CRUNCH AND AMERKS REMATCH IN ROCHESTER
 
The Syracuse Crunch face the Rochester Americans on the road this afternoon at Blue Cross Arena in the back half of a home-and-home.  Last night, the Crunch beat the Amerks, 5-3, in Syracuse.
 
The Crunch have won four straight matches against the Americans and lead the twelve-game season series 6-4.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 2:50 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 three unanswered goals in the third period last night for a come-from-behind, 5-3, win over the Amerks. It was Syracuse's first victory when trailing after two periods since Jan. 19 vs. Rochester.
 
Both offenses came out on fire in the first period. The Crunch got goals from Jakob Pelletier and Ethan Gauthier to take a 2-0 lead 2:25 into the game. However, Rochester responded with three tallies of its own and led 3-2 after 20 minutes.
 
After a scoreless second, Mitchell Chaffee squared the game at three on the power play 6:48 into the third. Six minutes later, Cooper Flinton snapped a 16-game goal drought to give Syracuse a 4-3 lead. Matteo Pietroniro added an empty-netter for the exclamation point with one second remaining.
 
Ryan Fanti made 30 saves on 33 shots including a stop on a penalty shot in the second period. He has won four of his last five starts.
 
COOP IN THE CLUTCH
 
Cooper Flinton notched the game-winning goal last night on a tremendous individual effort with 7:20 to go in the third period. It was Flinton's first goal since his two-goal performance at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Feb. 14.
 
The rookie from Dartmouth has five points (4g, 1a) in 44 games this season. Two of his four goals have stood as game-winning goals.
 
PECA NOTCHES 400TH AHL POINT
 
Matthew Peca dished out a pair of assists last night for his second consecutive multi-point game to start the weekend. His assist on Mitchell Chaffee's game-tying power-play goal marked his 400th career AHL point. He has scored 126 goals and recorded 274 assists in 537 games for the Crunch, Springfield Thunderbirds, Belleville Senators and Laval Rocket since 2014-15.
 
Peca has points in five straight games and in six of his seven games since being acquired in a trade by the Crunch prior to the AHL trade deadline. He has nine points (2g, 7a) in seven games with Syracuse this season.
 
SCOUTING THE AMERICANS
 
Rochester's two-game winning streak ended with last night's 5-3 loss to the Crunch — its second 5-3 loss to Syracuse in a little over a week. The Amerks still have a four-point advantage on Belleville for the last playoff spot in the North Division.
 
Defenseman Zac Jones continues to plague the Crunch. He had two points (1g, 1a) last night and has posted 11 points (6g, 5a) in nine games against Syracuse this season. His 54 points (10g, 44a) are the most among AHL defensemen.
 
Devon Levi (19-6-8/2.75/.907) is 3-2-1 in six starts against the Crunch this year. Levi has logged more minutes (2,532) than any goaltender in the AHL. He's won back-to-back starts after going winless in eight straight appearances.
 
GRONDIN DEBUTS
 
Rookie forward Max Grondin made his AHL debut last night for the Crunch. The Hearst, Ontario native fired two shots on goal in his debut.
 
Grondin signed a PTO with the Crunch on March 16. He closed out his collegiate career at the University of Ottawa with 30 points in 28 games this season. He then signed with the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators, posting three points (1g, 2a) in three games before joining the Crunch.