CRUNCH BEGIN TWO-GAME SET IN LAVAL
 
The Crunch continue a five-game road trip and play the first of two straight at Place Bell against the Laval Rocket.
 
It's the first trip of the season to Laval; the teams have already met three times in Syracuse with the Crunch winning twice. They'll square off eight times in total in 2023-24.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch scored three times in 37 seconds early in the second period and cruised to a 3-1 win over the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena Wednesday night.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Crunch's scoring run began at 6:36 of the second period. Moments after a Crunch power play ended, Maxim Groshev led a 2-on-1 rush and fed Shawn Element for a one-timer from the right circle for a 1-0 lead. Moments later following an offensive zone faceoff win, Gage Goncalves dangled his way past goalie Dustin Tokarski for a highlight reel goal at 6:59 for a 2-0 lead. Fourteen seconds later, Gabe Fortier stole a puck and dished to Element for another blast from the right circle and a 3-0 lead at 7:13.
 
The Crunch clamped down, and Rochester's lone goal came 8:54 into the third period when Lukas Rousek potted a penalty shot goal to make it 3-1. Syracuse allowed only five shots in the third to earn the win.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch have earned a standings point in their last three games (1-0-2-0) after snapping a three-game skid Wednesday in Rochester. The Crunch (16-9-2-2) remain in second place in the North Division with 36 points, five back of first place Cleveland.
 
With a goal on Wednesday, Gage Goncalves extended his scoring streak to five games. He has seven points (2g, 5a) in that span and leads the Crunch with 26 points (6g, 20a) this season. It's his third career point streak of at least five games and is one off his career-high six games stretch set Jan. 7-18, 2023.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCKET
 
The Rocket won four of five heading into the Christmas break, but returned to action with a 4-1 loss last night in Belleville to begin their first three-in-three of the season. Laval is trying to recover from a 5-12-3-1 start to the season, and despite the recent success the Rocket remain in last place in the North Division with 23 points (9-14-3-2).
 
Despite a sub-0.500 record on home ice (5-6-1-1), Laval has gone 2-0-0-1 in its last three contests at Place Bell. They have finished with at least a 0.600 points percentage at home every season since 2019-20 (excluding the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season). 
 
Brandon Gignac had his eight-game scoring streak snapped last night, but he continues to pace the Rocket in scoring with 27 points (10g, 17a) in 28 games. He delivered a game-winning goal in Laval's victory against the Crunch last week. 
 
HITTING THE ROAD 
 
The Crunch continue a stretch of five straight road games tonight in Laval. This is the longest stretch of road games all season for the Crunch. Syracuse will next play at home Jan. 12, a span of 19 days between home games (Dec. 23).
 
The trip began Wednesday in Rochester; after two games in Laval, the team will begin 2024 with a pair of games in Toronto Jan. 6-7.
 
The Crunch have more wins on the road (9) than at home (7) and they've won their last three road games overall. 
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD
 
The Crunch and Rocket shift their season series to Laval for the first time this season. The Crunch earned wins in two of the three matches in Syracuse earlier this year, but the Rocket won the most recent, 3-2, last week.
 
The Crunch are in search of their first regular season win at Place Bell since March 13, 2019. Syracuse is 0-8-2-0 in the last 10 regular season contests in Laval. The Crunch have won once in that span - a Game 4 win in the 2022 North Division Semifinals.
 
So far this season, Gage Goncalves (2g, 3a) and Felix Robert (2g, 3a) top all scorers with five points. Mitchell Chaffee also has a pair of goals for the Crunch, while Tobie Bisson and Brandon Gignac have both scored twice for the Rocket.
 
IN HIS ELEMENT 
 
Crunch forward Shawn Element earned first star honors during Wednesday's win in Rochester. The 23-year-old scored twice in a 37-second span to help the Crunch build a 3-0 lead in the second period. His game-opening tally was his fifth goal of the season, while his second marker turned into the insurance goal in the 3-1 win.
 
It marks Element's first career multi-goal performance in pro hockey. Element has 10 points (6g, 4a) in 27 games for the Crunch this season.
 
SHOTS LIMITED 
 
The Crunch were held under 20 shots on goal for the second time this season in Wednesday's win at Rochester. The 15 shots on goal are the tied for the second fewest in the AHL this season, and are the fewest by the Crunch since Dec. 15, 2018 at Laval (12). 
 
The Crunch's record for fewest shots in a game is nine, set March 6, 2004 at Manitoba (W, 1-0). 
 
Syracuse has been held to under 30 shots on goal in 12 straight contests (6-4-2-0) after recording at least 30 bids in 10 of their first 17 games.
 
BOUCHARD IS BACK 
 
Tonight marks the return of Joel Bouchard to Laval for the first time as a visiting coach. Bouchard served as head coach for the Rocket from 2018 to 2021. In those three season, Bouchard guided Laval to an 83-67-14-10 record, good for a 0.546 points percentage. 
 
The Rocket improved each season under Bouchard, culminating in a Canadian Division title during the 2020-21 season in which the Rocket went 23-9-3-1 and had the second highest points percentage in the AHL.