CRUNCH EYE OPENING WEEKEND SWEEP
 
The Syracuse Crunch cap off their two-game, opening weekend set against the Hershey Bears tonight at the Giant Center.
 
Syracuse scored five straight goals in a 5-2 win last night to give them a third consecutive season-opening victory. The Crunch aim to make it a 2-0 start for the third straight year.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 4:45 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
 
Syracuse rattled off five straight goals to defeat the Bears, 5-2, last night at the Giant Center.
 
The teams played a scoreless first period before Ethan Frank scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second period to stake Hershey to a 2-0 lead. From there the Crunch seized control and they tied the game with power-play goals from Jakob Pelletier and Dominic James.
 
Charle-Edouard D'Astous broke the 2-2 deadlock 9:30 into the third period. Pelletier added insurance with another power-play goal and Gabriel Szturc iced the game away with an empty-net goal for a 5-2 Crunch win.
 
D'ASTOUS DAZZLES IN DEBUT
 
Charle-Edouard D'Astous made an instant impact in his Crunch debut last night. The defenseman logged one goal and two assists for his first three-point game in the AHL. His tally also held up as the game-winning goal.
 
The 27-year-old had six career AHL points in 23 games with Grand Rapids and Colorado prior to last night's performance. He spent the past three seasons playing in Europe.
 
Last season, D'Astous won the SHL's defenseman of the year award, adding to a personal trophy case that includes defensemen of the year awards in Liiga (Finland), the ECHL and the QMJHL.
 
He inked his first NHL contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in May. 
 
PELLETIER POURS IT ON
 
Forward Jakob Pelletier also made a strong impression in his Crunch debut last night. The 24-year-old nabbed two goals and an assist while earning first-star honors in the Crunch win. All three points were recorded on the power play.
 
Pelletier is no stranger to scoring in the American Hockey League. The former first round pick has collected 133 career AHL points (53g, 80a) in 140 games for Stockton, Calgary and Syracuse since 2021-22.
 
JAMES JUMPS RIGHT IN
 
Rookie Dominic James wasted no time in becoming the first Crunch player this season to log his first professional goal. The Minnesota-Duluth product tallied a goal and an assist in his professional debut last night. His power-play goal in the second period knotted the game at two. 
 
James signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 20. He was the only Crunch player making his pro debut last night.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARS
 
The Derek King era officially began last night in the Bears' 5-2 loss to the Crunch. Hershey now looks to avoid back-to-back losses to open a season for the first time since 2019-20; the Bears have not lost two straight in regulation to begin a season since 2018-19.
 
Ethen Frank scored both Hershey goals last night. The newly minted assistant captain is coming off his third straight 20+ goal campaign in Chocolatetown. He potted 20 — including two versus the Crunch — in 35 games played for the Bears last season.
 
Rookie Andrew Cristall earned a pair of assists in his pro debut for the Bears. The 20-year-old begins his pro career after producing an eye-popping 412 points (157g, 255a) in 248 career WHL games.