CRUNCH CLASH WITH SENATORS

The Syracuse Crunch play their third game in four nights when they play host to the Belleville Senators tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
It's the second game of the eight-game season series between the clubs. The Crunch won in Belleville, 5-3, two weeks ago.
 
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

Ryan Fanti made 33 saves to help the Crunch earn a 4-0 win over the Utica Comets last night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Fanti was busiest in the third period when he turned aside 16 shots to preserve the 4-0 lead. Syracuse got that advantage with goals from Scott Sabourin, Nick Abruzzese, Brendan Furry and Conor Geekie.
 
The Crunch went 1-for-7 on the power play and they were 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
 
AWESOME OCTOBER

The Crunch capped off their most successful October in team history with their win last night. The Crunch finished the month with a 7-1-0-0 record for a 0.875 points percentage. That eclipsed the 0.857 (6-1-0-0) mark in 2008-09 that stood as the club's best October.
 
Syracuse posted a 4-1-0-0 road record and a 3-0-0-0 mark at Upstate Medical University Arena, where the Crunch have outscored opponents 10-0.
 
FANTI FEELING FINE

Ryan Fanti earned his first career AHL shutout last night against the Comets. His 33-save performance was the Crunch's third clean sheet in eight games so far this season.
 
Fanti is off to a 3-0-0 start with a 1.66 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. In 10 appearances with the Crunch over the last two seasons, the Thunder Bay, Ontario native is 6-1-0 with a 1.53 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.
 
The 26-year-old did have a shared shutout with Matt Tomkins on March 21, 2025 at Lehigh Valley.
 
POWER PRODUCTION

The Crunch had mixed results on the power play last night. They were officially 1-for-7 in the game, but they had many dangerous chances. Conor Geekie scored the lone power-play goal (5-on-3) for his third power-play goal of the season. He is one behind Jakob Pelletier for the team lead for man-up goals. Those two have scored seven of the Crunch's eight power-play goals this season.
 
Pelletier has seven power-play points; his four goals are tied with Rochester's Isak Rosen for the league lead and his seven points are third behind Rosen and Zac Jones, who both have nine for the Amerks.
 
Geekie led the Crunch with eight power-play goals last season. In 28 career AHL games, Geekie has scored 11 of his 14 goals via the power play.
 
SCOUTING THE SENATORS

The Senators enter their first of four visits to Syracuse with a 3-4-1-0 record. They were off last night, but they dropped their first game this week, 4-1, versus Rochester on Wednesday. The Senators had won their previous three games with wins over Laval and Toronto.
 
Stephen Halliday paces the Senators in scoring with nine points (1g, 8a) in eight games. The 23-year-old has notched a point in six of his eight appearances. He led Belleville in scoring last season with 51 points (19g, 32a) in 71 games.
 
Hunter Shepard has earned two of Belleville's three wins this season, but he has been recalled to Ottawa. Leevi Meriläinen returns from Ottawa; he is 1-1-0 with a 3.50 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage in two starts for Belleville.