CRUNCH BEGIN HOME-AND-HOME WITH COMETS
 
The Syracuse Crunch face off against the Utica Comets in the first half of a home-and-home series tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena. 
 
Tonight is the ninth match of the season series. The Crunch are 6-2-0-0 this season against the Comets, and they are 4-0-0-0 on home ice.
 
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
 
The Crunch rallied for a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rochester Americans Monday afternoon at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Syracuse scored first when Conor Geekie received a pass from Nick Abruzzese and fired home his 11th goal of the season at 14:59 of the first period
 
The Amerks grabbed the lead in the second period with two goals six minutes apart from Jake Leschyshyn and Zac Jones. Jakob Pelletier tied the game at two with 4:16 remaining in the third period.
 
Neither team scored in overtime. Max Groshev scored in the third round of the shootout, and Ryan Fanti stopped all three Rochester attempts to give the Crunch their third straight win. 
 
SABOURIN'S RETURN
 
Veteran Scott Sabourin has returned to the Crunch from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 33-year-old has appeared in 29 combined games for the Lightning and Crunch this season. He has three points in nine games for the Bolts. He also has eight points (6g, 2a) in 20 Crunch games.
 
Sabourin's last game was Dec. 28 versus Montreal before he suffered an injury. His last appearance for the Crunch was on Dec. 20 at Providence in the team's final game before the Christmas Break.
 
SCOUTING THE COMETS
 
Utica was shut out, 3-0, by Rochester last night despite outshooting the Amerks, 23-21. This season, the Comets have posted 29 points in 37 games (11-19-4-3) and are in last place in the North Division.
 
Forward Brian Halonen leads Utica with 11 goals on the campaign. The 27-year-old has found the back of the net five times in his last seven games. Blueliner Seamus Casey is the Comets' active scoring leader. Utica's lone All-Star has amassed 18 points (1g, 17a).
 
Nico Daws has started the majority of games in the crease for the Comets this season. He is 6-11-6 with a 3.02 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage in 24 games played. Rookie Jakub Málek allowed three goals on 21 shots in last night's 3-0 loss at Rochester. 
 
PELLETIER RECALLED
 
All-Star Jakob Pelletier was recalled to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier today. The 24-year-old leads the Crunch — and is third overall in the AHL — with 41 points (19g, 22a) in 35 games. He also tops the Crunch with 19 goals, including a tying goal in Monday's shootout win versus Rochester.
 
Pelletier has skated in one game for the Lightning this season. He has missed four Crunch games due to recall this season; the Crunch are 1-3-0-0 in those games and have been held to one goal in each of the three losses. 
 
BREAKING THROUGH IN OVERTIME
 
The Crunch bested the Rochester Americans in a shootout on Monday to snap the team's three-game skid in games decided after regulation. The Crunch are 2-3-0-0 overall this season in games requiring overtime, and that includes a 1-1 mark in shootout games. 
 
Syracuse has played the fewest overtime games (5) in the AHL. Last season the Crunch played 21 overtime contests, and they were 9-13 overall in those games.
 
Max Groshev's shootout game-winning goal was the second of his career. He also scored the shootout deciding goal Dec. 7, 2024, at Cleveland.