CRUNCH LOOK TO REBOUND AGAINST HARTFORD

The Syracuse Crunch return home tonight to face the Hartford Wolf Pack at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
Both teams aim to bounce back from regulation losses last night. The Crunch fell in Utica and the Wolf Pack lost in Rochester.
 
Tonight is the first of two head-to-head meetings. The teams won't play again until March 6.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE

Countdown to Crunch Time at 4:45 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 were upended by the Utica Comets, 5-2, last night at NBT Bank Arena.
 
Utica opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period. The Crunch controlled play in the second frame but fell behind 4-2. Dylan Duke tipped home a power-play goal and Jakob Pelletier wired home his seventh goal in the last three games. Those Crunch goals, however, were matched by three opportunistic Utica tallies.
 
The Comets locked things down in the third and scored an empty-net goal late to ice the game. The loss snapped Syracuse's two-game win streak and three-game point streak.
 
PELLETIER EXTENDS STREAK 

Jakob Pelletier pushed his goal scoring streak to three games with a second period tally last night. The goal, which brought the Crunch within 3-2, was his seventh strike in the last three games. He posted consecutive hat tricks in the previous two games.
 
Pelletier had one goal streak of at least three games last season en route to winning the AHL's scoring title; he tallied a goal in four straight games from Dec. 6 to Dec. 13.
 
The 25-year-old leads the Crunch in goals (8) and points (13) in 11 games this season.
 
HARKINS FINDING HIS STRIDE 

Jansen Harkins stretched his point streak to three games with an assist on Dylan Duke's power-play goal. He has three points (2g, 1a) in that span and four points (3g, 1a) in eight games this season. 
 
The helper also marked his 100th career AHL assist. He has 165 career points in 233 AHL games.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK

The Wolf Pack are in the midst of a season-long, eight-game road trip that has seen stops in Pennsylvania, Ontario, Massachusetts and now New York. The eight-game swing ends in Springfield on Tuesday morning. The Wolf Pack are 2-3-1-0 during the trip, and they are 6-8-1-0 overall this season. They are 5-5-1-0 on the road.
 
The Wolf Pack's power play has scored in 11 of their 14 games this season. They have scored 16 power-play goals, which is the second-most in the league, and they rank sixth with a 24.2% conversion rate. Rookie Liam Greentree leads the AHL with six power-play goals, including one last night in Rochester.
 
AHL CELEBRATES 90^TH BIRTHDAY 

On November 7, 1936, all eight teams – the Buffalo Bisons, Cleveland Falcons, New Haven Eagles, Philadelphia Ramblers, Pittsburgh Hornets, Providence Reds, Springfield Indians and Syracuse Stars – were in action as what was then known as the International-American Hockey League began its inaugural season. 
 
The American Hockey League celebrates its 90th birthday tonight with all 32 teams in action. The festivities get underway with a 3:00 p.m. North Division clash between Cleveland and Laval. The nightcap features three Pacific Division contests that drop the puck at 9:00 p.m. EST.