CRUNCH BEGIN THREE-GAME HOMESTAND
 
The Syracuse Crunch play the first of three home games in four days tonight against the Toronto Marlies at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
It's game three of the four-game season series but the first match in Syracuse. The teams split two games in Toronto, with the Marlies earning a 2-1 overtime win on New Year's Day in the most recent meeting.
 
Syracuse is riding a five-game winning streak and is 12-1-0-0 in its last 13 games.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Television: CNY Central — CW6 beginning at 7 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
Two goals from Dylan Duke led the Crunch past the Comets, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica.
 
Nick Abruzzese scored 4:48 into the first period in his return to the lineup to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead after one. Abruzzese hadn't played since Jan. 24 (15 games) due to injury.
 
A Duke wrist shot with 4:10 remaining in the second period made it 2-0 Crunch after 40 minutes.
 
Brendan Furry capitalized on a Utica turnover to push the lead to 3-0 at 14:30 of the third. The Comets scored with 3:45 left to spoil the shutout but could pull no closer, and Duke's empty-netter in the final minute sealed the 4-1 victory.
 
Ryan Fanti stopped 27 of 28 and has won three of his last four starts.
 
DUKE CLOSING IN ON 30
 
Forward Dylan Duke grabbed points in all three games last week to give him points in 10 of the last 11 games. Duke set up the game-winning goal on Wednesday in Laval and added another assist Friday versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 
 
He scored two goals Sunday for his fourth multi-goal game of the season. He ranks second in the AHL with 29 goals, and he is third with six game-winners. The Crunch last had a 30-goal scorer in 2021-22 (Gabriel Dumont and Charles Hudon).
 
SANTINI RECALLED TO TAMPA BAY
 
Crunch captain Steven Santini was recalled to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this week. He played last night in a loss to Columbus, which marked his 10th game played for the Bolts this season.
 
Santini has six assists and a plus-10 rating in 32 games for the Crunch in his first season as the team's captain. The 31-year-old has skated in 393 career AHL games.
 
SCOUTING THE MARLIES
 
Toronto enters tonight's contest in fourth place in the North Division with 64 points. The Marlies are 4-4-0-2 in their last 10 and were swept last weekend on the road by the Manitoba Moose. They lost 3-2 on Friday and 1-0 on Sunday.
 
With leading scorer Bo Groulx (27g, 23a) recalled to the NHL yesterday, Toronto must now rely on scoring by committee. Logan Shaw leads active Marlies with 18 goals and 39 points, while fellow forward Vinni Lettieri's 27 assists pace the club. No active Toronto players rank among the AHL's top 50 in points.
 
Goaltender Artur Akhtyamov (17-10-4/2.95/.901) was the Marlies lone representative at this year's AHL All-Star Classic. He made 34 saves and earned first-star honors in Toronto's 2-1 overtime win against Syracuse on Jan. 1.  
 
MATTHEW PECA RETURNS TO THE CRUNCH
 
The Crunch traded for forward Matthew Peca yesterday. Peca, 32, was Springfield's captain and had 34 points (8g, 26a) in 49 games for the T-Birds this year.
 
He last played for the Crunch in 2017-18. He totaled 134 points (34g, 100a) in 204 Crunch games. He also played for the Crunch in the 2017 Calder Cup Finals.