CRUNCH FACE OFF AGAINST COMETS

The Syracuse Crunch look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they host the Utica Comets tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Syracuse and Utica will go head-to-head 12 times in the regular season. Both teams went 7-6-1-0 in 14 meetings last season.
 
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 couldn't dig themselves out of a 2-0 hole and fell to the Rochester Americans, 4-2, Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena.
 
The Amerks took advantage of a slow Crunch start to grab a 2-0 lead by the 8:23 mark of the first period. Syracuse pulled within one with a power-play goal by Conor Geekie at 19:07.
 
Rochester scored its second power-play goal of the game to go up 3-1 at 7:19 of the middle period. Nick Abruzzese answered with his first goal of the season to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Amerks netted a shorthanded goal later in the frame to take a 4-2 lead, which stood as the final score.
 
ABRUZZESE SNAGS 100TH ASSIST

Crunch forward Nick Abruzzese continued his strong start to the season with a multi-point performance in Wednesday's loss to the Americans. The 26-year-old scored his first Crunch goal and added an assist to give him five points (1g, 4a) in five games.
 
The helper on Conor Geekie's power-play goal marked his 100th career AHL assist. The Harvard product has collected 148 career AHL points in 216 games for the Crunch and Toronto Marlies.
 
GEEKIE SCORES IN RETURN TO CRUNCH

Forward Conor Geekie scored the first goal for Syracuse on Wednesday against Rochester. The 21-year-old, who led the Crunch with eight power-play goals last year, notched his first man-up score of the year with a one-timer from the right circle.
 
Tampa Bay reassigned Geekie to Syracuse after six NHL games this season. The former 11th overall pick has played in 58 career NHL games, all with the Lightning, since turning pro last season.
 
JAMES MAKES NHL DEBUT

Forward Dominic James made his NHL debut last night for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The rookie began the season with the Crunch, earning points in his first four games before getting recalled on Wednesday.
 
The 23-year-old finished with one shot and 9:59 of ice time over 14 shifts versus the Chicago Blackhawks. 
 
James' three goals for the Crunch lead the team, while his five points are tied for second.
 
SCOUTING THE COMETS

The Comets (0-3-1-0) enter tonight's matchup in search of their first win of the season. Their one standings point sits last in the North Division. Utica has played just one road game — a 3-2 loss in Toronto last Sunday. 
 
Xavier Parent leads the Comets in scoring with four points (2g, 2a) through four games. The 24-year-old was fourth on the team last season with 36 points. They also have the services of Angus Crookshank, who has 12 goals and 19 points in 19 career games against the Crunch. 
 
NO BACKING DOWN

The Crunch have not shied away from the rough stuff thus far. Syracuse logged a pair of fights in Wednesday's loss and now leads the league with six major penalties — all of which are fights.
 
Wednesday's combatants for the Crunch were Declan Carlile and Jakob Pelletier. It was Pelletier's first fight at the pro level.