CRUNCH VISIT WOLF PACK

The Crunch finish their two-game season series against the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight at the XL Center.
 
Syracuse took the first match less than a week ago with a 3-2 overtime win at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE

Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com
 
LAST TIME OUT

The Crunch surrendered a season-high six goals in a 6-2 loss to the Belleville Senators Saturday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The Senators — who were idle while the Crunch went to overtime Friday — raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Cole Reinhardt started the scoring at 3:50 of the opening frame before Angus Crookshank and Nikolas Matinpalo got involved later in the period.
 
The Crunch found energy early in the second period and Milo Roelens converted on a wraparound for his first pro goal to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Senators answered back with a between-the-legs strike from Donovan Sebrango at 4:19 to make it 4-1.
 
The Senators added two more in the third before Derrick Pouliot nabbed a late power-play goal as the Senators won, 6-2.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH

The Crunch went 1-1-0-0 during their two-game homestand and arrive in Hartford with a 5-4-0-0 mark this season. They have 10 points and are in fourth place in the North Division.
 
After allowing only 14 goals in their first eight games (1.75 goals allowed per game), the Crunch gave up a season-high six in their most recent contest. Three of those came in the first period Saturday night; that was the third time they've surrendered three goals in one period. It was only the second game in which the Crunch's opponent has scored at least a goal in all three periods. In six of the Crunch's nine games, they have limited scoring against to just one regulation period.
 
Offensively, the Crunch are led by rookie Dylan Duke's seven points (4g, 3a) in nine games. The Ohio native was held off the scoresheet on Saturday, but when he does grab a point, the Crunch have posted a 4-0-0-0 record. 
 
ROELENS SCORES HIS FIRST

Rookie forward Milo Roelens became the latest Crunch player to score his first professional goal this season with his second period tally Saturday against the Senators. It was also his first career point and it came in his eighth career AHL game.
 
Roelens signed his entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 1, 2024 while playing with Acadie-Bathurst in the QMJHL. The 6-foot-7 forward finished his QMJHL career with 165 points (64g, 101a) in 238 games from 2019 to 2024. He made his pro debut with the Crunch in the regular season finale last season.
 
He is the fourth Crunch player to score a first North American pro goal this season. Dyllan Gill, Dylan Duke and Niko Huuhtanen all got theirs out of the way in the season opener at Utica. Gabriel Szturc and Roman Schmidt are the last two still in search of their first pro tallies in North America.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK

The Wolf Pack came up winless in their two games last week, suffering road losses against the Crunch and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It's the first time this season they've lost back-to-back games. Hartford remains in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with 10 points and a 4-3-1-1 record.
 
Brett Berard (5g, 3a) and Bo Groulx (4g, 4a) are tied for the team lead with eight points in nine games this season. Berard has been held in check with zero points in his last four games while Groulx hasn't found the scoresheet in the last three contests. Berard has produced seven of his eight points (4g, 3a) on home ice.
 
Dylan Garand, who started against the Crunch last week, has earned three of the team's four wins. He is 3-0-1 with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage. All four of his starts have required overtime.
 
GONCALVES RECALLED TO TAMPA BAY

The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled forward Gage Goncalves from the Crunch yesterday. Goncalves becomes the first player recalled to Tampa Bay from Syracuse this season. 
 
The fourth-year-pro has logged four points in the last three games. He missed the first five games of the season with an injury. He led the Crunch in scoring last year with 58 points (13g, 45a) in 69 games. He also skated in two games for the Lightning — his first two NHL games — back in January.
 
In his first game for the Lightning this season, Goncalves saw 10:34 of ice time as the Bolts dropped a 3-2 decision in St. Louis.
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Crunch took the opening game of the two-game series, 3-2, in overtime last week in Syracuse. Dylan Duke and Niko Huuhtanen scored the goals in regulation for the Crunch before Max Crozier scored 41 seconds into overtime to earn the win.
 
Anton Blidh and Blade Jenkins tallied the two Hartford goals; both goals were scored on odd-man rushes and Blidh scored his while his team was shorthanded.
 
Brandon Halverson (23/25 W) outdueled Dylan Garand (23/26 OTL) in the contest. Halverson also defeated the Wolf Pack with the Crunch last season. He is 2-0-0 against Hartford, the team he began his pro career with in 2016-17.