TEAMS LOOK FOR SERIES LEAD IN GAME 3
 
The Syracuse Crunch hit the ice against the Cleveland Monsters tonight in Game 3 of their North Division Semifinals series at Upstate Medical University Arena.
 
The best-of-5 series is tied 1-1. After dropping Game 1, the Crunch defeated the Monsters in Game 2, 4-1, to earn a split in Cleveland.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com
 
CRUNCH TIE SERIES WITH GAME 2 WIN
 
The Crunch scored four first-period goals to race past the Monsters, 4-1, and even the series at one game apiece Sunday at Rocket Arena.
 
Lucas Mercuri opened the scoring 3:52 into the game. Then, beginning midway through the first period, the Crunch tallied three goals in less than three minutes. Gabriel Szturc, Jakob Pelletier and Tommy Miller all cashed in to chase Ivan Fedotov and to give the Crunch a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.
 
The Monsters outshout the Crunch, 24-8, in the final 40 minutes but were held to just one goal. Brandon Halverson turned aside 32 of the 33 shots he faced.
 
PELLETIER STEALS THE SHOW 
 
After he was held off the scoresheet in Game 1, Jakob Pelletier notched three points (1g, 2a) on Sunday in Game 2. It was Pelletier's second career three-point playoff game; he notched three assists for Calgary in Game 5 of the 2023 Pacific Division Finals.
 
Pelletier has 23 points (10g, 13a) in 30 career playoff games for Syracuse, Calgary and Stockton.
 
READY FROM THE GET-GO
 
The first two games of the series have featured a goal in the opening five minutes. Cleveland struck first in Game 1 and raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Crunch followed suit in Game 2 and took a 4-0 lead into the first intermission.
 
During the regular season, the Crunch outscored opponents, 67-60, in the first period while the Monsters were outscored, 61-60, in the opening frame.
 
SCOUTING THE MONSTERS
 
Cleveland's 18 road wins were tied for the most among North Division teams, but the Monsters finished 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 on the road. Two losses came against Syracuse, 6-2 and 6-3, on March 21 and 22.
 
Mikael Pyyhtiä is the only player who ranked in the top five on the Monsters in goals during the regular season to score one last weekend. He recorded his second career playoff goal in 21 games in Game 2.
 
Cleveland started two goaltenders in the first two games of the series with mixed results. Zach Sawchenko stopped 29 of 31 to earn first-star honors in Game 1. Ivan Fedotov started Game 2 but was pulled after allowing four goals on six shots. 
 
WELCOME TO THE PLAYOFFS
 
Lucas Mercuri, Gabriel Szturc and Tommy Miller all scored their first career playoff goals in Game 2.
 
Mercuri registered a goal and an assist — his first multi-point playoff game. Miller snapped a 25-game goal drought dating back to Jan. 17 against Lehigh Valley. Szturc notched the game-winner and has seven goals in nine career games against Cleveland.
 
SHOTS ON GOAL DILEMMA
 
In the first two games of the series, the team with the edge in shots on goal has lost. In Game 1, the Crunch outshot the Monsters, 31-15, but fell, 3-2. In Game 2, the Crunch were outshot, 33-16, but won 4-1.
 
The Crunch were 19-7-2-1 when outshot during the regular season — the third-best mark in the AHL.
 
Both teams ranked among the league's best in shot suppression, with Syracuse allowing 25.49 shots per game (2nd) and Cleveland 25.69 (3rd).