CRUNCH BATTLE DIVISION-LEADING SENATORS
 
The Crunch (24-21-3-5) travel to Belleville for a holiday matinee match against the Senators (32-15-4-1) at CAA Arena.
 
It is the fourth of six head-to-head meetings and the second played north of the border. The Senators have collected a standings point in all three games against the Crunch (2-0-1-0) this season, including an 8-2 win in their only previous game in Belleville Dec. 28.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch extending their points streak to six games (4-0-0-2), but lost in a shootout, 4-3, to the Rochester Americans Saturday night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
A goal-less first period gave way to a three-goal middle stanza. The Crunch started the scoring with Otto Somppi's fifth goal of the season 2:44 into the period. The Amerks scored the next two, getting goals from Brett Murray and Andrew MacWilliam to carry a 2-1 lead into the third.
 
The Crunch potted two goals in 35 seconds to begin the third period to catapult into the lead. Boris Katchouk scored on a breakaway to tie the game and Alex Volkov whipped home a go-ahead tally from the left circle for a 3-2 advantage. The Amerks tied the game at three on C.J. Smith's power-play goal later in the third to eventually send the game to overtime.
 
No goals in overtime brought the game to a shootout, where the Amerks scored twice and the Crunch were denied in their two attempts, giving Rochester the extra point.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch's season-high six game points streak (4-0-0-2) is the longest active streak in the AHL entering today's action. It's the longest run for the Crunch since their eight-game points streak (7-0-1-0) March 3-19, 2019. Last season, they had three separate points streaks of at least six games, topped by a 13-game run (11-0-2-0) Nov. 2-Dec. 7.
 
Syracuse sits one point out of a playoff spot in the North Division with 56 points. Toronto, who currently holds fourth place, has also played three fewer games than the Crunch; the Marlies host Binghamton this afternoon.
 
Otto Somppi snapped an 18-game goal drought with a tally last night, his first since Jan. 3. The second-year pro, who has received praise for his play by head coach Ben Groulx, now has points in back-to-back games and 15 points (5g, 10a) in 36 games this season. Linemate Daniel Walcott has points in three of his last four games. With an assist, Walcott matches his career-high for points in a season with 16; he's reached that in 46 games this season after doing so in 62 games in 2017-18.
 
The Crunch have allowed 15 goals, counting two shootout game-winners, during their six-game points streak. During that time, Scott Wedgewood is 3-0-1 with a 1.96 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Spencer Martin is 1-0-1 with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.
 
SCOUTING THE SENATORS
 
The Senators lead the North Division and rank second overall in the Eastern Conference with 69 points (32-15-4-1). Belleville enters today's game without a win in the last two games (0-1-1-0) for the first time since Dec. 31-Jan. 4. The Sens have not gone winless in more than two straight games all season.
 
Prior to these back-to-back losses, the Senators won seven straight games to surge into the top spot in the division and they currently hold a five-point lead on second-place Rochester. They are aiming for the first division championship by a Senators AHL team since they claimed the top spot in the East Division in Binghamton in 2013-14.
 
The Sens have a conference-best +34 goal differential, driven by the AHL's top offense. Belleville has scored 195 goals and averages 3.75 goals per game, both of which pace the league. With Drake Batherson (14-32—46) on recall with Ottawa, rookies Josh Norris (26-25—51) and Alex Formenton (22-22—44) are the active scoring leaders for Belleville. Those two are also the top rookie scorers in the entire AHL.
 
Rookie Joey Daccord and Filip Gustavsson have shared the Senators net. Daccord is 12-4-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Gustavsson, who was saddled with a 7-6 overtime loss Saturday, is 13-5-3 with a 3.36 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
The Crunch have been limited to two power-play goals in the last seven games (2-for-24, 8.3%). In that span, they have 21.5% to 20.1% on the man advantage this season, slipping to eighth in the AHL. The Crunch have scored nine total goals against Belleville in three games this season and five have been scored via the power play (5-for-14, 35.7%).
 
Belleville has had similar success against the Crunch with its power play. The Sens are 4-for-16 (25.0%) in three games against the Crunch and they are operating at 18.8% overall this season.
 
Syracuse allowed one power-play goal in Saturday's shootout loss to the Amerks, snapping a two-game clean sheet on the penalty kill. The Crunch are working at 82.3% on the penalty kill this season.
 
The Senators have allowed a league-high 51 power-play goals this season and nearly half (25) have been given up at home. They are at 79.4% on the penalty kill this season, ranking only ahead of Toronto among North Division teams.
 
OVERTIME MISFORTUNE  
 
Following Saturday night's shootout loss, the Crunch have come up short in their past six games that have gone into overtime. Five of the six have ended in a shootout (0-5), where the Crunch have lost eight straight since Feb. 16, 2019.
 
The Crunch are 3-8 in games that have gone past regulation and their 0.273 win percentage in overtime games only tops San Antonio (2-12, 0.143) in the entire AHL.
 
ROAD READY
 
The Crunch arrive in Belleville having collected points in their last four road games (3-0-0-1), all during their recent four-game road trip. Syracuse can reach the 0.500 mark away from Upstate Medical University Arena with a win today; the Crunch are 11-12-2-2, which stands as the fourth-best mark in the division.
 
The Crunch lost their first game in Belleville earlier this season, but the division-leading Sens, who feature a 20-4-3-0 road record this season are the worst home team in the North. They are 12-11-1-1 at CAA Arena, but are 5-3-1-1 in their last 10 at home.
 
JOSEPH RETURNS
 
Forward Mathieu Joseph was loaned back to the Crunch following a three-game recall with Tampa Bay. He was held scoreless during those three games.
 
Prior to his recall, Joseph had goals in back-to-back Crunch games and logged his 100th pro point (37g, 63a) in 197 career games between the NHL and AHL.