CRUNCH-AMERKS RIVALRY RESUMES  

The Crunch play the middle game of a three-in-three weekend tonight against the Rochester Americans at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The Amerks have won five of the eight previous meetings this season, but two of the three games in Syracuse have required overtime. They face off three more times in March after tonight.
 
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

Filip Larsson made 31 saves as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins blanked the Crunch, 2-0, last night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
It was a goalie rematch against Brandon Halverson, who shut out the Penguins, 2-0, on Oct. 25. Halverson made 35 saves last night, but the goal he allowed one minute into the game to Valtteri Puustinen proved to be decisive.
 
It remained a 1-0 game deep into the third period until Atley Calvert cashed in off a turnover for his first AHL goal at 15:51 to make it 2-0. Larsson made 14 saves in the third period to make it stick as he earned his fifth shutout of the season.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH

Syracuse had its modest two-game winning streak snapped last night with a 2-0 loss to the Penguins. The result pushed the Crunch down to sixth place in the North Division with a 22-18-7-4 record. Syracuse is one point behind the Belleville Senators for the final playoff spot with 21 games remaining.
 
The Crunch also finish a four-game homestand tonight. It is their longest stretch of home games all season, and the team has posted a 2-1-0-0 record so far. The Crunch have only won 10 of their 26 home games this season (10-8-4-4). Seventeen of their 26 home games have been decided by one goal (6-3-4-4). By comparison only seven of their 25 road games have been one-goal contests (1-3-3-0).
 
MENTAL WELLNESS NIGHT

Tonight the Crunch will wear special Mental Wellness warmup jerseys for Mental Wellness Night. Mental Wellness Night is part of the team's season-long Mental Wellness Campaign presented by AmeriCU Credit Union, ANOVA Marine Insurance, The Lobdell Family, Mar-Con Companies, Pinnacle Employee Services, Todd Ruetsch & Family and Upstate Medical University.
 
The special jerseys will be worn during warmups only. The warmup jerseys will be auctioned off after the game in a live postgame auction on the ice. Those looking to participate in the auction should head to Sections 102 and 103 following the game.
 
HELD OFF THE SCOREBOARD 

The Crunch were held scoreless last night for the fourth time this season. It was the first time they've been blanked on home ice all season. Last year, the Crunch were shut out twice on home ice — once against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Nov. 10, 2023) and once against Rochester (March 27, 2024).
 
Syracuse is 1-1-0-1 this season in games following a shutout loss. The Crunch have scored eight goals in those three games, but five came in their one victory (Oct. 20 at Belleville).
 
The four shutout losses for the Crunch are the most they've had in a season since 2018-19 (4). That season, the Crunch averaged 3.47 goals per game. This season the Crunch are only averaging 2.71 goals per game.
 
NO DAYS OFF

The Crunch continue their second of three three-in-three weekend sets tonight. It's their first such weekend since Oct. 18-20, a three-game stretch on the road at Laval twice and at Belleville during the second weekend of the campaign.
 
Syracuse dropped the first two games of that set in Laval before earning a Sunday afternoon victory over the Senators. The Crunch will also play three straight days during the final weekend of March.
 
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS

The Americans arrive in Syracuse on the heels of a 3-2 shootout loss last night that snapped a four-game winning streak. Rochester has only two regulation losses since Jan. 25. An 11-2-0-1 spurt has pushed the Amerks to first overall in the AHL with 73 points (34-14-3-2). They lead Laval for the top spot both in the division and in the league by four points, but the Rocket have two games in hand.
 
The Amerks score and defend extremely well. They lead the Eastern Conference with 3.49 goals scored per game and rank fifth in the AHL with 2.66 goals allowed per game. 
 
Isak Rosén leads the Amerks offense with 50 points in 50 games. He is one point off the AHL scoring lead and he also ranks second in the league with 26 goals. Seven of his 26 strikes have been against the Crunch, including the overtime winner in their last meeting in Syracuse on Feb. 1.
 
Devon Levi has backstopped the Amerks to a 19-6-2 record. He is second in the league in wins (19), third in goals-against average (2.16) and tied for first in shutouts (5).
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Crunch and Americans go head-to-head for the ninth time in the 12-game season series. The Amerks have won five of the eight meetings against the Crunch (3-3-1-1), but two games required overtime. The Crunch have outscored the Amerks, 23-22.
 
Dylan Duke leads the Crunch with five goals against the Amerks. He ranks second in the series behind Isak Rosén (7). Duke is tied with Conor Sheary (4g, 1a) for third on the Crunch in scoring against Rochester. 
 
Devon Levi (4-3-0/2.56/.897) has started seven of the eight meetings. Matt Tomkins has seen action in two (1-0-1/1.44/.957).