CRUNCH HOST WOLF PACK
 
The Syracuse Crunch play their final home game of December tonight against the Hartford Wolf Pack at Upstate Medical University Arena. 
 
The teams meet just twice this season, and both contests take place within the span of a week. They rematch in Hartford next Friday.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Television: CNY Central — CW6 beginning at 7 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Crunch dominated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a 3-1 win last night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Syracuse limited the Phantoms to 15 shots for the game, but Lehigh Valley had only four through the first 40 minutes. The Crunch scored twice in the second period to open a lead. Dylan Duke tapped home a power-play goal 36 seconds into the frame and Jakob Pelletier added a shorthanded tally at 18:16.
 
The Phantoms spoiled Kevin Mandolese's shutout bid with a 6-on-4 goal at 18:16, but Conor Geekie iced the game with an empty-net goal to make it 3-1.
 
The win snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1-0) and was the team's third straight home win.
 
WALLY'S WORLD
 
Longtime Crunch forward Daniel Walcott makes his first appearance in Syracuse as an opponent tonight. The veteran signed a professional tryout on Nov. 27 and has played four games for the Wolf Pack, adding one assist.
 
Walcott played parts of the last 10 seasons with the Crunch, skating in a franchise record 494 games. He finished his Crunch tenure with 56 goals and 147 points.
 
The 31-year-old is lined up to skate in his 500th AHL game tonight.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
 
The Hartford Wolf Pack (9-11-4-0) enter tonight's matchup against the Crunch sitting in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with 22 points. After starting 3-7-4-0 they have gone 6-4-0-0 over the last 10 games.
 
The Wolf Pack took down the Comets last night in Utica, 2-1, to snap a two-game losing streak. Both goals were scored shorthanded for their first two shorthanded goals of the campaign.
 
Besides Daniel Walcott, Hartford also features former Crunch players Derrick Pouliot and Spencer Martin. Pouliot skated in 70 games for the Crunch last season and finished second on the team with 53 points (7g, 46a). 
 
Martin played two seasons in Syracuse from 2019 to 2021. He played in 48 games and went 19-16-7 with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
 
TRIPLE THREES
 
The Crunch have been a streaky team on home ice this season. Syracuse started the home portion of its schedule with three straight wins — all shutouts. 
 
The next three homes games were all regulation losses for the Crunch, and they were outscored 13-6. 
 
The Crunch have rebounded with another three-game winning streak at home. Each win has been by two goals. Tonight is the last home game of the calendar year; starting in January 26 of their final 42 games are slated for Upstate Medical University Arena. 
 
A SLICK SHORTY
 
Both teams scored shorthanded goals in their respective wins last night. Syracuse's shorthanded tally came from Jakob Pelletier for his team-leading 13th goal.
 
It marked Pelletier's third career shorthanded goal, and his first since March 25, 2022, during his rookie season with the Stockton Heat. The Crunch have three shorthanded strikes this season.