CRUNCH CHALLENGE CHECKERS IN CHARLOTTE
 
The Syracuse Crunch travel to Charlotte to face off against the Checkers in the first game of a two-game weekend set at Bojangles Coliseum.
 
It's the first time the Crunch and Checkers go head-to-head since the 2022-23 season. The teams play two games in Charlotte and then meet twice in Syracuse in February.
 
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
 
Wojciech Stachowiak and Dylan Duke both scored twice to lead the Crunch to a 5-3 win over the Rochester Americans Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena.
 
Stachowiak scored both of his goals in the first period. He connected on a rebound 38 seconds into the game, and then he ripped a power-play goal later to make it 2-1 Crunch.
 
Syracuse controlled the second period and potted a pair to go up 4-1. Dylan Duke made it 3-1 with a rebound goal and Scott Sabourin added a power-play goal. The Amerks pulled within 4-3 early in the third period, but Duke added insurance for the Crunch with a left circle snipe. Syracuse held on for its fifth road win of the season.
 
TEN GAMES IN THE BOOKS
 
The Crunch have matched their best start through 10 games in franchise history. They have grabbed 16 of 20 possible points with an 8-2-0-0 record through 10 games. 
 
Syracuse has twice previously earned 16 of 20 possible points to open a season. The Crunch began the 2012-13 season with a 7-1-1-1 record; the Crunch made their first ever appearance in the Calder Cup Finals later that season. The Crunch also began the 1996-97 campaign with an 8-2-0-0 mark.
 
BATTLE OF FLORIDA, AHL EDITION
 
The NHL's nastiest rivalry — Tampa Bay versus Florida — shifts to the AHL tonight when their respective affiliates battle in Charlotte. The rivalry between the Lightning and Panthers has exploded in recent seasons and came to a head in the final preseason game between the teams on Oct. 4. The teams combined for 322 penalty minutes in that game, with the Lightning accruing 182 to the Panthers' 140.
 
Eight current Crunch skaters played in that game for the Lightning and two Checkers saw action that night. Those eight Lightning skaters combined for 90 penalty minutes. Scott Sabourin received a four-game NHL suspension following the game; he has since served all four games of that suspension.
 
SCOUTING THE CHECKERS
 
The Checkers (4-4-1-0) sit in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The defending Eastern Conference Champions have lost four of their last five after beginning the campaign 3-1-0-0. The Checkers split two games last weekend, but they enter tonight's games off a 5-2 loss to the Providence Bruins on Sunday.
 
Charlotte has relied on scoring by committee through its first nine games. Swedish forward Wilmer Skoog leads the Checkers with eight points, while fellow forward Ben Steeves' four goals pace the club. No Charlotte players rank among the AHL's top 40 in points. 
 
Goaltender Cooper Black has appeared in eight of their nine games this season. He is 4-3-1- with a 3.21 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage. 
 
CLOSING IN ON THE CENTURY MARK
 
Forward Boris Katchouk sits at 99 career Crunch points entering the weekend. The Waterloo, Ontario native has earned 40 goals and 59 assists in 177 Crunch games. He is set to become the 42^nd skater to reach 100 points for the franchise.
 
Now in his second stint with the Crunch (also 2018-22), Katchouk has nine points (4g, 5a) in 10 games this season.
 
JAMES JOINS SCORING PARTY
 
Forward Dominic James scored his first NHL goal and notched his first NHL points for the Tampa Bay Lightning in last night's win over the Vegas Golden Knights. James finished with one goal and two assists.
 
The rookie began the season with the Crunch, picking up five points (3g, 2a) in the first four games of the season prior to his first career NHL recall. James was pointless in his first seven games for the Bolts prior to last night.