CRUNCH READY FOR 33RD HOME OPENER

The Syracuse Crunch hold their 33rd home opener in franchise history tonight when they take on the Belleville Senators at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
It's the first of eight meetings between the clubs this season.
 
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 lost their second straight game, 7-1, against the Rochester Americans last night at Blue Cross Arena.
 
The Amerks took a 2-0 lead with a pair of tallies late in the first period, and they went up 3-0 early in the second frame.
 
Brendan Furry cut the Amerks' lead to two goals off a rebound from a shot by Jarred Tinordi at 5:54 of the second period.
 
Rochester rattled off three more goals in the middle stanza and added one in the third. Three of their seven goals came on the power play, marking the second straight game in which the Crunch allowed three power-play goals.
 
COMFORTS OF HOME 

Tonight marks the 33rd home opener in Crunch history. The Crunch are 17-9-1-1 all-time in home openers, posting four ties along the way. They have won four straight home openers since 2022.
 
Since affiliating with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2012-13 season, the Crunch own a 9-4-1-0 record in home openers at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Syracuse bested Belleville, 2-1, in a shootout on Oct 12, 2024, the only other time the Crunch have hosted the Senators for their first home game.
 
BETWEEN THE PIPES

Tonight's probable starter in net, Mads Søgaard, is no stranger to the Senators. This is Søgaard's first season with the Crunch after spending the prior six in Belleville. The 25-year-old made 27 appearances for the Senators last season, sporting a .874 save percentage and going 7-13-4. 
 
Søgaard won 57 games and posted three shutouts in 131 career appearances for Belleville. The Dane also recorded two NHL appearances for Ottawa last season, winning once against Vegas, making 19 saves on 20 shots. Søgaard started his Crunch career hot, saving 27 shots and posting his fourth career shutout in the season opener at Laval.
 
SCOUTING THE SENATORS

Syracuse was 5-3-0-0 against Belleville last season. The Senators have found mixed success in their young 2026 campaign. Belleville fell to Hamilton in its season opener but came out on top in the shootout against Rochester last Sunday. Left wing Sammy Blais and right wing Xavier Bourgault lead the Sens with two points in two games. Blais also leads the league with five minor penalties this season. 
 
Belleville's projected starter is goalie Jonas Johansson. So far in 2026, Johansson is 1-1-0 with a .914 save percentage. In two career games vs. Syracuse, Johansson is 2-0-0. The native of Sweden spent the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he won 32 games. The Lightning traded Johansson to the Senators for future considerations on September 25. 
 
FURRY FIRES HOME FIRST OF THE SEASON

Forward Brendan Furry scored the lone tally in yesterday's loss to Rochester. The Toledo, Ohio native cashed in on a rebound to score his first goal since coming back from injury. 
 
His last goal came in Utica on March 8. Furry finished the 2025-26 season with 14 goals and 14 assists across 58 games.