Sports stats



AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly

January 8, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LAST WEEK

Tue., Dec. 30 - Crunch at Binghamton - L, 5-3

Fri., Jan. 3 - Crunch vs. Toronto - W, 8-2

Sat., Jan. 4 - Crunch at Laval - L, 3-2

THIS WEEK

Fri., Jan. 10 - Crunch vs. Laval - 7 p.m.

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

Sun., Jan. 12 - Crunch at Binghamton - 3:05 p.m.

CRUNCH ALTERNATE RESULTS TO BEGIN 2020

The Crunch had one win sandwiched between two losses to close 2019 and open 2020 in Week 14.

Syracuse began the week with the final game of the decade on New Year's Eve in Binghamton, where the Crunch suffered a 5-3 loss. They fell behind 4-1 in the third period before scoring back-to-back goals to pull within one, but their comeback fell short. Friday at home, in the first game of the new year, the Crunch routed the Toronto Marlies, 8-2, to snap a three-game winless skid. The next night in Laval, the Crunch again nearly overcame a three-goal third period deficit, but lost to the Rocket, 3-2, despite a 35-15 shots advantage.

The Crunch prepare for their second three-in-three weekend of the season in Week 15.

TOP PERFORMERS

Gemel Smith turned in back-to-back multi-point performances against Binghamton and Toronto last week. The 25-year-old center lit the lamp once and added two helpers in Syracuse's 5-3 loss to the Devils. During the Crunch's 8-2 rout of the Toronto Marlies, he scored on the first shot of the game for the second time this season and added another even strength marker in the second period.

He has 26 points (13g, 13a) in 27 games this season while recording at least one point in nine of the last 11 games since Dec. 11. Smith's .96 points-per-game pace leads all Crunch skaters appearing in at least ten games this season.

***

Winger Mathieu Joseph and defenseman Cal Foote were the only two Crunch skaters to find the scoresheet in all three of Syracuse's Week 14 outings.

With a goal and two assists, Joseph extended his active points streak to four games, and he's tallied four points (2g, 2a) in five games with the Crunch this season. He also has seven points (4g, 3a) in 34 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.

Foote's five Week 14 assists, including two against both Toronto and Laval, stretched his active points streak to four games. The American-born defenseman's 20 points (3g, 17a) rank second among Crunch defensemen. He has logged at least one point in 10 of the Crunch's last 13 games since Dec. 6. In that span, Foote has 13 points (2g, 11a), which is tied with Cory Conacher for the second-most on the Crunch; he is tied for the second-most among all AHL defensemen too.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

The AHL announced Friday that Alex Barré-Boulet will represent the Crunch at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic Jan. 26-27 in Ontario, California.

The second-year pro paces the Crunch with 14 goals, six power-play markers and 31 points (14g, 17a) through 33 games this season.

Syracuse has sent at least one forward to every AHL All-Star Classic since 2008. Defenseman Filip Novak was the only Crunch player named to the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto.

UPCOMING: LAVAL, ROCHESTER, BINGHAMTON

Friday marks Syracuse's second consecutive matchup against the Laval Rocket. With Saturday night's 3-2 win in Laval, the Rocket took a 2-1-0-0 lead in the season series. The Rocket sit five points ahead of the Crunch in the North Division standings, but Syracuse maintains two games in hand.

The division-leading Rochester Americans return to Syracuse Saturday evening for the first time since their 7-6 overtime victory Oct. 26. After rattling off a 12-game points streak Nov. 1-Dec. 6, the Amerks are 6-6-0-0 their last 12 outings. The Amerks are 3-0 against the Crunch this season, with three one-goal wins.

The Crunch wrap up their three-in-three with a Sunday matinee in Binghamton. The Devils ride a season-best four-game winning streak, which includes two tight wins against the Crunch.

WEEK 14 RESULTS

Tuesday, Dec. 31 | Game 33 at Binghamton | L, 5-3

Syracuse 1 0 2 - 3 Shots: 9-7-13-29 PP: 2/6

Binghamton 2 1 2 - 5 Shots: 11-15-7-33 PP: 1/4

1st Period-Conacher 11 (Gaunce, Smith), 3:24 (PP). 3rd Period-Smith 11 (Walcott, Volkov), 8:42. Joseph 2 (Foote, Smith), 11:29 (PP). . . . Martin 5-8-1 (32 shots-28 saves). A-3,674

Friday, Jan. 3 | Game 34 vs. Toronto | W, 8-2

Toronto 0 2 0 - 2 Shots: 5-11-6-22 PP: 1/3

Syracuse 3 3 2 - 8 Shots: 23-22-11-56 PP: 2/5

1st Period-Smith 12 (Conacher, Thomas), 0:46. Thomas 2 (Somppi, Martel), 14:15. Raddysh 6 (Barré-Boulet, Foote), 17:47 (PP). 2nd Period-Colton 5 (Barré-Boulet, Volkov), 3:14 (PP). Conacher 12 (Martel), 6:42 (SH). Smith 13 (Foote, Joseph), 8:46. 3rd Period-Barré-Boulet 13 (Raddysh, Somppi), 7:21. Somppi 4 (Walcott, Huntington). 12:22. . . . Martin 6-8-1 (22 shots-20 saves). A-5,629

Saturday, Jan. 4 | Game 35 at Laval | L, 3-2

Syracuse 0 0 2 - 2 Shots: 11-11-13-35 PP: 1/4

Laval 1 0 2 - 3 Shots: 1-8-6-15 PP: 1/1

3rd Period-Barré-Boulet 14 (Foote, Martel), 10:16 (PP). Katchouk 7 (Joseph, Foote), 15:22. . . . Fucale 0-1-0 (15 shots-12 saves). A-8,104

Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)

Power Play 21.2% (33-for-156) 7th (T-9th)

Penalty Kill 83.6% (122-for-146) 10th (7th)

Goals For 3.29 GFA (115) 7th (T-11th)

Goals Against 3.37 GAA (118) 27th (26th)

Shots For 28.63 SF/G (1002) 25th (28th)

Shots Against 28.34 SA/G (992) 7th (10th)

Penalty Minutes 13.69 PIM/G (479) 11th (8th)

Category Leader

Points 31 Barré-Boulet

Goals 14 Barré-Boulet

Assists 20 Gaunce

PIM 53 Masin

Plus/Minus +9 Witkowski

Wins 7 Wedgewood

GAA 2.95 Martin

Save % .896 Martin

Single game tickets and packages for the 2019-20 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.comor follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2020


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.

OurSports Central