Crunch Weekly
January 28, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release
LAST WEEK
Wed., Jan. 22 - Crunch at Laval - OTL, 3-2
Fri., Jan. 24 - Crunch vs. Binghamton - SOL, 4-3
Sat., Jan. 25 - Crunch vs. Rochester - L, 3-2
THIS WEEK
Fri., Jan. 31 - Crunch at Rochester - 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 1 - Crunch vs. Providence - 7 p.m.
CRUNCH HIT BREAK JUST OUT OF PLAYOFF SPOT
The Crunch reached the All-Star Break three points out of a playoff position in the North Division following a three-game winless skid.
Syracuse built a four-game points streak (2-0-1-1) during the week before losing in regulation to Rochester to close week. After collecting back-to-back wins to enter the week, the Crunch fell to Laval, 3-2, in overtime Wednesday night. Friday saw the Crunch lose their third shootout against Binghamton this season. Saturday's game against the Amerks was the fifth that ended in a one-goal margin, but Rochester pulled out a 3-2 win in regulation.
The Crunch rematch with Rochester and then host Providence in their first two games following the All-Star Break.
TOP PERFORMERS
Taylor Raddysh was one of two Crunch players-the other being All-Star Alex Barré-Boulet-to notch a point in all three games last week. The second-year pro scored a goal Wednesday in Laval and Friday against Binghamton before assisting on one Saturday versus Rochester.
Since the turn of the calendar, Raddysh ranks third on the Crunch with 12 points in 12 games and his six goals in that span are tied for the team lead. He became the seventh Crunch skater to reach 10 goals this season; only Belleville (8) has more than the Crunch.
ALL-STAR UPDATE
Crunch forward Alex Barré-Boulet and defenseman Cameron Gaunce represented the North Division and the Eastern Conference at the AHL All-Star Classic at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. It was Barré-Boulet's first All-Star appearance and Gaunce's second.
During the skills competition Sunday night, Barré-Boulet participated in the puck control relay, rapid fire, pass and score and the breakaway relay. He earned a goal for the Eastern Conference by winning his puck control relay with Jack Studnicka (Providence) and Joey Keane (Hartford). He also scored twice in the pass and score event with Jeremy Bracco (Toronto) and Adam Clendening (Cleveland).
Gaunce recorded a 96.4 mph slap shot during the hardest shot event and he also scored a goal during the pass and score event with Jake Bean (Charlotte) and Sam Miletic (W-B/Scranton). The West won, 18-15.
During the All-Star Challenge Monday night, Gaunce posted one goal and one assist and Barré-Boulet added one goal for the North Division.
TIME FOR A BREAK
The Crunch reached the All-Star Break in sixth place in the North Division, carrying a 20-19-3-3 record and 46 points. In a division that is separated by 14 points from first to last, the Crunch are three points behind Laval for fourth, but only two clear of Binghamton and Cleveland for last place.
The Crunch's stretch before the break featured 10 game in 16 days; the team went 3-4-1-2 in that stretch.
UPCOMING: ROCHESTER, PROVIDENCE
The Crunch emerge from the All-Star Break with two games in Week 17.
Syracuse visits Rochester Friday night to complete a two-game series bookending the All-Star Break. The Amerks dealt the Crunch a 3-2 defeat at Upstate Medical University Arena Saturday night; Rochester has four wins in the first five games of the 12-game season series, while all five games have been decided by one goal. After claiming just one win in their previous 10 games, the Amerks won their final three before the break to move within four points of first-place Belleville in the North Division.
The Crunch end their two-game series with Providence Saturday night. Syracuse won the previous meeting, 4-1, behind a Gemel Smith hat trick in Providence Dec. 11. The Bruins hit the break in third place in the Atlantic Division at 55 points.
WEEK 16 RESULTS
Wednesday, Jan. 22 | Game 43 at Laval | OTL, 3-2
Syracuse 2 0 0 0 - 2 Shots: 9-7-7-0-23 PP: 1/5
Laval 1 1 0 1 - 3 Shots: 7-12-7-1-27 PP: 1/5
1st Period-Smith 17 (Walcott), 6:26 (SH). Raddysh 10 (Colton, Barré-Boulet), 19:39 (PP). . . . Wedgewood ND (7 shots-6 saves), Martin 7-10-2 (20 shots-18 saves). A-6,970
Friday, Jan. 24 | Game 44 vs. Binghamton | SOL, 4-3
BNG 0 2 1 0 1 - 4 Shots: 7-17-9-1-1-35 PP: 1/5
SYR 2 0 1 0 0 - 3 Shots: 7-6-24-1-0-38 PP: 0/5
1st Period-Foote 4 (Conacher, Masin), 0:49. Raddysh 11 (Masin, Volkov), 2:48. Shootout-Binghamton 1 (Boqvist NG, Maltsev NG, Schnarr NG, Merkley NG, Seney NG, Zetterlund NG, Sharangovich G), Syracuse 0 (Smith NG, Conacher NG, Volkov NG, Barré-Boulet NG, Somppi NG, Colton NG, Katchouk NG). . . . Martin 7-10-3 (34 shots-31 saves). A-5,311
Saturday, Jan. 25 | Game 45 vs. Rochester | L, 3-2
Rochester 1 1 1 - 3 Shots: 14-18-7-39 PP: 0/2
Syracuse 0 1 1 - 2 Shots: 7-11-19-37 PP: 1/4
2nd Period-Martel 14 (Barré-Boulet, Foote), 14:59. 3rd Period-Foote 5 (Joseph, Raddysh), 18:18 (PP). . . . Martin 7-11-3 (39 shots-36 saves). A-6,132
Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play 21.5% (42-for-195) 6th (7th)
Penalty Kill 82.6% (161-for-195) T-11th (14th)
Goals For 3.38 GFA (152) 5th (5th)
Goals Against 3.58 GAA (161) T-30th (29th)
Shots For 29.31 SF/G (1319) 21st (23rd)
Shots Against 28.84 SA/G (1298) 10th (8th)
Penalty Minutes 13.67 PIM/G (615) 9th (13th)
Category Leader
Points 40 Barré-Boulet
Goals 18 Barré-Boulet
Assists 23 Conacher, Gaunce
PIM 72 Walcott
Plus/Minus +9 Gaunce, Witkowski
Wins 8 Wedgewood
GAA 2.92 Wedgewood
Save % .893 Wedgewood
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.
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