CRUNCH CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON

The Crunch wrap up their 31st regular season with the 14th and final meeting of the season against the Utica Comets.
 
The regular season finale takes place at Upstate Medical University Arena, and it is the Crunch's final contest before they begin the Calder Cup Playoffs next Friday at Rochester in the North Division Semifinals.
 
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

Dylan Duke and Conor Sheary both reached the 20-goal mark to lead the Crunch to a 3-2 win over the Utica Comets last night at the Adirondack Bank Center.
 
After neither team scored in the first period, the clubs combined for four goals in the second. Ryan Schmelzer scored twice for Utica, including the opening tally 38 seconds into the frame. The Crunch rattled off a pair in just over a minute to take a 2-1 lead. Conor Sheary fired home his 20th goal at 6:24 of the frame. Less than 90 seconds later Sheary set up Dylan Duke for a power-play goal to make it 2-1. Schmelzer answered that with his second strike later in the period.
 
Duke added his second goal in the opening minute of the third. His second power-play tally of the game put the Crunch ahead for good. Ryan Fanti closed it out for his third win and Syracuse improved to 7-5-1-0 in the season series against the Comets.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH

The Crunch have won their first two games this week to make it 14 wins in the last 17 games since March 9. Syracuse enters tonight's game with 86 points and a 37-22-8-4 record. 
 
The Crunch can match or surpass their final points total from last year (87), when they finished in third place in the division, but missed out on a division title by one point. 
 
The Crunch are locked into third place again this season after earning a win against the Comets last night. They have finished at least in third place in four straight seasons. 
 
PLAYOFF MATCHUP SET

For the third consecutive season — and for the fourth time in the last six Calder Cup Playoffs — the Crunch will face off against the Rochester Americans in the North Division Semifinals. Rochester is the second seed and will have home ice advantage in the best-of-five series, which has the following schedule.
 
Game 1 — Friday, April 25, 7:05 p.m. – @ Rochester
Game 2 — Sunday, April 27, 3:05 p.m. – @ Rochester
Game 3 — Thursday, May 1, 7 p.m. – @ Syracuse
*Game 4 — Saturday, May 3, 7 p.m. – @ Syracuse
*Game 5 — Friday, May 9, 7:05 p.m. – @ Rochester
 
Playoff tickets are on sale now. Playoff flex packages are also on sale and include 10 playoff vouchers for $250. Those can be purchased online at www.syracusecrunch.com/playoffflex or in person at Guest Services located behind Section 222.
 
DUO REACH 20 GOALS

Veteran Conor Sheary and rookie Dylan Duke both scored their 20th goals of the season last night against the Comets. Sheary reached the mark first by tying the score at one in the second period. It's his first 20-goal campaign in the AHL since 2014-15. He paces the Crunch with 61 points in 59 games.
 
Sheary had assists on both of Duke's tallies, which were Duke's 19th and 20th goals of the season. The Strongsville, Ohio native is the 13th Crunch rookie to score 20 goals in a season, and he is the first since Cole Koepke in 2021-22. He is one of 11 AHL rookies with at least 20 goals this season.
 
REST UP 

The Crunch are in a rare position where there is nothing at stake in the regular season finale. The Crunch are locked into third place and will face the Rochester Americans in the North Division Semifinals beginning on Friday.
 
With that in mind the Crunch will likely rest some of their regulars ahead of the Calder Cup Playoffs. All five of the late season additions from NCAA or the CHL are expected to play tonight. 
 
That includes defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata, who is expected to make his pro debut. He played at Ohio State this season, adding 31 points (2g, 29a) in 38 games. He played the previous four years at RIT; in 170 career collegiate games he added 109 points (11g, 98a).
 
SCOUTING THE COMETS

The Comets setback last night against the Crunch clinched their first sub 0.500 season in team history. They are 30-33-6-2 and have 68 points; they will finish last in the North Division and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season.
 
Captain Ryan Schmelzer is expected to be in the lineup tonight to make it two straight seasons of appearing in all 72 Utica games. He scored their two goals last night and has 23 on the season. He tops the Comets in scoring with 43 points. It would be the second straight season he has led Utica scorers.
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Crunch and Comets finish off their season series tonight. Syracuse has a slight lead with a 7-5-1-0 record, but the Comets can even it with a regulation win. The Crunch have won the last four matches after the Comets rattled off five straight wins from Jan. 8 to March 7.
 
Most of the contests have been low-scoring games. The teams have both scored 28 goals for an average of 2.15 goals per game. The Crunch have scored more than two goals only four times in 13 games.
 
Conor Sheary leads all scorers with 13 points in 12 games. He is tied with Utica's Ryan Schmelzer for the series lead with five goals. Schmelzer is tied with Xavier Parent for the Comets lead with eight points in 13 games.