CRUNCH HOST AMERKS FOR MONDAY MATINEE
The Syracuse Crunch wrap a stretch of four games in six days with a Monday matinee against the Rochester Americans at Upstate Medical University Arena.
It's the third head-to-head meeting in 13 days between the clubs. Rochester has won three straight against Syracuse in the season series and is 4-2-0-0 against the Crunch this season.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Countdown to Crunch Time at 12:45 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 Crunch snapped a six-game road winless streak (0-4-1-1) with a 4-1 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Saturday night at the PPL Center.
They snapped a long road goal drought — nearly 185 minutes — with a pair of second period tallies.
Dylan Duke nabbed a power-play goal and
Tristan Allard cashed in on a feed from
Milo Roelens for a 2-0 lead. The Phantoms answered with a power-play goal late in the frame to make it 2-1.
Tommy Miller and
Nick Abruzzese added goals in the third period to help the Crunch pull away for their 21st win of the season.
POWER PLAY MACHINE
Dylan Duke scored a power-play goal to give him 10 goals in the last 15 games since Dec. 12. The power-play strike was his 12th man-up goal this season, which is tied with Belleville's Arthur Kaliyev for the league lead.
Duke's last six goals — and 12 of his last 15 — have been scored on the power play. He has scored 12 of the Crunch's 32 power-play goals this season. The Crunch's single-season record for power-play goals is held by Reggie Savage with 20 in 2000-01.
MATINEE SUCCESS
This afternoon's tilt with the Amerks marks the ninth time since the 2016-17 season that the Crunch are hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee matchup; it's the 10th straight year overall (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season) they've had a game on the holiday. Syracuse is 8-1 and has outscored its opponents 26-12 on home ice and 26-13 overall.
The Crunch's holiday winning streak was snapped with a 2-1 loss to the Utica Comets last season. Prior to that they won eight straight on the holiday, including a road win in Rochester in 2016.
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS
Like the Crunch, the Americans finish a stretch of four games in six days today. After defeating the Crunch Wednesday in Rochester, the Amerks have dropped two straight to slip to 19-13-4-1 this season. They have 43 points and are in fourth in the North Division.
Rochester was shut out for the second time this season in its last game Saturday versus Utica. The Amerks were also blanked by the Crunch on Oct. 18. Despite that, the Amerks are the second-most potent offense in the Eastern Conference with an average of 3.32 goals per game.
Devon Levi has received the lion's share of ice time in the net. He has played 25 games and is 13-7-5 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. He is 3-1-0/2.53/.909 in four starts versus Syracuse, and he has one shutout against the Crunch.
ROSTER MOVES
Sunday saw a wave of roster moves. Goaltender
Brandon Halverson returned to the Crunch from the Lightning. He has a team-leading 12 wins in 20 appearances for the Crunch (12-6-2).
Jon Gillies — who started and won Saturday at Lehigh Valley — was released from his PTO while
Spencer Kersten was returned on loan to Orlando after skating in two Crunch games.
