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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly

February 11, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LAST WEEK

Wed., Feb. 5 - Crunch at Bridgeport - W, 3-2

Fri., Feb. 7 - Crunch at Rochester - W, 5-2

Sat., Feb. 8 - Crunch at Utica - SOL, 5-4

THIS WEEK

Wed., Feb. 12 - Crunch at Binghamton - 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 14 - Crunch vs. Utica - 7 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 15 - Crunch vs. Rochester - 7 p.m.

CRUNCH ROAR TO LIFE WITH FIVE POINTS

The Crunch rattled off two wins and collected five of a possible six points to begin a four-game road trip in Week 18.

Syracuse began the trip with a third-period comeback win against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Crunch rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits as they scored twice unanswered in the third period to earn the win. Friday, they again overcame a 1-0 deficit as they tallied four straight goals in a 5-2 win against the Rochester Americans. Saturday, the script was flipped and Utica fended off four one-goal Crunch leads to sneak out a 5-4 shootout win over Syracuse.

The Crunch, who jumped from eighth place to sixth place in one week, trail Toronto and Laval by two points for the final playoff spot in the division. They hit the ice three times against divisional foes in Week 19.

TOP PERFORMERS

Boris Katchouk rides a four-game scoring streak-his second of the season-into Week 19 following a five assist week for the second-year pro. Katchouk collected a pair of primary assists in Wednesday's win against Bridgeport. After another primary assist in a win against Rochester, he had one more primary assist in a two-assist night in Utica.

With 15 assists and 25 points, the Waterloo, Ontario native has already surpassed his totals from his rookie campaign, doing so in 27 fewer games. Eighteen of his 25 points have come in the last 24 games since Dec. 14; in that span he is tied for third on the team in scoring.

***

Danick Martel also carries a four-game scoring streak, tied for his longest of the season, into the new week. Martel netted a game-tying goal in the third period Wednesday in Bridgeport and then potted another breakaway goal in the third period against the Amerks. He collected the primary assist on Taylor Raddysh's go-ahead goal Saturday at Utica to give him four points (2g, 2a) in the four-game scoring streak.

Martel ranks fifth on the team with 29 points (16g, 13a). Out of his 29 points, 25 have been scored at even strength, which is tied for second on the team behind Alex Barré-Boulet's 29 even-strength points. After being held off the score sheet in a season-long five-straight games, he has a point in five of the last six games since Jan. 25.

WITKOWSKI'S DAY

Captain Luke Witkowski, who has been out win an injury since mid-December, has returned to practice and nears a return to game action. Last week, he was back home in Michigan for the birth of his first daughter, Fenn Fox Witkowski, who was born Feb. 6.

MIRACLE ON ICE

The Crunch will wear special, Team USA inspired jerseys Friday night against the Comets. Ken Morrow, a member of the 1980 Team USA Men's Hockey team, will be in attendance as the Crunch celebrate the 40th anniversary of that team's gold medal.

UPCOMING: BINGHAMTON, UTICA, ROCHESTER

The Crunch continue a stretch of seven straight North Division matches with three games in Week 19.

Syracuse visits the Devils in Binghamton for the final time this season, in what is the ninth of 10 head-to-head matches. The teams have split the first eight meetings, although the Crunch have earned a point in seven of the eight games (4-1-0-3). Their last meeting will be in Syracuse March 20.

They return home for a Friday Galaxy Cup meeting with the Comets. Utica's shootout win over the Crunch dropped Syracuse to 2-3-0-1 in the 12-game season series; they will not play again until March 11.

Saturday brings an end to a four-week stretch of tussles with the Rochester Americans; the Crunch won last week to improve to 2-3-2-0 against the Amerks.

WEEK 18 RESULTS

Wednesday, Feb. 5 | Game 48 at Bridgeport | W, 3-2

Syracuse 0 1 2 - 3 Shots: 10-12-14-36 PP: 0/5

Bridgeport 1 1 0 - 2 Shots: 15-10-7-32 PP: 0/7

2nd Period-Abbandonato 3 (Katchouk, Stephens), 1:32. 3rd Period-Martel 15 (Katchouk, Masin), 7:57. Volkov 6 (Barré-Boulet, Abbandonato), 13:27. . . . Wedgewood 9-6-1 (32 shots-30 saves). A-3,899

Friday, Feb. 7 | Game 49 at Rochester | W, 5-2

Syracuse 0 2 3 - 5 Shots: 9-13-8-30 PP: 1/3

Rochester 1 0 1 - 2 Shots: 5-6-13-24 PP: 2/3

2nd Period-Smith 18 (Barré-Boulet, Foote), 7:23 (PP). Joseph 4 (Foote, Barré-Boulet), 14:58. 3rd Period-Barré-Boulet 19 (Colton), 6:07. Martel 16 (Katchouk, Roe), 11:40. Smith 19 (Unassisted), 15:39 (EN). . . . Martin 8-11-3 (24 shots-22 saves). A-5,012

Saturday, Feb. 8 | Game 50 at Utica | SOL, 5-4

Syracuse 3 0 1 0 0 - 4 Shots: 13-7-7-4-0-31 PP: 0/3

Utica 2 1 1 0 1 - 5 Shots: 11-11-4-3-1-30 PP: 1/5

1st Period-Raddysh 14 (Katchouk, Walcott), 1:30. Joseph 5 (Colton), 5:30. Abbandonato 4 (Volkov, Smith), 18:12. 3rd Period-Raddysh 15 (Martel, Katchouk), 4:47. Shootout-Utica 2 (Goldobin NG, Perron G, Boucher G), Syracuse 1 (Joseph NG, Raddysh NG, Barré-Boulet G). . . . Wedgewood 9-6-2 (29 shots-25 saves). A-3,935

Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)

Power Play 20.5% (44-for-215) 9th (7th)

Penalty Kill 81.7% (179-for-219) 14th (16th)

Goals For 3.36 GFA (168) T-6th (7th)

Goals Against 3.60 GAA (180) T-29th (31st)

Shots For 29.76 SF/G (1488) 19th (19th)

Shots Against 28.82 SA/G (1441) 8th (T-9th)

Penalty Minutes 13.48 PIM/G (674) 12th (8th)

Category Leader

Points 44 Barré-Boulet

Goals 19 Barré-Boulet, Smith

Assists 25 Barré-Boulet

PIM 74 Walcott

Plus/Minus +9 Gaunce, Witkowski, Martel

Wins 9 Wedgewood

GAA 3.13 3.10

Save % .888 Wedgewood, 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.

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