CRUNCH TURN ATTENTION TO FEBRUARY
The Syracuse Crunch finished the final week of January with back-to-back losses in Week 17.
The Crunch were edged in overtime by the Laval Rocket, 2-1, Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena. The Crunch concluded the weekend in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and lost, 4-1, to the Penguins on Saturday. Syracuse went 1-4-1-0 on the road in January.
The Crunch have fallen in three straight and completed the month with a 6-5-2-0 record. Syracuse sits in a three-way tie for second place in the North Division with 50 points (23-16-3-1) next to Toronto and Cleveland.
TOP PERFORMERS
Forward Connor Geekie was the only Crunch player to garner multiple points between the two games in Week 17. He scored Syracuse's only goal on Saturday and assisted the squad's lone strike on Friday.
The second-year pro filled up the scoresheet the most in the month of January with a team-high 12 points (4g, 8a). Geekie only was held pointless in four of his 11 games played and has points in six of his last seven contests. The Strathclair, Manitoba product currently sits second on the team in points (37) and is averaging exactly a point per game.
***
Brandon Halverson capped a strong individual month with a 33-save effort to earn the Crunch a standings point Friday versus Laval. It was only the fourth game this season in which Halverson made at least 30 saves. Among the saves was a penalty shot in the second period on the first penalty shot attempt against the Crunch this season.
Halverson finished January with a 3-2-2 record. He posted a 1.96 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage with one shutout.
The netminder also created Halvy's Saves for Recovery — a fundraising program created to raise funds and awareness for alcohol and drug recovery. For every save he makes this season, Halverson is donating $1 to Helio Health to support programs for alcohol and drug recovery. For more information, or to make a donation to the program, please visit
www.syracusecrunch.com/halvy.
SABOURIN RECALLED, CRUNCH ADD FROM ECHL
Forward Scott Sabourin was recalled to the Tampa Bay Lightning today with the Bolts readying for their final two games before the NHL's three-week Olympic Break. After missing three weeks due to injury, Sabourin returned to the Crunch lineup on Jan. 24; he did not record a point in four games following his return. The veteran has eight points (6g, 2a) in 24 Crunch games this season.
Syracuse added a pair of forwards from the Orlando Solar Bears heading into the week.
Cooper Flinton returns after spending two weekends in Orlando. He has one goal in 23 Crunch games this season, and he has also skated in eight games for Orlando.
Spencer Kersten was recalled from Orlando. He has skated in two Crunch games this season, and he has also added 39 points (18g, 21a) in 35 games for the Solar Bears.
UPCOMING WEEK
Wednesday, February 4 vs. Springfield | 7 p.m.
The Crunch face off for the first time against the Springfield Thunderbirds Wednesday at Upstate Medical University Arena. The two teams don't play again until April in Springfield. Syracuse has swept the season series in four of the previous five seasons.
The Thunderbirds began a stretch of six straight road games and was shut out by Bridgeport, 4-0, on Sunday. Springfield has won only seven of its 23 road games played (7-13-2-1), and the T-Birds are 0-6-1-0 in their last seven on the road.
Friday, February 6 vs. Belleville | 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 7 at Belleville | 7 p.m.
The Crunch and Belleville Senators clash in a home-and-home series leading into the AHL All-Star Break. The first leg takes place in Syracuse on Friday before the teams rematch in Belleville the following night. The clubs haven't met since the middle of November. The Senators have handed the Crunch two of their four regulation home losses this season; the road team has won all three games of the series.
The Senators made a coaching change in December with Andrew Campbell taking over on an interim basis on Dec. 17. Since Campbell took over the Senators are 8-5-5-0 to improve to 19-19-8-0 overall. They have 46 points and are in sixth place in the North Division. The Senators average 3.28 goals per game (8th), but they allow 3.63 goals per game (32nd).
WEEK 17 RESULTS
Friday, Jan. 30 | Game 42 vs. Laval | OTL, 2-1
Laval 1 0 0 1 - 2 Shots: 12-8-12-3-35 PP: 0/3
Syracuse 1 0 0 0 - 1 Shots: 5-5-8-3-21 PP: 0/2
1st Period-Chaffee 11 (
Geekie, Lundmark), 15:36.
Halverson 13-6-3 (35 shots-33 saves) A-5,888
Saturday, Jan. 31 | Game 43 at W-B/Scranton | L, 4-1
Syracuse 0 0 1 - 1 Shots: 6-7-14-27 PP: 1/2
W-B/Scranton 2 1 1 - 4 Shots: 7-4-7-18 PP: 0/1
3rd Period-Geekie 12 (
Pelletier, Duke), 3:46 (PP).
Fanti 8-10-1 (18 shots-14 saves) A-6,682
| Category |
Average/Total |
AHL Rank (Prev) |
| Power Play |
21.7% (34-for-157) |
8th (8th) |
| Penalty Kill |
80.9% (106-for-131) |
18th (T-19th) |
| Goals For |
3.14 GFA (135) |
T-15th (8th) |
| Goals Against |
2.65 GAA (114) |
5th (5th) |
| Shots For |
28.37 SF/G (1220) |
16th (16th) |
| Shots Against |
24.98 SA/G (1074) |
2nd (2nd) |
| Penalty Minutes |
13.70 PIM/G (589) |
9th (9th) |
| Category |
|
Leader |
| Points |
42 |
Pelletier |
| Goals |
20 |
Duke |
| Assists |
29 |
Abruzzese |
| PIM |
58 |
Mercuri |
| Plus/Minus |
+14 |
Pelletier |
| Wins |
13 |
Halverson |
| GAA |
2.40 |
Halverson |
| Save % |
.904 |
Halverson |
| North Division |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
SOL |
PTS |
PCT |
GF |
GA |
PIM |
HOME |
ROAD |
LAST 10 |
STREAK |
S/O |
| 1. Laval |
44 |
26 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
56 |
0.636 |
136 |
117 |
653 |
12-5-1-2 |
14-9-1-0 |
4-3-2-1 |
2-0-0-0 |
2-2 |
| 2. Syracuse |
43 |
23 |
16 |
3 |
1 |
50 |
0.581 |
135 |
114 |
589 |
12-4-1-0 |
11-12-2-1 |
5-4-1-0 |
0-2-1-0 |
1-1 |
| 3. Toronto |
43 |
22 |
15 |
4 |
2 |
50 |
0.581 |
135 |
143 |
613 |
10-6-1-2 |
12-9-3-0 |
4-2-3-1 |
3-0-3-0 |
2-2 |
| 4. Cleveland |
42 |
22 |
14 |
5 |
1 |
50 |
0.595 |
122 |
126 |
529 |
10-6-4-1 |
12-8-1-0 |
6-3-1-0 |
5-0-1-0 |
1-1 |
| 5. Rochester |
42 |
21 |
15 |
4 |
2 |
48 |
0.571 |
133 |
126 |
464 |
9-8-2-1 |
12-7-2-1 |
4-4-1-1 |
1-0-0-0 |
0-2 |
| 6. Belleville |
46 |
19 |
19 |
8 |
0 |
46 |
0.500 |
151 |
167 |
602 |
9-11-3-0 |
10-8-5-0 |
6-1-3-0 |
0-1-1-0 |
3-0 |
| 7. Utica |
40 |
12 |
20 |
5 |
3 |
32 |
0.400 |
98 |
129 |
486 |
8-9-2-2 |
4-11-3-1 |
4-4-1-1 |
1-0-1-0 |
1-3 |
