CRUNCH SEARCH FOR WIN BEFORE BREAK 
 
The Crunch and Rochester Americans finish a home-and-home series tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena before the AHL All-Star Break.
 
The Amerks knocked off the Crunch, 4-1, last night at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester and they have won four of the first six games of this 12-game season series. The teams split a two-game set prior to the AHL's Christmas Break.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 4:45 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 Americans raced out to a 3-0 first period lead and defeated the Crunch, 4-1, last night at Blue Cross Arena.
 
Isak Rosen stayed hot for the Amerks, logging his third straight multi-goal game. He opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 4:13 for his team-leading 21st goal of the season. Ty Tullio followed with his first goal of the campaign at 9:03 and then Brett Murray made it 3-0 with a power-play goal at 11:16. 
 
Murray's goal chased Brandon Halverson, who allowed three goals on five shots. Ryan Fanti made his Crunch debut in relief and stopped 17-of-17. 
 
Dylan Duke got the Crunch on the board on a give-and-go with Max Crozier at 5:20 of the second period. It was his 12th goal of the season, but that was all the Crunch would get past Devon Levi (27-of-28). Rosen added an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Amerks.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch couldn't claw back from an early 3-0 first period deficit against the Americans, ultimately falling 4-1 on the road. Syracuse has dropped four of its last five games and three of its last four away from home. With a record of 18-15-5-4, they sit in fifth place in the North Division with 45 points.
 
Dylan Duke scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season for the lone Syracuse tally on the evening. It marked Duke's first goal since Dec. 18 against Rochester, when he scored twice. During his eight-game goal drought, his only point was an assist against Utica (Jan. 8). He also missed seven games due to a lower-body injury. The 21-year old currently ranks in the top-10 among rookie goal scorers in the AHL.
 
The Crunch outshot Rochester 28-23, marking four consecutive games with more shots on goal than their opponent. Over the last four games, Syracuse has averaged 17 more shots per game compared to its opposition. They are 7-9-1-1 this season when outshooting their opponent.
 
FANTI'S FIRST IMPRESSION
 
For the first time this season, the Crunch made an in-game goaltending change after Brandon Halverson, one of Syracuse's AHL All-Stars, allowed three goals on just five shots against the Americans. It was an unusual misstep for Halverson, who ranks top-five in the AHL in goals-against average (2.12) and top-10 in save percentage (.921).
 
With Halverson's night cut short, the Crunch called upon Ryan Fanti to replace him just over halfway through the first period. It was Fanti's first appearance as a member of the Crunch, and he turned aside all 17 shots he faced the rest of the way. The 25-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ontario, made his first AHL appearance since January 2023, when he played with the Bakersfield Condors.
 
Most recently, Fanti played in 24 games for the Orlando Solar Bears, the ECHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting an 11-10-2 record, with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Fanti signed a one-year, AHL contract with the Crunch this past summer.
 
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS
 
The Amerks seek to sweep the home-and-home in pursuit of a four-game win streak prior to the AHL All-Star Break. A win would mark Rochester's third stretch of four or more consecutive wins this season.
 
The Americans are in second place in the North Division with 56 points and a 26-12-3-1 record trailing the Laval Rocket by one point. Rochester has won two of its three matchups at Upstate Medical University Arena this season, and its 17-6-1-0 (35 points) road record is the best in the AHL.
 
Isak Rosen continues to lead the charge for the Amerks with 38 points (22g, 16a) in 39 games. He has scored two goals in each of the last three games, setting a career-high with 22 goals this season. The 2021 first-round pick by the Sabres is currently second in the AHL in goals and eighth in points.
 
WINTER BLUES
 
The Crunch hope a new month means more success. They ended January — their busiest month of the season — with a 5-6-1-1 record. It's the first time the Crunch have finished below 0.500 in a month this season. They were 4-3-0-0 in October, 4-4-1-3 in November and 5-2-3-0 in December. 
 
The last time the Crunch finished below 0.500 in a calendar month was October 2022 when the team went 1-3-1-2 (0.357).
 
The Crunch averaged only 2.31 goals per game in January, their lowest total of any month this season. They allowed 2.92 goals per game, which is the second most in a month (3.00, November).
 
Syracuse has nine games on the docket in February.
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD
 
The Crunch and Amerks finish their third two-game set of the season tonight. They have played six times so far in their 12-game series with Rochester winning four times.
 
Dylan Duke scored his third goal of the series, tying him with Conor Sheary for the most on the Crunch. Isak Rosen leads all skaters with six goals and seven points. He has goals in four of the six games. Brett Murray is the other Amerk with multiple goals (3).