CRUNCH BEGIN CANADIAN TRIFECTA
 
The Crunch conclude a three-game road trip and open up a week of three games against their Canadian foes as they face the Toronto Marlies at Coca-Cola Coliseum. It's the first of four meetings in the regular season between the Crunch and Marlies.
 
The Crunch (7-10-2-1) split the first two games of their road trip in Charlotte over the weekend. They captured a 5-3 win on Friday before losing by the same score on Saturday.
 
At the same time, the Marlies (10-8-1-1) were on a three-game three-in-three weekend, during which they lost two of three in games against Springfield, Bridgeport and Providence.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch coughed up a 3-1 third period lead and lost to the Charlotte Checkers, 5-3, at Bojangles Coliseum Saturday night.
 
Gabriel Dumont put the Crunch ahead immediately in the first period, redirecting a pass from Charles Hudon 30 seconds into the game. Charlotte responded two minutes later with Cale Fleury scoring from the point to tie the game and begin the Checkers' Teddy Bear Toss. 
 
The Crunch regrouped in the second period to open a two-goal advantage. Simon Ryfors gave the Crunch their second lead, ripping a right circle shot on a 2-on-1 rush for his third goal in the last four games. Cole Koepke doubled the lead, playing a puck in front the bounced in off a Charlotte defender at 10:35 to make it 3-1.
 
That lead stayed steady into the second half of the third period before the Checkers rattled off four goals in seven minutes to snatch the victory. Fleury scored the eventual game-winning goal on the power play with 2:10 left in regulation.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch begin the week with a 7-10-2-1 record and a 0.425 points percentage that places Syracuse last in the North Division. Their loss on Saturday brought them back to 0.500 (4-4-2-0) on the road this season and was just their second regulation loss when wearing their blue jerseys this season (4-2-1-0).
 
Simon Ryfors led the way for the Crunch in Week 9, notching four points in three games. The Swede recorded his first two multi-point games in North America, posting one goal and one assist on consecutive nights in Charlotte. 
 
With goals in three of the last four games, Ryfors now has eight points (4g, 4a) in 20 games this season. Last season, Ryfors ranked sixth overall in the SHL in scoring with 45 points (25g, 20a) in 51 games. He signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in May.
 
DUMONT DELIVERING
 
Gabriel Dumont became the first Crunch player this season to reach 10 goals with his tally on Saturday. The Crunch captain has reached 10 goals eight times in his AHL career; the only seasons he did not reach that mark was as a rookie in 2010-11, during the 2016-17 season when he only skated in 20 games, in the 2017-18 season when he played in 18 games and in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. The most he has in a single season with the Crunch is 15 in 2018-19 and his career high is 20 with Hamilton in 2014-15. He leads the Crunch in scoring with 18 points (10g, 8a) in 20 games.
 
SCOUTING THE MARLIES
 
The Marlies return to Coca-Cola Coliseum after their three-in-three road trip over the weekend that saw them go 1-2-0-0. They dropped the last two games of the weekend in Bridgeport and Providence after winning the opener in Springfield. Toronto (10-8-1-1) is currently third in the North Division with a 0.550 points percentage.
 
Defenseman Joseph Duszak leads the Marlies with scoring with 19 points (1g, 18a) in 17 games. He has six multi-point performances and produced five points (1g, 4a) last week. He leads all active AHL defensemen in scoring and in assists, establishing career highs in both categories. The third-year pro 49 points (8g, 41a) in 67 AHL games.
 
Six different goaltenders have already seen action with the Marlies this season. Erik Kallgren has seen the most time in net, appearing in nine games with a 5-2-0 record, leading the team with both a 2.41 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. Michael Hutchinson (2-3-2/3.83/.887) and Joseph Woll (2-2-0/3.83/.890) both appeared in games for the Marlies last weekend too.
 
TRAVELING TO TORONTO
 
Tonight's game marks the Crunch's first trip north of the border since their last visit to Toronto March 6-7, 2020. The layoff between trips to Canada spanned 677 days.
 
Syracuse is schedule for 10 games in Canada this season, totaling two in Toronto and four in both Belleville and Laval. The Crunch will finish off the calendar year with a back-to-back series in Belleville and Laval in two weeks. 
 
The Crunch earned a split of their two games at Coca-Cola Coliseum in 2019-20, winning the final match, 2-1, March 7, 2020.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
The Crunch power play was held off the board for the first time in three games, going 0-for-2 Saturday. They are 6-for-17 (35.3%) in the last four games and rank 10th in the AHL at 20.2% this season.
 
In that same span, the Crunch have allowed nine power-play goals in 19 chances (52.6% penalty kill rate). They have dropped 88.7% (first in the AHL) to 79.2% (26th) in that time.  
 
The Marlies power play has struggled this season, connecting on just 10 of their 70 opportunities. They rank 29th in the league at 14.3%. Joseph Duszak has had an assist on eight of their 10 power-play goals.
 
Toronto leads the league with five shorthanded goals and ranks 14th on the penalty kill at 81.4%.