CRUNCH ROLL INTO LAVAL TO FACE ROCKET
 
The Crunch aim to extended their winning streak to five games as they travel to Place Bell to face the Laval Rocket. It's the second of eight head-to-head meetings this season.
 
Syracuse (11-10-2-1) swept a three-game week to begin 2022 and enters tonight with four straight wins since Dec. 15; the team had a three-week pause due to AHL Covid-19 protocols jammed in the middle of the streak.
 
The Rocket (12-10-2-0) have gone through Covid-19 protocols too and they last played Dec. 17; the team has won five of its last six games going back to Dec. 3.
 
Due to Covid restrictions currently put in place by the Quebec government, tonight's game will be played without fans at Place Bell.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch made it four straight wins with a 3-1 win over the Rochester Americans Saturday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
After a scoreless first period, Otto Somppi opened the scoring with a power-play rip from the right circle. His second goal of the season was set up by Max Cajkovic and Simon Ryfors at 6:16 of the second period. The Amerks evened the score with a power-play goal later in the frame, but Charles Hudon's highlight-reel man-up goal a few minutes after that gave the Crunch the lead for good.
 
Cole Koepke kept his goal streak alive with an empty-net goal late in the third period to seal the win as rookie goaltender Hugo Alnefelt denied 30 shots in his first AHL appearance since Nov. 5.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch ride a four-game winning streak—their longest of the season—into tonight's match with the Rocket. It has boosted the Crunch to 11-10-2-1 on the season, making it the first time they've been above 0.500 since Nov. 10 (5-4-1-0).
 
The Crunch have outscored opponents 14-7 during this winning streak. They've held an opponent to one goal twice in the four games; in the 20 games prior to their streak the Crunch limited just two opponents to no more than one goal.
 
Last season, the Crunch had two winning streaks extended to at least four games, most recently a five-game run April 17-25.
 
Cole Koepke has continued his hot streak into the new year. The rookie has nine points (5g, 4a) in his last six games during a six-game scoring streak to jump into a tie for second on the team in scoring with 18 points (7g, 11a) in 20 games. Keopke is tied with Charles Hudon, who returns to Laval for the first time since he spent the 2019-20 season with the Rocket; he produced 35 points (27g, 8a) in 46 games that season. 
 
STREAKS CONTINUE
 
Including Cole Koepke, the Crunch currently have three players that have recorded a point in at least four consecutive games. Otto Somppi has five points (1g, 4a) in his last five games over what is a new career-high five game scoring streak. Alex Barré-Boulet has five points (1g, 4a) during a four-game scoring streak. Since joining the team on Dec. 8, Barré-Boulet has points in all but one game and has eight points (2g, 6a) in six games; the team is 5-1-0-0 in the games he has at least one point.
 
Koepke's goal streak has reached five games, which is tied for the longest in the AHL this season. Only Alex Killorn has had a longer goal streak for the Crunch during the Lightning affiliation (six games). Koepke is also tied with Killorn (2012-13) and Matthew Peca (2015-16) for the fourth-longest point streak by a Crunch rookie during the affiliation at six games. Only Nikita Kucherov and Taylor Raddysh (nine games each) and Tony DeAngelo (seven games) have had longer rookie point streaks.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCKET
 
The Rocket have not played a game since their 6-3 home win over the Providence Bruins Dec. 17. It was their fifth win in six games (5-1-0-0) and improved Laval to 12-10-2-0 this season. The Rocket rank fourth in the North Division with a 0.542 points percentage.
 
One of the strengths of the Rocket has been their success at home. Laval carries an 8-3-2-0 home record into tonight's match, which contrasts with a 4-7-0-0 mark on the road. The team has a +10 goal differential at home, which is offset by a -10 goals differential in road games.
 
With Montreal and Laval both going through Covid protocol issues, the top three Rocket scorers are currently with the Canadiens. Kevin Roy leads active players for Laval with 13 points (6g, 7a) in 21 games.
Goaltender Michael McNiven has returned from his stint on the Montreal taxi squad. He is 3-3-1 for the Rocket this season with a 3.95 goals-against average and a .867 save percentage.
 
CLOSING IN ON CONACHER
 
Alex Barré-Boulet's empty-net goal last week was the 71st of his Crunch career. It moved him into sole possession of ninth place on the Crunch's all-time goal-scoring list and brings him to within one of Cory Conacher (72) for the most scored by a Crunch player during the Lightning affiliation. 
 
Barré-Boulet, who also appeared in his 150th career AHL game last week, has 144 points (71g, 73a) in his Crunch career. He ranks third in Crunch scoring during the Lightning era, only trailing Yanni Gourde (157 points) and Conacher (205 points).
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX
 
Goaltender Max Lagace celebrates his 29th birthday with a return trip to his home province. The veteran goaltender carries a personal four-game winning streak since Dec. 10; in that span he has a 2.27 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.
 
The Longueuil, Quebec native has made two previous AHL starts on his birthday, winning both in 2018 with Chicago and in 2020 with Providence.
 
ELIE RETURNS TO THE CRUNCH
 
Remi Elie has been assigned to the Crunch from the Lightning. He missed the final two games of the weekend for the Crunch while on recall to the Lightning's taxi squad.
 
The winger helped spark this four-game winning streak with a two-goal outing Dec. 15 in Toronto. He has nine points (5g, 4a) in 13 games with the Crunch this season and he also skated in one game for the Bolts.