point ahead of Rochester, with 91 points. The Crunch are one of just four AHL teams who have clinched a berth in the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs.
 
Boris Katchouk snapped an 11-game goal-scoring drought last night against the Bruins. The rookie has picked up 22 points in his first AHL season (10g, 12a). The Ontario native has also recorded three-multi point performances, which includes his first professional three-point outing against Utica on Dec. 28 (1g, 2a).
 
With a goal and an assist against Providence, Gabriel Dumont has two multi-point nights in the past four games. The Crunch captain has piled up 12 multi-point performances this season, four of which have come against the Comets. The 28-year-old forward has 38 points through 53 games this season (12g, 26a).
 
BACK TO 1994 
 
Tonight the Crunch recognize the team that laid the groundwork for what has become 25 years of Crunch hockey. As part of the celebration, seven members of the inaugural 1994-95 Crunch team will be back at the Old Barn.
Brian Loney, John Badduke, Mike Fountain, Mike Peca, Brent Tully, Scott Walker and Mark Wotton will all participate in a pregame ceremony at center ice. Syracuse will also sport throwback uniforms reflecting the first Crunch jerseys.
 
Brian Loney was a forward with the Crunch for the team's first three seasons and he ranks 11th in franchise history with 149 points (76g, 73a) in 191 games.
 
John Badduke also was a member of the initial three Crunch rosters and was known for the physicality. "Big Bad John's" 334 penalty minutes in 1994-95 are tied for the second-most ever in a single season in franchise history.
 
Mike Fountain was the starting goaltender for the 1994-95 squad, playing in a team-record 61 games. He ranks third in Crunch history in wins (54) and games (140).
 
Before his 13-year NHL career and his two Selke awards, Mike Peca laced up the skates for the Crunch, recording 34 points over 35 games.
 
Defenseman Brent Tully was with the Crunch for three years and recorded 31 points during his time in a Syracuse uniform.
 
"Wild Thing" Scott Walker played 89 games for Syracuse and had 67 points and 386 penalty minutes over two seasons before embarking on an 829-game NHL career.
 
Mark Wotton captained the Crunch in four of his five seasons with Syracuse and played over 300 matches with the club. His 164 points are one point ahead of current Crunch forward Cory Conacher for fifth in franchise history.
 
SCOUTING THE COMETS 
 
Utica has lost 13 of its last 15 games, with six total points during the five-week stretch (two wins and two overtime losses). Before the skid began with an overtime loss to Rochester Feb. 22, the Comets occupied third place in the North Division at 29-19-4-2; they have slipped to sixth in the standings at 31-30-6-2. The Canucks' AHL affiliate (70 points) now sits six points out of a playoff spot with two weeks left in the regular season.
 
The Comets travel to Syracuse tonight on the heels of a 5-2 loss to the Marlies last night.
 
"I think frustrating is the right word," forward Brendan Gaunce said. "We feel like a lot of the games, we're playing the right way. We're getting the chances we want, and sometimes pucks just don't go in—whether it's posts or luck or whatever it is. I think, for us, we've just got to stick to the basics and keep doing what we're doing and it's got to happen soon."
 
Reid Boucher leads Utica with 57 points (28g, 29a) in just 50 games this season. Toronto held the 25-year-old forward off the scoresheet last night, snapping Boucher's five-game points streak. Boucher's clip of 1.14 points per game ranks second in the league among players who have skated in at least 50 contests (behind only Chicago's Daniel Carr, 1.37 PPG) and he sits four goals off the league lead, held by Syracuse rookie Alex Barré-Boulet (32).
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
With an 0-for-3 performance on the power play last night, the Crunch have been held scoreless on the man advantage in the past three games (0-for-8). The last time Syracuse converted on the power play was when it hosted Utica last Saturday, as the man-up unit clicked twice (2-for-3). Despite the three-game skid, Syracuse ranks third in the Eastern Conference and sixth in the AHL with a 20.6% success rate (59-for-287).
 
Utica found the back of the net on the power play last night against Toronto, going 1-for-4. In three meetings against the Crunch this month, Utica is 0-for-16, which includes an 0-for-5 outing last Saturday. This season, the Comets are just 5-for-49 against the Crunch (10.2%). Overall, Utica ranks 17th in the AHL with an 18.1% power-play percentage.
 
Syracuse gave up one goal on the man advantage against Providence (5-for-6). In eight of the past ten games, the Crunch's penalty kill unit has allowed at least one goal; Syracuse was 7-for-7 against Belleville and was perfect against Utica last weekend (5-for-5). Despite this stretch, the Crunch sit fifth in the league with an 84.6% kill rate.
 
The Comets allowed one power-play goal against the Marlies last night. With an 80.4% penalty kill rate, Utica ranks 21st in the AHL.