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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly

January 8, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Last Week

Tue., Dec. 31 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - L, 5-2

Fri., Jan. 3 - Crunch at Toronto - W, 6-3

Sat., Jan. 4 - Crunch at Binghamton - OTL, 6-5

This Week

Wed., Jan. 8 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 10 - Crunch at Providence - 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 11 - Crunch vs. Providence - 7 p.m.

Need to Know

- Nine Crunch players (one current, eight former) have been selected for Olympic rosters, tying a team record.

- Brett Connolly has a seven-game scoring streak with 13 points since Dec. 20, including two three-point games.

- The Crunch return home Saturday after concluding a five-game road trip in Wilkes-Barre and Providence.

Three of six possible points in Week 14 leave the Crunch last in the East Division at 14-14-2-3 and 33 points, 12th in the Eastern Conference. However, Syracuse has 11 goals in its last two games and several players are generating their most productive stretches of the season, including Brett Connolly who has a seven-game scoring streak.

Syracuse's longest road trip of the year comes to a close in Week 15 after bouts in Wilkes-Barre Wednesday and Providence Friday. When the Bruins play the Crunch in a return engagement Saturday at the War Memorial it will have been two weeks since a Crunch home game.

Gudlevskis among nine Crunch players headed to Sochi

Nine past and present Syracuse Crunch players will represent their respective countries in the Winter Olympics at Sochi, Russia, tying a franchise record. The 2014 Olympians include one active Crunch player, Kristers Gudlevskis, and three players from last season's Eastern Conference Championship team, Radko Gudas, Ondrej Palat and Richard Panik. Gudlevskis will be the third person to join an Olympic team as an active Crunch player.

In the six Winter Olympics since the Crunch began play in September, 1994, 28 Syracuse players have represented 11 different countries and collected nine medals: two gold, five silver and two bronze.

Transactions

1/08/2014 Jordan Henry (D) Signed by Syracuse Crunch to SPC

01/07/2014 Riku Helenius (G) Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) from Florida (ECHL)

01/06/2014 Cedrick Desjardins (G) Recalled by Tampa Bay (NHL)

01/05/2014 Danick Gauthier (LW) Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) to Florida (ECHL)

01/01/2014 Riku Helenius (G) Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) to Florida (ECHL)

Connolly accelerating scoring pace

Brett Connolly collected seven points (3g, 4a) in three games last week, extending his season-high scoring streak to seven games. Since the streak began Dec. 20 Connolly has 13 points (6g, 7a), improving his season total to 20 points (8g, 12a) in 23 games, fourth on the team. Last season Connolly was second on the Crunch with 63 points (31g, 32a) and produced a nine-game streak in February with 12 points (7g, 5a).

Connolly has four multi-point games this year after producing 15 last season; two of the 15 were three-point games and one was a four-point explosion. Connolly owns Syracuse's last three game-winning goals after totaling eight during 2012-13.

Namestnikov eclipses rookie scoring marks

Vlad Namestnikov returned to the Syracuse lineup Dec. 31 in Wilkes-Barre after missing 14 games with a hand injury. The second-year pro had two goals in the team's 6-3 victory over Toronto Friday and added an assist against Binghamton Saturday. The two-goal game against the Marlies was Namestnikov's team-leading seventh multi-point game and second multi-goal game of the season. The Crunch center leads the team with 24 points (10g, 14a) in 19 games, surpassing his point total from all of 2012-13 when he notched 21 points (7g, 14a) in 44 games.

Mormina's big weekend

Joey Mormina tripled his season point total in Week 14 with four points (2g, 2a) in the last two games. His two-assist Friday in Toronto was his first multi-point game with Syracuse, and the two goals Saturday at Binghamton accounted for his second career multi-goal game. His second goal Saturday was his third career shorthanded goal.

Mormina's only other two-goal game was Nov. 4, 2011, with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton which also featured a shorthanded goal (an empty netter). His second of three career shorthanded goals was Jan. 14, 2012.

After his recent burst, the 31-year-old defenseman has 26 goals and 93 assists in 541 AHL games. His longest career scoring streak is three games (five points) with Manchester in February, 2006, his rookie season. His most multi-point games in one season was six in 2009-10 with Adirondack amid a career-best 23-point campaign.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 31: Pens pull away to spoil Syracuse New Year

Syracuse saw a 2-1 first-intermission lead dissolve as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored four unanswered goals en route to a 5-2 victory on New Year's Eve at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Pens' fourth win versus Syracuse in five games.

Brett Connolly picked up an assist on Matt Taormina's first-period power-play goal to extend his point streak to five games. Mike Angelidis notched his second goal in as many games to chase Eric Hartzell from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net on Syracuse's third shot. Jeff Deslauriers shut the door from there, turning aside all 21 shots faced. Cedrick Desjardins made 23 saves on 27 shots in a losing effort for the Crunch.

Game 32: Crunch offense enjoys biggest explosion of the season

Syracuse scored a season-high six goals Friday, defeating the Marlies in Toronto, 6-3. Nine Crunch players marked the score sheet and six players recorded multiple points. Vlad Namestnikov was the only multi-goal performer, potting his ninth and tenth of the year in his second game back from a 14-game absence.

Toronto built a 2-0 lead before Syracuse scored the next five goals. P.C. Labrie netted his first goal with the Crunch since Feb. 24 and added an assist for his first multi-point game since Feb. 23. Brett Connolly pushed his point streak to six games with a three-point night (1g, 2a), his first since a hat trick Apr. 13. Cedric Paquette added a goal and an assist for his sixth multi-point game of the season.

Labrie, Namestnikov, Connolly, Paquette, Joey Mormina (2a), and Dana Tyrell (1g,1a) all recorded multi-point nights for the Crunch. Kristers Gudlevskis made 32 saves picking up his seventh win of the season.

Game 33: Senators survive Crunch comeback

For the second straight game nine Crunch players registered at least a point, but Syracuse lost to Binghamton, 6-5 in overtime, Saturday at Broome County Arena. Five of the Senators' goals were power-play markers, including two during a major boarding penalty against Cedric Paquette to put Syracuse in a 5-3 hole.

But Connolly, on an unassisted power-play goal, and Mormina, on a floater set up by Connolly and Jon DiSalvatore, scored their second goals of the game to force overtime. Chris Wideman won the game on the power play 1:26 into the extra frame, his second goal of the night and 10th point against Syracuse in seven games this year (2g, 8a).

Jon DiSalvatore has assists in three consecutive games and a total of five in seven games since joining the Crunch. Cedrick Desjardins was pulled from the Syracuse net after allowing three goals on 15 shots. Kristers Gudlevskis took the loss allowing three goals on 17 shots.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Crunch at W-B/Scranton-Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.

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

Syracuse and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton meet for the sixth time this season Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena; the Penguins have won four of the five previous meetings. Since defeating the Crunch Dec. 31 the Penguins have won two of three. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (20-10-1-3) sits one point back of Binghamton for the East Division lead with 44 points.

Tom Kostopoulos leads the Penguins with 21 points (12g, 9a) in 31 games including five points (4g, 1a) in five games against Syracuse. Harry Zolnierczyk (11g, 8a) and Brendan Mikkelson (3g, 16a) each have 19 points. Zolnierczyk (2g, 3a) and Mikkelson (1g, 4a) have also recorded five points against Syracuse.

Goalies Jeff Deslauriers and Eric Hartzell have split time in net recently, each starting two of the last four games. In 24 games Deslauriers has a 14-8-2 record with a 2.18 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Hartzell has appeared in nine games at 5-2-1 with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. Hartzell started against the Crunch on Dec. 31 but was chased after allowing two goals on three shots in the first period. Deslauriers stopped all 21 shots he faced in relief.

The Penguins have the 24th ranked power play in the AHL, converting on 14.4% of opportunities (26-for-181) and they've only scored three power-play goals in their last seven games, all three coming in the two games against the Crunch.

Only Springfield has allowed fewer goals, 80, than W-B/Scranton's 82. They allow the third fewest goals per game at 2.41. The Penguins take the fewest shots, while also allowing the fewest shots against per game.

Crunch at Providence-Friday, 7:05 p.m. and Crunch vs. Providence-Saturday, 7 p.m.

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

Syracuse and Providence meet for a home-and-home series Friday at Dunkin' Donuts Center and Saturday at the War Memorial. The clubs last faced off in the 2009-10 season with each team winning one game. Providence holds an edge in the all-time series at 9-6-1.

The Bruins (19-11-1-5) have won four of their last five including an 8-2 victory over the Worcester Sharks on Sunday, the second time the Bruins have scored eight goals this season. With 44 points the Bruins are second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference.

One-third of the Bruins' games (12 of 36) could not be decided in regulation time. Two of the 12 ended during overtime (1-1) with the other 10 resulting in shootouts (5-5). Providence and Norfolk are tied for the AHL lead with 10 shootouts each.

Carter Camper leads the Bruins with 29 points (8g, 21a) in 35 games this season. Nick Johnson is second on the team with 26 points (14g, 12a) in 27 games. In net rookie Malcom Subban and Niklas Svedberg have split time in net. Svedberg has played in 23 games posting a 13-6-3 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Svedberg has the most shootout victories in the AHL (4) and the second most shootout loses (3). Subban has appeared in 16 games posting a 6-6-2 record with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

On the man-advantage the Bruins have the fifth-best power-play in the AHL (23.1%) despite having the second fewest opportunities (130). Only Utica has had fewer chances on the power play this season. The Bruins are one of three teams in the AHL who have yet to surrender a shorthanded goal.

Providence has the 27th ranked penalty kill (77.9%) overall, and has the 29th ranked penalty kill while at home. The PK unit has been strong as of late allowing only allowing one goal in 11 opportunities in their last four games.

Practice Schedule (subject to change):

Wednesday, Jan. 8 7:05 p.m. game @ WBS Mohegan Sun Arena

Thursday, Jan. 9 1:00 p.m. practice Dunkin' Donuts Center

Friday, Jan. 10 11:15 a.m. morning skate Dunkin' Donuts Center

7:05 p.m. game @ PRO Dunkin' Donuts Center

Saturday, Jan. 11 7:00 p.m. game vs. PRO War Memorial Arena

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics



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