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Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly

April 9, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Last Week

Wed., Apr. 2 - Crunch at Rochester - L, 5-2

Fri., Apr. 4 - Crunch vs. Albany - W, 2-1

Sat., Apr. 5 - Crunch vs. Utica - W, 6-5 (OT)

This Week

Fri., Apr. 11 - Crunch vs. W-B/Scranton - 7 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 12 - Crunch vs. Toronto - 7 p.m.

Sun., Apr. 13 - Crunch at Albany - 5 p.m.

Need to Know

- Saturday vs. Utica the Crunch scored three times in the final two minutes to tie and once in overtime to win, 6-5.

- After signing with Tampa Bay/Syracuse Monday, left wing Henri Ikonen could make his pro debut this week.

- Syracuse has only three home games remaining, including Friday and Saturday vs. the Penguins and Marlies.

Syracuse won two of three games in Week 27, including a remarkable 6-5 overtime win over Utica Saturday after erasing a 5-2 deficit in the span of 46 seconds during the final two minutes of regulation. However, in conjunction with results elsewhere in the AHL, the Crunch were eliminated from potential postseason play.

At 29-30-4-7, Syracuse has six games remaining, three at home and three away. With a home record of 16-12-2-5, Syracuse can match its home record from 2012-13 (19-12-4-3) if it wins each of the remaining home games. A four-game homestand concludes with contests Friday and Saturday vs. W-B/Scranton and Toronto before capping the season's penultimate week with a Sunday match in Albany.

Transactions

- 04/07/2014 Henri Ikonen (LW) ADD Signed to ATO

- 04/04/2014 Andrej Sustr (D) DEL Recalled from loan by Tampa Bay (NHL)

- 04/03/2014 Max Parent (C) DEL Returned on loan to Florida (ECHL)

Henri Ikonen joins cultivation contingent

Tampa Bay added a third prospect to the Syracuse roster Monday with left wing Henri Ikonen, 19, joining recently-signed forwards Adam Erne and Joel Vermin. Erne and Vermin played their first two AHL games Friday and Saturday with Erne garnering an assist in his debut.

Ikonen, a sixth-round pick in 2013, racked up 70 points (25g, 45a) in 54 games for the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs this season, second on the team; he added six points (1g, 5a) in seven playoff games. The Savonlinna, Finland native scored three shorthanded goals, tied for the team lead.

The 5-11, 182-lb. forward played in seven games for Team Finland at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships in Sweden, recording a goal and two assists. Ikonen won a Gold Medal with Team Finland at the tournament.

Notes

- Andrej Sustr, recalled from Syracuse to Tampa Bay Friday, scored his first NHL goal in the Lightning's 5-2 loss to Dallas Saturday. The 6-8 defenseman registered 20:27 of ice time with two shots, a hit, a block and a takeaway.

- Yanni Gourde recorded his first goal with the Crunch in Saturday's 6-5 win over Utica. Since joining the Crunch March 10, the second-year pro has seven points (1g, 6a) in 12 games, including four points on special teams: three on the power play (1g, 2a) and a shorthanded assist. Overall he has 31 points (5g, 26a) in 37 AHL games this year.

- In 220 AHL regular season games Jonathan Marchessault had one shorthanded goal but scored shorthanded twice in the span of 15 seconds Saturday vs. Utica. That effort (his second multi-point game with Syracuse and 11th overall) lifted his season total to 50 points, tied for the team lead.

- Brett Connolly also has a team-high 50 points thanks to his two-point effort Saturday vs. Utica. He assisted on Marchessault's first goal and scored the game-winner in overtime, his team-leading sixth game-winning goal of the year; he led Syracuse in 2012-13 with eight.

- Vladislav Namestnikov is next on the team in scoring at 45 points thanks to his third three-point game of the year Saturday vs. Utica (1g, 2a). His 18th goal sparked the late-game heroics and his steal led to an assist on Connolly's overtime winner. Namestnikov hadn't scored a goal in the previous ten games, last potting one March 9 vs. Binghamton. He leads the team with 14 multi-point performances but hadn't scored three points in a game since he did so in consecutive contests Oct. 30 at Albany (3a) and Nov. 1 vs. Rochester (1g, 2a).

- Cedric Paquette is fourth in scoring at 44 points, 13th in AHL rookie scoring, but his 20 goals pace the Crunch. He has a three-game scoring streak and points in five of the last six games (4g, 3a).

- Phil Paradis has five points in his last four games, including his first two multi-point games of the season March 23 at Adirondack (1g, 1a) and April 5 vs. Utica (1g, 1a).

- Joey Mormina returned to the Syracuse lineup Saturday after missing the previous 18 games because of an injury suffered Feb. 22 at Hershey. He recorded an assist in the game and, though separated by nearly two months, has three helpers in his last four games. His season total is 12 points (3g, 9a) in 50 games.

- Seven Crunch players recorded multiple points in Saturday's 6-5 overtime win vs. Utica, a season high: Connolly (1g, 1a), Gourde (1g, 1a), Dmitry Korobov (2a), Marchessault (2g), Namestnikov (1g, 2a), Paradis (1g, 1a) and Paquette (2a).

- Syracuse is 4-26-1-1 when trailing after two periods after going 4-17-2-3 in that situation during 2012-13. The last time Syracuse overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period for victory was Dec. 1, 2012 when the Crunch erased a 3-0 hole in Hartford and defeated the Connecticut Whale, 3-2, in overtime.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 68: Amerks overwhelm Crunch, 5-2

Rochester scored three goals in the first period and chased goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis in the second as the Crunch fell to the Amerks, 5-2, Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena. Syracuse still leads the season series 4-3.

After taking a 3-0 lead into the second, Dan Catenacci scored to make it 4-0 Rochester, which forced Gudlevskis out of the game after just 23:17, allowing four goals on 13 shots. Cedrick Desjardins took over and finished the game, allowing one goal on 11 Rochester shots.

The Crunch got their two goals from Cedric Paquette, his 19th (fifth on the power play), and Dmitry Korobov, his third. The power-play goal made it six straight games with a marker on the man advantage for the Crunch.

Game 69: Crunch bounce back for tight win vs. Devils, 2-1

With the help of two new players the Crunch hung on to beat the Albany Devils, 2-1, Friday at the War Memorial Arena. Adam Erne and Joel Vermin made their Crunch debuts, with Erne earning his first professional point with an assist.

After the Devils converted on a power play to grab a 1-0 lead in the second period, the Crunch responded to knot the game at one, as Cedric Paquette stashed home a rebound off a shot from Erne set up by Yanni Gourde. The goal, coming with 2:02 left in the second, was Paquette's 20th of the season. Syracuse took its first lead 8:21 into the third when Evan Rankin banged in a rebound following a point shot from Artem Sergeev.

In collecting his 17th win Kristers Gudlevskis faced only 17 shots, the fewest number of shots allowed by the Crunch in a game this season.

Game 70: Crunch explode on Comets for stunning 6-5 OT victory

Syracuse pulled off an improbable come-from-behind victory Saturday at the War Memorial, defeating the Comets in overtime, 6-5. Trailing 5-2 in the final two minutes of the third, Syracuse scored three times with goalie Kristers Gudlevskis on the bench for an extra attacker. Over the course of 46 seconds Vlad Namestnikov started the rally and Jonathan Marchessault scored two shorthanded goals to tie. Brett Connolly scored 2:36 into the extra period for the win.

Phil Paradis and Yanni Gourde scored in the first to put Syracuse ahead, but leads of 1-0 and 2-1 slipped away. Alex Friesen scored consecutive goals to put Utica ahead in the second, 3-2, including a power-play goal, en route to a three-point night. Cal O'Reilly and Jeremy Welsh each had a goal and an assist.

Gudlevskis made 20 saves for his 18th win in his first game vs. Utica. Joacim Eriksson, who'd allowed three goals in three previous starts vs. Syracuse, made 25 saves in defeat. The inaugural Syracuse-Utica season series ends in a 2-2 tie. In seven Crunch games decided in overtime Syracuse has won three and lost four. With a power-play goal from Gourde, Syracuse is 11 for its last 33 chances (33.3%) over the last eight contests, scoring at least one man-up goal in seven of the eight.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Crunch vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-Friday, 7 p.m.

ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego

The Penguins are percentage points behind East Division-leading Binghamton and, with 88 points, are fifth in the Eastern Conference. W-B/Scranton has won four of their last five and seven of the last ten. The Penguins have won six of the first nine meetings including twice in shutout fashion.

Tom Kostopolous leads the Penguins offense with 45 points (21g, 24a) and has recorded seven points (5g, 2a) in nine games against the Crunch. Nick Drazenovic is second with 41 points (13g, 28a). Former Crunch defenseman Brendan Mikkelson is third with 37 points (8g, 29a) and ranks tenth among AHL blueliners. Mikkelson (1g, 5a) is tied with Harry Zolneirczyk (3g, 3a) with six points against the Crunch this season.

The Pens have three active goalies on their roster, each of whom has faced Syracuse. Jeff Deslauriers has the bulk of minutes posting a 20-15-3 record with a 2.58 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. In the last five games Peter Mannino and Eric Hartzell have split time in net. Mannino has totaled a 10-3-1 record in 16 games with a 1.37 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. Hartzell, having appeared in 25 games, has a 2.48 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage alongside a 10-8-1 record.

Crunch vs. Toronto-Saturday, 7 p.m.

ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego

The Crunch and Marlies meet for the second and final time of the season Saturday when Toronto makes its only trip to the War Memorial. Toronto clinched the North Division title with a win over the Comets Sunday and sit third in the Western Conference at 90 points. Syracuse won the first matchup, 6-3, Jan. 3 at Ricoh Coliseum.

Netminder Drew MacIntyre has seen the majority of time in net for the Marlies playing in 46 of Toronto's 70 games. MacIntyre is 27-15-3 going along with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Garret Sparks has appeared in 19 games recording a 2.59 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. While MacIntyre was recalled to the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Christopher Gibson saw time with the Marlies. Gibson, who has spent most the season with ECHL Florida, has played nine games for the Marlies earning a 5-3-0 record with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.

Spencer Abbott and T.J. Brennan lead the Marlies offense with 69 and 66 points, respectively. Abbott (17g, 52a) ranks fourth in the AHL in scoring. Brennan (22g, 44a) leads all defenseman in points and goals. Of the three different players who scored against the Crunch on Jan. 3 only Carter Ashton remains on the Marlies active roster.

Five different active Crunch players recorded a multi-point game in the 6-3 Crunch victory on Jan. 3; Brett Connolly led all players with three points (1g, 2a).

Crunch at Albany-Sunday, 5 p.m.

ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego

Albany hosts the Crunch for the sixth and final meeting between the teams Sunday at Times Union Center. With losses in six of their last seven the Devils have dropped to seventh place in the Eastern Conference. At 83 points, they're one ahead of Hershey and two ahead of ninth-place Norfolk. Prior to defeating Albany Friday, 2-1, the Crunch had dropped three straight games against the Devils.

Joe Whitney leads the Devils with 52 points (21g, 31a) in 69 games. Kelly Zajac (10g, 30a) is the only other Devil to record 40 points this season. With four points each, Whitney (4a), Zajac (1g, 3a) and Raman Hrabarenka (1g, 3a), lead the Devils against Syracuse.

Scott Wedgewood and Keith Kinkaid have split time in net this season. Wedgewood, who has appeared in four of five games against the Crunch, is 14-14-3 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. Kinkaid has a 2.37 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage along with a 21-13-5 record in 40 games.

Jonathan Marchessault leads all Crunch players with nine points (4g, 5a) against the Devils. The forward has recorded a lone point (1g) against the Devils while playing for the Crunch.

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