CRUNCH IN CLEVELAND FOR TWO-GAME SET
 
The Crunch begin a two-game weekend set against the Cleveland Monsters tonight at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
 
It's the second game of the four-game series between the two clubs that squared off in last year's North Division Finals. The Monsters won the first game, 5-2, in Syracuse on Nov. 9.
 
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 earned a standings point, but were edged by the Laval Rocket, 3-2, in overtime Wednesday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
After neither team found the net in the first period, they traded power-play goals in the second and third periods. The Rocket struck first when Joshua Roy's left circle shot glanced off the glove of Brandon Halverson and in at 8:41 of the second. The Crunch tied the game off a faceoff when Derrick Pouliot ripped a one-timer at 14:25.
 
The Crunch grabbed the lead 7:55 into the third period on another Pouliot power-play goal. Conor Sheary — who set up his first goal — dished to Pouliot in the slot and the defenseman finished for a 2-1 lead. The Rocket cashed in on a power play less than four minutes later to level the game at two. 
 
The Crunch had a few offensive looks early in overtime, but Owen Beck won the game for the Rocket off the rush at 1:52.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch's winless spell stretched to three games (0-1-1-1) with their overtime loss on Wednesday. It's their second time this season going three straight games without a win (also Nov. 2-9). Syracuse has one win in the last six games (1-2-1-2) and is 3-3-1-3 over the last 10 games.
 
With 21 points in 20 games, the Crunch rank sixth in the North Division.
 
Derrick Pouliot notched his second two-goal game of the season Wednesday against Laval (also Oct. 20 at Belleville). He had three career two-goal games in his AHL career entering the season.
 
Pouliot leads the Crunch — and ranks fourth among AHL defensemen — in scoring with 17 points (5g, 12a) in 20 games. He also tops the Crunch with four power-play goals, accounting for one third of the team's total power-play goal output so far this season. The eighth overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Pouliot has 230 career AHL points (50g, 180a) in 360 games spread over seven different teams.
 
CLOCKING OVERTIME HOURS
 
Wednesday was the Crunch's seventh overtime game of the season. Only Lehigh Valley (9), Hartford (8) and Toronto (8) have played overtime more frequently than the Crunch.
 
The Crunch won their first two games that went past regulation — a shootout win on Oct. 12 and an overtime win on Nov. 1. Since then, the Crunch have lost five straight games that have gone to overtime; three have gone into shootouts and two were decided in the overtime period.
 
Their 0.286 win percentage in overtime games is the second-worst among teams that have played at least two overtime games this season (Coachella Valley, 0.250).
 
Six of their seven overtime games have been played on home ice.
 
SCOUTING THE MONSTERS
 
After a mediocre start to the season, the Monsters have surged to a first-place tie in the North Division following a 10-game winning streak from Nov. 8 to Nov. 29. They have lost two straight since, but stand at 14-6-0-1 this season and they are tied with Laval for first place with 29 points.
 
Five of the 10 wins during the winning streak were either in overtime (4) or a shootout (1). Cleveland is 5-1 in games decided after regulation this season.
 
Rookie defenseman Denton Mateychuk has burst onto the scene to rack up 22 points (7g, 15a) in 21 games this season. He scored back-to-back overtime game-winning goals two weeks ago in Providence. He leads all AHL defensemen in assists and points and is tied for first in goals. 
 
Mateychuk ranks third on his team in scoring behind the prolific scoring duo of Trey Fix-Wolansky (12g, 11a) and Rocco Grimaldi (6g, 17a), who are tied for the team lead with 23 points. Fix-Wolansky is two goals shy of 100 in his 245 game AHL career. Grimaldi is approaching 400 career AHL points (393) in 450 career games. 
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD  
 
Tonight marks the second game of the four-game set between the Crunch and Monsters. The Monsters took the first game after the clubs split last year's four-game series.
 
Rocco Grimaldi led the way with a pair of goals and was one of four Monsters with two points in the first contest. Gabe Fortier and Conor Sheary scored the two Crunch goals in the 5-2 loss. The Monsters went 2-for-3 on the power play.
 
Jet Greaves stopped 34 of 36 shots for the win, while Matt Tomkins took the loss for the Crunch.
 
SHEARY SETS IT UP  
 
Conor Sheary returned to the Crunch lineup after missing last weekend's set with Rochester while on recall with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. The veteran picked up the primary assists on both Crunch goals against the Rocket on Wednesday for his first multi-point game with the Crunch.
 
Sheary, 32, has nine points (3g, 6a) in 12 games with the Crunch this season. He has notched at least one point in eight of his 12 appearances.
 
Sheary has also skated in four games for the lightning this season, including last week against the Toronto Maple Leafs.