CRUNCH HOST HALLOWEEN MATCH WITH COMETS
The Syracuse Crunch return home to begin a two-game home slate tonight against the Utica Comets.
It's the second game of the 12-game season series between the clubs. Syracuse began the series with a 3-0 win on home ice last Friday.
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 scored four goals in the second period en route to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Marlies Wednesday at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
The Marlies carried a 1-0 lead into the second period before the Crunch rattled off four straight goals.
Wojciech Stachowiak,
Tommy Miller,
Jakob Pelletier and
Conor Geekie netted the goals for the Crunch, who opened a 4-1 lead. The Marlies scored the final two goals of the frame to make it 4-3.
Syracuse held off a late Toronto push to improve to 6-1-0-0 on the season.
MILLER POTS HIS FIRST GOAL
Tommy Miller scored his first goal in a Crunch uniform on Wednesday, and it came against his former club. His tally from the high slot put the Crunch ahead, 2-1, against the Toronto Marlies.
In his time with the Marlies, Miller appeared in 119 games with 15 points (1g, 14a). Current Crunch teammates
Nick Abruzzese and
Matteo Pietroniro were also teammates with the Marlies.
DON'T COUNT OUT THE CRUNCH
The Crunch have had a knack for comeback wins early this season. In three of their six wins, the Crunch have surrendered the first goal. That includes both wins at Hershey and Wednesday's win at Toronto.
Syracuse is 3-1-0-0 this season when allowing the opponent to score first. The Crunch were 14-20-4-2 in those instances last season.
NEW FACES LEADING THE WAY
The Crunch's top two scorers are players who were not in the organization at this time last season.
Jakob Pelletier leads the team with nine points, which is tied for 11th in league scoring. His four power-play goals are tied for the AHL lead.
Boris Katchouk notched his fourth multi-point game of the season on Wednesday. The veteran has eight points (3g, 5a) this season. His game-winning goal against the Marlies gives the Crunch six different players with a game-winner in their six wins.
SCOUTING THE COMETS
The Comets (0-5-1-0) skate at Upstate Medical University Arena tonight for the second time this season. They are in last place in the North Division and join the Texas Stars as the only two AHL teams without a win. It's the second straight year Utica has gotten off to a sluggish start; last season, the Comets lost their first 13 games.
The Comets have scored just 10 goals and been shut out twice in their first six games of the season. Xavier Parent has been the Comets' best offensive threat. The 24-year-old forward from Quebec has five points (2g, 3a) so far this season. In an effort to help the offense, the Comets signed Kyle Criscuolo to an AHL contract this week. He has 283 career points in 500 AHL games.
CHAFFEE ASSIGNED TO SYRACUSE
The Lightning assigned
Mitchell Chaffee to the Crunch on Tuesday after the forward cleared waivers.
The Rockford, Michigan native has skated in seven games for the Lightning this season. He appeared in 66 games for the Bolts last season, adding 12 goals and 18 points. In his first stint with the Crunch in 2023-24, the winger tallied 12 goals and 26 points in 36 games before becoming a regular with the Lightning in February of that season.
