CRUNCH EYE HOME SUCCESS VERSUS SENATORS
 
The Syracuse Crunch finish the weekend with a contest against the Belleville Senators tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
It's the third game of the eight-game season series between the clubs. The road team has won both games so far; the Senators dealt the Crunch their first home loss 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
 
The Crunch came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Hershey Bears last night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The teams played a scoreless first period for the third time in three meetings this season. The Bears broke through in the second frame. Ilya Protas zipped a power-play goal from low in the right circle at 11:47 to make it 1-0. They extended their lead when Andrew Cristall capitalized off a turnover to make it 2-0 at 12:45 of the third period.
 
Syracuse pushed hard to tie the score. Declan Carlile ripped a power-play goal at 18:13 to make it a one-goal game. The Crunch nearly tied it with less than a minute to play, but the Bears held on for the win.
 
The road team has won all three games of the series between Syracuse and Hershey.
 
PELLETIER GETS THE CALL
 
The Lightning recalled forward Jakob Pelletier from the Crunch this morning. The 24-year-old has appeared in 13 games with Syracuse, tallying five goals and 14 points. Pelletier leads the Crunch with nine assists and four power-play goals, while his 14 points are tied for the team lead with Dylan Duke (6g, 8a).
 
Today's move marks the third forward recalled from Syracuse this week. The Lightning called up Boris Katchouk and Scott Sabourin ahead of their Wednesday game versus New York. Five skaters —Pelletier, Katchouk, Sabourin, Dominic James and Charle-Edouard D'Astous — from Syracuse's opening night roster are currently on recall with the Lightning.
 
Pelletier owns 11 goals and 29 points in 86 career NHL games between the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. He could make his Lightning debut tonight against the Florida Panthers.
 
SCOUTING THE SENATORS
 
Belleville (7-6-1-0) enters Saturday in fourth place in the North Division. The Senators beat the Comets, 4-3 in a shootout, last night in Utica after overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the third period.
 
Wyatt Bongiovanni (6g, 1a) recorded the shootout winner last night. The Michigan native has found success against the Crunch. Three of his six goals have come versus Syracuse, including a two-goal outing in Belleville's first visit to the Salt City on Nov. 1.
 
Arthur Kaliyev has found the back of the net in each of the last four games. Kaliyev has posted 11 points (7g, 4a) in 12 games this season. The Uzbekistani was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Sens over the summer after 202 NHL games (38g, 37a) with the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.  
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD
 
The Crunch and Senators meet for the third time already this season. The road team has won the first two matches; Syracuse won, 5-3, at Belleville on Oct. 19 and the Senators won, 7-4, in Syracuse on Nov. 1. In 32 contests over the last five years, both teams have earned 16 wins.
 
Seven Crunch skaters have at least two points in the series against the Senators. Their leading scorer is Boris Katchouk with three (2g, 1a), but he is currently with Tampa Bay.
 
Wyatt Bongiovanni tops all players with three goals, and he is one of three Senators with three points versus the Crunch.