CRUNCH GO FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WIN 

The Syracuse Crunch play the tail end of a back-to-back as they face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tonight at the PPL Center. 
 
It's the second game of the four-game series between the teams. The Crunch grabbed a 3-1 win over the Phantoms last month in Syracuse.
 
The Crunch are shooting for back-to-back wins for the first time since their four-game winning streak Dec. 12-19.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE

Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:50 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 Crunch used three late third period goals to surge past the Comets, 5-2, at home last night at Upstate Medical University Arena. Syracuse improved to 20-14-2-1 overall and 6-2-0-0 against Utica this season.
 
Brendan Furry's game-winner with 4:33 remaining in the third period broke a 2-2 tie. Furry posted a season-high three points (1g, 2a), assisting on Lucas Mercuri's insurance goal two minutes later and Conor Geekie's empty-netter with 24 seconds remaining. Ryan Fanti was the game's first star, racking up a season-best 35 saves. Fanti now has seven wins on the campaign.
 
Dylan Duke and Jakob Pelletier also found the back of the net for the Crunch. Nick Abruzzese dished out two assists.
 
FEROCIOUS FURRY

Brendan Furry logged a team-high three points (1g, 2a), including the game-winner with 4:33 left in the third period, to lead the Crunch past the Comets, 5-2, last night. All three points came in the final five minutes of the game.
 
Furry's offensive outburst snapped a six-game pointless streak and a nine-game goal drought. It's marked just the second three-point-game of Furry's career and his first since April 15, 2023, as a member of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
 
In his first season with Syracuse, Furry has 16 points (7g, 9a) in 37 games played. The forward is on pace to set new career-highs in goals, assists and points. Last year, in Lehigh Valley, he managed 19 points (10g, 9a) in 61 games played. Tonight marks his first game as a visitor at the PPL Center.
 
ROCKY ROAD

The Crunch have hit some turbulence on their recent travels. The Crunch have gone winless in their last six road games (0-4-1-1) since Dec. 20 to fall to 10-10-2-1 away from Syracuse this season.
 
The Crunch have scored seven total goals in the six games. They have been shut out in two straight road games for the first time since Feb. 10-13, 2019. Their last goal on the road was scored by Dylan Duke at 19:17 of the first period on Jan. 1 in Toronto; they have been held without a goal for 160:43.
 
Syracuse averages 2.91 goals per game on the road compared to 3.71 per game at home.
 
SCOUTING THE PHANTOMS

Lehigh Valley enters tonight's contest fourth in the Atlantic Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 19-13-2-2 record. The Phantoms opened their home weekend last night with a 3-1 loss to Springfield at PPL Center. Lehigh Valley has been streaky to begin 2026. The Phantoms won their first three games of the new year but have since lost two straight.
 
Forward Lane Pederson has amassed six points (2g, 4a) in his last four games. He leads the Phantoms with 28 points (13g, 15a) this season.
 
Rookie goaltender Carson Bjarnason is 9-4-3 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Bjarnason allowed three goals on 38 shots in last night's 3-1 loss against Springfield.
 
ALLENTOWN HOMECOMING

Brendan Furry and Ethan Samson return to Allentown to face the Phantoms for the first time as visiting players. 
 
Furry played two full seasons with the Phantoms starting in 2023-24. He signed as a free agent with the Crunch this summer.
 
Samson began his third season with the Phantoms this year before being traded by Philadelphia to Tampa Bay in December.