CRUNCH EXTEND STREAK TO FOUR  

The Crunch won twice in Week 2 to push their season-opening winning streak to four games. It's only the third time the Crunch have won four straight to begin a season (also 1995-96 and 1996-97).
 
Syracuse earned a 3-0 shutout win in its home opener on Saturday against the Rochester Americans. Brandon Halverson made 31 saves to earn his first shutout of the season, and the Crunch won their fourth straight home opener. They had a quick turnaround to defeat the Belleville Senators, 5-3, on the road Sunday afternoon. Four different players recorded their first goals of the season in the win. 
 
Syracuse faces its two biggest rivals in Week 3. The Crunch travel to Rochester on Wednesday and host the Utica Comets on Friday.
 
CRUNCH OFF TO PERFECT START
 
The Crunch have rattled off four straight wins to open the season. It matches the longest winning streak to open a season in team history. Syracuse is one of six teams without a regulation loss through the first two weeks of the season. The Crunch are one of four teams with a 4-0-0-0 record.
 
Syracuse is 3-0-0-0 on the road in 2025-26. That follows a nine-game road winning streak which closed the 2024-25 regular season; that streak matched their franchise record.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
 
Goaltender Brandon Halverson earned the Crunch's Toyota Player of the Week honors following a 31-save shutout in the team's home opener Saturday versus Rochester. It was his seventh career AHL shutout, and the 31 saves are the most he's made in a shutout.
 
Following a breakthrough season last year, the 29-year-old is 2-0-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage in two starts this season.
 
It marked the second shutout win in a home opener in Crunch history. The previous instance was Pascal Leclaire's 28-save win vs. the St. John's Maple Leafs on Oct. 15, 2004.
 
***
 
Matteo Pietroniro was one of the unlikely offensive heroes for the Crunch in their home opener. Pietroniro opened the scoring in the first period and added to the lead with a tally in the second period.
 
It marked the 27-year-old's first career multi-goal game in the AHL. The Boise, Idaho native only had four career goals in 125 AHL contests prior to Saturday. He signed an AHL contract with the Crunch this summer after previously playing in the AHL with Toronto and Rockford. 
 
JAMES STAYS HOT
 
Rookie forward Dominic James extended his scoring streak to four straight games to being his pro career. He is the first rookie during the Lightning affiliation (2012-13) to score at least one point in his first four pro games with the Crunch. Since 2012, the only other Crunch rookie to begin a season with a four-game scoring streak was Mitchell Stephens in 2017-18, but he played several games at the end of the 2015-16 season.
 
James had an assist on Saturday and scored his team-leading third goal on Sunday. He is tied for the team lead with five points (3g, 2a), which ranks fourth among AHL rookies.
 
UPCOMING WEEK   
                
Wednesday, October 22 at Rochester | 7:05 p.m.
The Crunch make their first of six trips to Blue Cross Arena when they face the Rochester Americans Wednesday. Syracuse won the opening game of the season series, 3-0, last week.
 
The teams split six matches in Rochester during the regular season, but the Amerks won both playoff meetings in the North Division Semifinals. The Amerks split two games last week and are 2-2-0-0 this season. They are 1-0-0-0 on home ice.
 
Friday, October 24 vs. Utica | 7 p.m.
The Crunch renew their hostilities with the Utica Comets Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena. It's the first of 12 meetings slated for 2025-26; Syracuse won a pair of preseason contests versus Utica.
 
The clubs split their 14-game series last year with both going 7-6-1-0. The Comets won four of the seven in Syracuse, but two of the Crunch's three home wins came via shutout. Utica is winless through four games (0-3-1-0), but three of the four setbacks have been one-goal losses.
 
WEEK 2 RESULTS
 
Saturday, Oct. 18 | Game 3 vs. Rochester | W, 3-0
Rochester     0 0 0 - 0     Shots: 10-11-10-31       PP: 0/2
Syracuse        1 1 1 - 3     Shots: 21-9-4-34           PP: 0/3
1st Period-Pietroniro 1 (Pelletier, Abruzzese), 17:26. 2nd Period-Pietroniro 2 (James, Allard), 4:24. 3rd Period-Stachowiak 1 (Duke, Groshev), 16:47. . . . Halverson 2-0-0 (31 shots-31 saves) A-6,032
 
Sunday, Oct. 19 | Game 4 at Belleville | W, 5-3
Syracuse        1 2 2 - 5     Shots: 9-17-14-40         PP: 0/4
Belleville       1 0 2 - 3     Shots: 10-6-8-24           PP: 0/1
1st Period-James 3 (Abruzzese), 12:41. 2nd Period-Allard 1 (Szturc), 12:16. Mercuri 1 (Furry), 16:50 (SH). 3rd Period-Duke 1 (Stachowiak, Katchouk), 8:21. Katchouk 1 (Stachowiak), 14:29. . . . Fanti 2-0-0 (24 shots-21 saves) A-2,022
 

Category	Average/Total	AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play	17.6% (3-for-17)	T-19th (9th)
Penalty Kill	100.0% (11-for-11)	T-1st (T-1st)
Goals For	4.00 GFA (16)	T-5th (T-6th)
Goals Against	1.75 GAA (7)	T-1st (T-6th)
Shots For	34.75 SF/G (139)	2nd (T-8th)
Shots Against	24.75 SA/G (99)	T-5th (T-2nd)
Penalty Minutes	11.00 PIM/G (46)	T-22nd (T-9th)

 

Category		Leader
Points	5	James|Pelletier
Goals	3	James
Assists	3	Abruzzese|Katchouk|Pelletier
PIM	7	4 Tied at 7
Plus/Minus	+4	Carlile
Wins	2	Fanti|Halverson
GAA	1.01	Halverson
Save %	.957	Halverson

 

North Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	PCT	GF	GA	PIM	HOME	ROAD	LAST 10	STREAK	S/O
1. Syracuse	4	4	0	0	0	8	1.000	16	7	46	1-0-0-0	3-0-0-0	4-0-0-0	4-0-0-0	0-0
2. Laval	4	3	1	0	0	6	0.750	14	8	62	2-0-0-0	1-1-0-0	3-1-0-0	3-0-0-0	0-0
3. Toronto	4	3	1	0	0	6	0.750	12	8	59	2-0-0-0	1-1-0-0	3-1-0-0	3-0-0-0	0-0
4. Cleveland	4	2	1	0	1	5	0.625	6	8	60	0-1-0-1	2-0-0-0	2-1-0-1	0-1-0-1	0-1
5. Rochester	4	2	2	0	0	4	0.500	12	14	57	1-0-0-0	1-2-0-0	2-2-0-0	0-1-0-0	0-0
6. Utica	4	0	3	1	0	1	0.125	8	14	76	0-2-1-0	0-1-0-0	0-3-1-0	0-3-1-0	0-0
7. Belleville	4	0	3	1	0	1	0.125	8	18	51	0-1-1-0	0-2-0-0	0-3-1-0	0-3-1-0	0-0