CRUNCH RENEW RIVALRY WITH ROCHESTER
 
The Syracuse Crunch play the opening game of their rivalry series against the Rochester Americans tonight at Blue Cross Arena.
 
Syracuse split a two-game opening weekend set in Laval last week, while Rochester posted a 1-0-0-1 mark to begin the season.
 
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 scored first, but the Laval Rocket rattled off six consecutive goals in a 6-1 decision Saturday at Place Bell.
 
Max Groshev got the scoring started for the Crunch with a power-play goal at 7:21 of the first period. Tomas Kralovic picked up his first point in North America with the primary assist, and Clark Bishop nabbed his first assist with the Crunch with the secondary helper.
 
Syracuse carried the 1-0 lead into the second period, but Reilly Walsh leveled the scored 47 seconds into the frame. That began a surge that saw Laval scored three times less than nine minutes to go up 3-1. The Rocket added three more in the third for a 6-1 win.
 
HARKINS, JAMES JOIN THE CRUNCH 
 
A pair of forwards have joined the Crunch ahead of their weekend opener in Rochester. Forwards Jansen Harkins and Dominic James were assigned to the Crunch prior to Friday.
 
Harkins, a veteran of 500 pro games, is in his first season with the Lightning organization after signing as a free agent this summer. The 29-year-old played in the Lightning's season opener, finishing with 10:55 time on ice. He has skated in 306 NHL games for the Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets. He has also played 225 AHL games for San Diego, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Manitoba.
 
James, 24, is in his second season with the organization. He burst onto the scene as a rookie last year and picked up five points (3g, 2a) in the first four Crunch games before earning a permanent recall to the Lightning. He added 15 points (7g, 8a) in 43 games for the Bolts. He missed the start of the season due to a broken bone in his hand.
 
RIVALRY FIRES BACK UP
 
The Crunch and Americans open the 33rd chapter of their longstanding rivalry tonight. The teams are coming in after an evenly matched series in 2025-26, in which both clubs claimed six wins over 12 games. They did not meet in the players in 2026 for the first time since 2022, breaking a string of three straight postseason meetings.
 
Tonight is the 352nd all-time regular season match. The teams have 24 wins apiece since the start of the 2022-23 season.
 
In last season's series, Jakob Pelletier (6g, 6a) and Nick Abruzzese (4g, 8a) topped Crunch scorers. Rochester's Zac Jones topped all players with 14 points (6g, 8a), but he is now with the Tucson Roadrunners.
 
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS
 
The Rochester Americans picked up three of four possible points during their opening weekend. They won their season opener Friday at home against the Toronto Marlies and then fell in a shootout to the Belleville Senators on Sunday.
 
Former Crunch General Manager Stacy Roest now heads up the Amerks as GM, and he has two prominent former Crunch players in Rochester. Matthew Peca, who earned 147 points (38g, 109a) over 218 Crunch games is in his first season with the Amerks after signing a two-year contract. The 33-year-old finished last season with the Crunch after being acquired from Springfield at the AHL trade deadline.
 
Conor Sheary spent one high-powered season in Syracuse in 2024-25. He potted 61 points (20g, 41a) over 59 games that season before spending all of last season in the NHL with the New York Rangers.