SERIES TIED AS PLAYOFFS RETURN TO SYRACUSE
The Syracuse Crunch split the first two games of their North Division Semifinals series against the Cleveland Monsters. The remainder of the series will be contested in Syracuse, beginning with Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.
The Monsters won Game 1, 3-2, Friday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. They scored three times on six shots in the first period and held off a furious Crunch rally over the final 40 minutes. Syracuse pulled within one off goals from
Dylan Duke and
Mitchell Chaffee, but they couldn't complete the comeback.
Syracuse carried the momentum from the final two periods on Friday into Sunday's Game 2 to win, 4-1. The Crunch potted four goals on their first six shots during the first period and cruised to the win to earn a split on the road.
TOP PERFORMER
Jakob Pelletier paced the Crunch in scoring with three points to begin the playoffs. He was held without a point for the first time since Feb. 18 in Game 1, but he rebounded with three points (1g, 2a) in Game 2. It was his first three-point game since Feb. 14.
Pelletier has 23 points (10g, 13a) in 30 career playoff games for Syracuse, Calgary and Stockton.
SERIES NOTES
This marks the Crunch's eighth best-of-5 series in franchise history tied 1-1 after two games. The Crunch are 3-4 all-time in those series, most recently winning versus Rochester in the 2024 North Division Semifinals.
Syracuse is 4-3 all-time in Game 3 of a 1-1 series; they are 3-1 in the series following a Game 3 win.
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Three players netted their first career Calder Cup Playoffs goal in Game 2.
Lucas Mercuri opened the scoring in Game 2 and finished with his first career multi-point playoff game.
Tommy Miller snapped a 25-game goal drought after last scoring on Jan. 17 versus Lehigh Valley. He has four points (1g, 3a) in four career playoff games compared to 25 points (4g, 21a) in 174 regular season games.
Gabriel Szturc scored what held up as the game-winning goal. He has seven goals in nine career games against Cleveland, including the playoffs.
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The Crunch's 16 shots in their Game 2 win were the fewest they've recorded in a playoff win in franchise history.
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The Crunch raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first period of Game 2. It was the first time they've scored four goals in a period of a playoff game since Game 5 of the 2017 Calder Cup Finals on June 10, 2017.
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Game 1 was the Crunch's first playoff game in team history to feature zero combined power-play chances between the teams. Syracuse played one game that featured zero power plays during the regular season (Dec. 20 at Providence).
NORTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE
Game 1: Fri., April 24 - Cleveland 3, Syracuse 1
Game 2: Sun., April 26 - Syracuse 4, Cleveland 1
Game 3: Fri., May 1 vs. Cleveland | 7 p.m.
Game 4: Sun., May 3 vs. Cleveland | 3 p.m.
*Game 5: Sat., May 9 vs. Cleveland | 5 p.m.
*if necessary
UPCOMING WEEK
Friday, May 1 vs. Cleveland | 7 p.m.
The North Division Semifinals shift to Syracuse for Game 3 Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena. The series is tied 1-1 after the Crunch grabbed a win in Game 2 at Cleveland. It was the first win by the road team through six meetings this season, including regular season and playoff games.
The Crunch beat the Monsters twice in two days in Syracuse last month. They tallied six goals in both contests and outscored Cleveland, 12-5, en route to the weekend sweep.
Sunday, May 3 vs. Cleveland | 3 p.m.
Either the Crunch or the Monsters will have an opportunity to advance in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. The winner of Friday's Game 3 will take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 series.
Syracuse last won a playoff series in 2024 while the Monsters have won a series in back-to-back seasons.
WEEK 29 RESULTS
Friday, April 24 | NDSF Game 1 at Cleveland | L, 3-2
Syracuse 0 1 1 - 2 Shots: 3-11-17-31 PP: 0/0
Cleveland 3 0 0 - 3 Shots: 6-5-4-15 PP: 0/0
2nd Period-Duke 1 (
Abruzzese), 1:51. 3rd Period-Chaffee 1 (
Allard, Groshev), 4:02.
Gillies 0-1 (6 shots-3 saves), Halverson ND (9 shots-9 saves) A-10,110
Sunday, April 26 | NDSF Game 2 at Cleveland | W, 4-1
Syracuse 4 0 0 - 4 Shots: 8-4-4-16 PP: 0/3
Cleveland 0 0 1 - 1 Shots: 9-9-15-33 PP: 0/4
1st Period-Mercuri 1 (
Mitchell, Pelletier), 3:52. Szturc 1 (
Duke), 10:18. Pelletier 1 (
Miller, Abruzzese), 11:07. Miller 1 (
Pelletier, Mercuri), 13:15.
Halverson 1-0 (33 shots-32 saves) A-10,038
| Category |
Average/Total |
AHL Rank (Reg) |
| Power Play |
0.0% (0-for-3) |
T-11th (5th) |
| Penalty Kill |
100.0% (4-for-4) |
T-1st (T-11th) |
| Goals For |
3.00 GFA (6) |
T-7th (T-8th) |
| Goals Against |
2.00 GAA (4) |
T-11th (6th) |
| Shots For |
23.50 SF/G (47) |
12th (17th) |
| Shots Against |
24.00 SA/G (48) |
14th (2nd) |
| Penalty Minutes |
13.50 PIM/G (27) |
10th (7th) |
| Category |
|
Leader |
| Points |
3 |
Pelletier |
| Goals |
1 |
6 Players Tied |
| Assists |
2 |
Abruzzese|Pelletier |
| PIM |
7 |
Pietroniro |
| Plus/Minus |
+3 |
Pelletier |
| Wins |
1 |
Halverson |
| GAA |
0.61 |
Halverson |
| Save % |
.976 |
Halverson |
