Crunch Downed by Checkers, 5-3
February 4, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse Crunch were downed by the Charlotte Checkers, 5-3, tonight at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
The loss snaps a four-game points streak for the Crunch and drops the team to 21-15-4-3 on the season. Charlotte won the four-game season series, 3-1-0-0.
Crunch goaltender Hugo Alnefelt stopped 20-of-24 shots, while Jean-Francois Berube earned the win turning aside 30-of-33.
Syracuse was held scoreless on three power play opportunities, but had a perfect penalty kill, going 2-for-2.
The Crunch opened scoring just 2:05 into the game. Simon Ryfors won the face off in the right circle and sent the puck out for Alex Barre-Boulet to score with a quick wrister. Halfway through the opening frame, the Checkers evened the score. Logan Hutsko's first shot from the left circle was stopped, but the rebound came out for him to shovel it into the net. Just over a minute later, the Checkers took the lead when John Ludvig's point shot slipped past the netminder and across the goal line.
Ryfors evened the score early in the second period when he got a centering feed from Rudy Balcers and chipped the puck up and over Berube for his team-leading 17th goal of the season.
Charlotte went back on top early in the third period with two goals just 39 seconds apart. At the 5:42 mark, Justin Sourdif got behind the defense and snuck a shorthanded goal past Alnefelt. Seconds later, Connor Bunnaman chipped in a rebound from a sharp angle along the goal line. Matt Kiersted then added an empty-netter at 15:37 to build a three-goal lead for the Checkers.
With 3:56 remaining in the game, Jack Thompson sent in a slap shot from the blue line, but the Crunch were unable to comeback and suffered the loss.
The Crunch travel to face Laval on Friday.
Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2022-23 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).
Crunchables: Alex Barre-Boulet is on a five-game goal-scoring streak. He netted his 100th AHL goal tonight.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2023
- Gibson's Shutout Helps Firebirds To 30th Win Of Season - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Griffins Win 500th Road Game with 4-3 Shootout Win Over Texas - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Lynch Completes Wild Sweep with OT Winner in Front of Sold out BMO Center - Rockford IceHogs
- Wild Fall 3-2 to IceHogs in Overtime, Extend Point Streak to 14 Games - Iowa Wild
- San Diego Blanked at Coachella Valley - San Diego Gulls
- Durandeau Scores Twice, Schneider Makes 34 Saves On Saturday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Stars Earn Point in Shootout Loss to Griffins - Texas Stars
- Phantoms Pummel Past Hershey 5-1 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Devin Cooley Notches Win And Ends With 33 Saves - Manitoba Moose
- Charlotte Slams Syracuse 5-3 for Fifth Straight Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Ice-O-Topes Summon Magical Comeback Win Over Isles - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Sanford Goal Caps Comeback Win - Milwaukee Admirals
- Crunch Downed by Checkers, 5-3 - Syracuse Crunch
- Monsters Split Lumberjacks Weekend with Wolves After 3-2 Loss - Cleveland Monsters
- Bears Suffer 5-1 Loss to Phantoms - Hershey Bears
- Penguins Lose Last Game Before All-Star Break - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Fritz Scores Game-Winner in 300th Career AHL Game as Pack Rout Penguins 8-2 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Wolves Rally Past Monsters 3-2 - Chicago Wolves
- Comets Lose Home Game to Bruins, 4-1 - Utica Comets
- Merkulov Stays Hot, Scores Game-Winning Goal In P-Bruins Victory Over Comets - Providence Bruins
- Barracuda Edged by Canucks, 3-2 - San Jose Barracuda
- Canucks Extend Winning Streak to Three, Sweep San Jose with 3-2 Road Victory - Abbotsford Canucks
- All-Star Preview: Matthew Phillips - Calgary Wranglers
- Ronnie Attard Named to AHL All-Star Classic - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Roster Changes Announced for 2023 Bell AHL All-Star Classic - AHL
- Hogs and Wild Rendezvous in Weekend Finale - Rockford IceHogs
- Toronto Marlies Host Laval Rocket in Saturday Matinee - Toronto Marlies
- Wolf Pack Battle Penguins in Crucial Atlantic Division Tilt - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild at Rockford IceHogs - Iowa Wild
- Game Preview: Bears vs Phantoms, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Game #46 - Roadrunners at Reign - Tucson Roadrunners
- Bridgeport Islanders Face Thunderbirds Tonight at 7:05 p.m. - Bridgeport Islanders
- Roadrunners Secure 2-0 Shutout Victory in Series Opener against Ontario - Tucson Roadrunners
- Reign Blanked by Roadrunners - Ontario Reign
- Twarynski's Late Goal Sends Firebirds Over Gulls - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Wranglers Take Down Condors - Calgary Wranglers
- San Diego Unsuccessful at Coachella Valley - San Diego Gulls
- Silver Knights Fall, 2-1, to the Eagles at Home - Henderson Silver Knights
- Barracuda Clipped by Canucks 3-2 - San Jose Barracuda
- Nils Höglander Completes Comeback In 3-2 Victory Over San Jose - Abbotsford Canucks
- Colorado Bounces Back with 2-1 Victory at Henderson - Colorado Eagles
- Admirals Go Moose Stomping - Milwaukee Admirals
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
