CRUNCH EYE SPLIT IN ROCHESTER
 
The Crunch and Rochester Americans contest Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals this afternoon at Blue Cross Arena.
 
The Amerks took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series with a 3-2 comeback win in Game 1 on Friday.
 
Following today's game, the series shifts to Syracuse next Thursday and, if necessary, Saturday.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 2:50 p.m.
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com
 
AMERKS SWIPE GAME 1
 
The Amerks rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals. 
 
The teams combined for 26 first period shots, but starting goaltenders Brandon Halverson and Devon Levi kept it scoreless through 20 minutes. The Crunch broke through on the first shift of the second period. Conor Sheary entered the zone, cut left and beat Levi across the grain 21 seconds into the period. Dylan Duke doubled the advantage with a wraparound at 3:29 for his career playoff goal.
 
The Amerks wasted little time to p"ll e'en at two. Brendan Warren made it 2-1 less than a minute later slipping a shot inside the post. They tied it at 7:14 when Riley Fiddler-Schultz picked the top corner for a power-play goal. 
 
Rochester broke the tie three seconds after an unsuccessful man advantage in the third period. Lukas Rousek set up Kale Clague for a one-timer at 3:55 of the third. The Amerks held the lead to grab Game 1 for the second straight season against the Crunch.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch lost their third straight Game 1 dating back to last year's North Division Semifinals series against the Americans. Syracuse also lost Game 1 in the Division Finals against Cleveland; the Crunch won their series against Rochester, but they lost to the Monsters. They are 5-10 in series when losing the first game, including their 1-1 mark last year.
 
Including their regular season finale — a game in which they rested a number of regulars — the Crunch have lost back-to-back games in regulation for the first time since late January. They haven't lost three straight in any fashion since Jan. 31-Feb. 7.
 
Friday was also their first loss on the road since March 7. Syracuse tied a franchise record with nine straight road wins from March 9 through the end of the regular season. The Crunch's 21 road wins ranked seventh in the league.
 
SHEARY, DUKE PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
 
The Crunch's two leading goal scorers — Conor Sheary and Dylan Duke — got their postseasons started with a goal apiece in Game 1. Sheary scored the opening goal of the series and Duke followed a few minutes later to give the Crunch a 2-0 lead.
 
Sheary has 12 goals in 24 career Calder Cup Playoffs games. He has logged a point in his last nine AHL playoff outings dating to the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. That season he posted a point in all eight playoff games as a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Duke's goal was his first career playoff goal in his sixth playoff game.
 
Both players tied for the team lead with 20 goals in the regular season.
 
DUMONT, WALCOTT SET TO TIE TEAM RECORD
 
Crunch forwards Gabriel Dumont and Daniel Walcott are lined up to play their 40th playoff games as members of the Crunch. That will tie them with Matt Taormina for the franchise record for playoff appearances. Taormina saw playoff action in only two seasons with the Crunch and in both years the team went to the Calder Cup Finals (2013 and 2017).
 
Dumont and Walcott were teammates with Taormina on that 2017 Eastern Conference championship team. Both are playing in their sixth playoff season for the Crunch. Dumont has 20 points (9g, 11a) and Walcott has 9 points (2g, 7a) in their 39 playoff appearances. Walcott has played in 14 playoff games against Rochester over four playoff series.
 
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS
 
The Americans showed off why they ranked seventh in the AHL with 3.31 goals per game during the regular season with strong depth scoring in Game 1 against the Crunch. After falling behind 2-0, Brendan Warren and Riley Fiddler-Schultz found the scoresheet with tallies to tie the score. 
 
Warren had nine goals and 18 points in 58 regular season games. Friday's goal was his second career playoff goal in 11 games. Fiddler-Schultz spent most of last season in the ECHL, but the second-year pro totaled 13 goals and 26 points in 51 games for the Amerks this season. He earned first star honors for a two-point outing in his playoff debut in Game 1.
 
Defenseman Kale Clague netted the winner with his third period blast. He scored 10 times during the regular season but only had one goal over his final 26 games. It was his first career playoff goal in just his second game. 
 
DÉJÀ VU
 
The Crunch hopes history repeats itself after dropping Game 1 in Rochester on Friday. The 3-2 setback was an identical result to last year's Game 1 loss for the Crunch. 
 
Syracuse rebounded for a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1. Gabriel Fortier scored the overtime winner in that contest after the Crunch overcame a 2-0 deficit.
 
GETTING ONE UNDER THEIR BELT
 
Game 1 was the playoff debut for a pair of Crunch skaters. Rookie defenseman Roman Schmidt and forward Logan Brown both skated in their first pro playoff game on Friday. 
 
Brown earned an assist on the Crunch's second goal. He had 29 points (11g, 18a) in 33 games during the regular season. 
 
Schmidt led the Crunch with 79 penalty minutes during the regular season. He was named the team's most improved player during the team's year-end award ceremony.