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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly

January 14, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Last Week

Wed., Jan. 8 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - W, 4-2

Fri., Jan. 10 - Crunch at Providence - SOL, 1-0

Sat., Jan. 11 - Crunch vs. Providence - W, 1-0

This Week

Fri., Jan. 17 - Crunch vs. Hershey - 7 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 18 - Crunch vs. Binghamton - 7 p.m.

Need to Know

- Syracuse earned five of six possible points in Week 15, improving to 16-14-2-4 (38 points) on the season.

- Kristers Gudlevskis garnered AHL Week 15 honors and his two shutouts put Syracuse in league lead with six.

- Both of Syracuse's games in Week 16 are against division opponents at the War Memorial Friday and Saturday.

Syracuse has points in five consecutive games (3-0-1-1) thanks to an offensive explosion to begin the streak-15 goals in three games-and superlative goaltending to extend it-zero goals against in the last two. Kristers Gudlevskis earned each decision and has a 1.70 goals-against average in that span. In the three games last week, Gudlevskis stopped 73 of 75 shots with two shutouts and captured the CCM/AHL Player of the Week award.

Two standings points behind Hershey to begin Week 16, Syracuse takes on the Bears Friday at the War Memorial, looking to move out of the East Division's fifth spot and tie Hershey and Adirondack for ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Crunch play their third of four consecutive home games Saturday vs. first-place Binghamton.

Transactions

- 01/13/2014 Cedrick Desjardins (G) Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) to Syracuse

- 01/11/2014 Charles Landry (D) Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) to Florida (ECHL)

- 01/08/2014 Jordan Henry (D) Signed to SPC

Gudlevskis receivs AHL accolade

Kristers Gudlevskis was 2-0-1 in Syracuse's three games last week, posting two shutouts, a 0.65 goals-against average and .973 save percentage. For his effort, the rookie netminder was recognized as CCM/AHL Player of the Week, joining Nikita Kucherov as the two Crunch players (both rookies) so honored this season.

The back-to-back shutouts vs. Providence lands Gudlevskis (9-5-2, 2.37, .915) in a tie wih Albany's Keith Kinkaid and Adirondack's Cal Heeter for most in the league at four each. Gudlevskis' shutout pace (4 shutouts in 16 appearances) exceeds that of Kinkaid (22 games played) and Heeter (24 games played).

Gudlevskis is the first Crunch rookie to record back-to-back shutouts since Dan LaCosta in February, 2007, recording 53 saves in victories over Rochester and Springfield.

Syracuse stands alone in shutouts

The Crunch, behind Kristers Gudlevskis, recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time this season Friday and Saturday, both against Providence. Those two propel the Crunch to the league lead in shutouts with six, four for Gudlevskis and two for Cedrick Desjardins. Adirondack and Albany are tied for second with five each.

In 2012-13 Syracuse was tied with Charlotte for the AHL lead with 10 shutouts; Riku Helenius had four while Dustin Tokarski and Cedrick Desjardins had three each while playing for Syracuse. Desjardins had three more shutouts in the Calder Cup playoffs, setting a franchise record.

Syracuse posted back-to-back shutouts twice last season. On Dec. 14 and 15, 2012, Riku Helenius blanked Adirondack (21 saves) and Dustin Tokarski stymied W-B/Scranton (29 saves). Cedrick Desjardins stopped all 55 shots faced Feb. 23 and 24, 2013, against Springfield and Connecticut, his second and third games with Syracuse.

Several Syracuse streaks stifled

The Crunch's top line of Brett Connolly, Jon DiSalvatore, and Vlad Namestnikov came into Friday's contest against the Bruins having combined for 18 points (8g, 10a) in three games. Connolly was riding an eight-game scoring streak (7g, 9a), DiSalvatore a four-game streak (1g, 5a), and Namestnikov a three-game streak (3g, 1a). All three streaks were ended when the Bruins shut out the Crunch on Friday. Cedric Paquette also had his career-long, four-game scoring streak snapped (2g, 3a).

Connolly's eight-game streak fell one short of his previous career long, nine. That streak occurred from Feb. 1 to Feb. 18, 2013, and totaled 12 points (7g, 5a). Connolly went on to win the AHL's player of the month award.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 34: Syracuse charges past Penguins

Brett Connolly, Jon DiSalvatore, Joey Mormina, Vlad Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette extended their scoring streaks and the Crunch defeated the Penguins, 4-2, Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre. Syracuse ran its standings point streak to three games (generating 15 goals in that span) and the power play converted for a a fifth straight contest.

The Connolly-DiSalvatore-Namestnikov line combined for seven points (3g, 4a) with Connolly and DiSalvatore registering three points seach. Namestnikov's team-leading 11th marker preceded DiSalvatore's first Crunch goal by 30 seconds putting Syracuse ahead, 2-0, in the first frame. Connolly and Paquette added goals in the second to give Syracuse a 4-0 lead before the Pens, with Philip Samuelsson's first two goals, solved goalie Kristers Gudlevskis who finisehd with 24 saves. Connolly's ninth goal of the year turned out to be his fourth consecutive game-winner.

Game 35: Bruins bump Crunch in defensive struggle

Kristers Gudlevskis blanked the Bruins through 65 minutes, but Providence's Niklas Svedberg did the same to Syracuse Friday at Dunkin' Donuts Center, and the Bruins stole a 1-0 victory thanks to a 3-2 shootout win.

Though Gudlevskis earned his third shutout with 22 saves, the Bruins, in their league-high 11th shootout (now 6-5), beat him on three of four attempts (Alexander Khokhlachev, Jared Knight and Seth Griffith). Gudlevskis had been 80.0% in his first three shoout appearances (16-for-20), but dropped to 70.8% (17-for-24) after Friday's match.

The Crunch were playing in the skills competition for the seventh time this season (now 3-4) and had tallies from Evan Rankin (2-for-2) and Brett Connolly (2-for-3), but Cedric Paquette (3-for-7), Tanner Richard (2-for-7) and Jon DiSalvatore (0-for-1) were unsuccessful on their attempts.

Brett Connolly, Vlad Namestnikov, Joey Mormina, Cedric Paquette and Jon DiSalvatore all had point streaks snapped during the game, and Syracuse's power play was 0-for-3, scoreless for the first time in five games.

Game 36: Grand Gudlevskis goaltending lifts Syracuse

After being blanked by the Bruins the night before Syracuse needed less than a minute to get on the board Saturday night. Cedric Paquette tied Vladislav Namestnikov for the team lead with his 11th goal of the season 42 seconds into the first period, the fastest start for the Crunch this year. Neither team was able to score the rest of the way. Kristers Gudlevskis made 27 saves for his second shutout in as many nights, and this time earned the victory.

Dmitry Korobov picked up his 14th assist on Paquette's goal tying him with Brett Connolly and Namestnikov for the team lead.

The Syracuse penalty kill was perfect against the league's fifth-ranked power play, stopping each of three Providence opportunities. Syracuse has silenced opposing power plays in the last three games, going 10-for-10 in that stretch. Syracuse was held scoreless on its lone power-play opportunity of the night. Providence's two penalty minutes are the fewest for a Syracuse opponent this season.

The Crunch's last home victory (three home games previous) was also a 1-0 shutout, Dec. 14 against Rochester.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Crunch vs. Hershey-Friday, 7 p.m.

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

The Crunch host the Bears Friday as Hershey visits the War Memorial for the first time this season. The two teams have split a pair of games in Hershey, but will suddenly become much more acquainted with each other as they play three times in nine days. The Bears won 4-3 in a shootout Dec. 18 and the Crunch responded with a 3-2 win Dec. 27.

Friday marks the first of a three-in-three for Hershey as the Bears host Bridgeport and Albany the next two nights. The Bears then face the Crunch twice in a row next week. With back-to-back wins heading into Syracuse, the Bears are 17-13-3-3 with 40 points on the season. That places them in fourth in the East Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Crunch.

Hershey is led by right wing Brandon Segal's 29 points (11g, 18a). Left wing Nicolas Deschamps has 22 points (11g, 11a) and center Jeff Taffe has 21 (8g, 13a). Defenseman Chad Genoway only has eight points (1g, 7a) this season, but he has five assists in his last five games.

David Leggio has played 24 games in goal for the Bears. He has an 11-11-2 record with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

Three players for the Crunch-Evan Rankin (3g), Mike Angelidis (3a) and Cedric Paquette (3a)-have three points in two games against the Bears. Rankin had his first AHL hat trick against the Bears Dec. 18.

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

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

The Crunch and Senators square off Saturday night for the second time in January and the eighth of ten times this season. The Senators have won six of the first seven in the series, including a pair of wins in Syracuse. Overall, the Senators have outscored the Crunch 31-19 in the seven games. Binghamton won the previous matchup 6-5 in overtime Jan. 4 in Binghamton. Each of the final three meetings, including Saturday, will be at the War Memorial in Syracuse.

Saturday will be the third game in four nights for the Senators. They visit the Adirondack Phantoms on Wednesday and host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday before playing the Crunch the next night. After snapping a seven-game losing streak with a win over the Crunch on Dec. 20, the Senators have won nine of their last 11 games to improve to 23-11-0-3 on the season. They're first in the East Division and third in the Eastern Conference with 49 points.

Mike Hoffman leads the Senators with 40 points (16g, 24a) in 35 games. He's tied for second in the league in scoring and only three players have more than his 24 assists. Nine of those points (4g, 5a) have come against the Crunch in seven games. Stephane Da Costa has 32 points (12g, 20a) in 34 games and Cole Schneider has 30 (13g, 17a) in 33 games. Defenseman Chris Wideman leads Binghamton with 10 points (2g, 8a) against the Crunch.

Nathan Lawson and Andrew Hammond have shared time in net. Lawson has played the majority of the time against the Crunch-four wins in six games-and is 14-5-0 on the season with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.

Brett Connolly (3g, 2a), Vlad Namestnikov (3g, 2a), and Cedric Paquette (2g, 3a) share the team lead with five points in the season series with Binghamton.

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