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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 29, No. 25

April 4, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


CRUNCH CLOSING IN ON PLAYOFF BERTH

The Crunch took five of six possible points, while playing three overtime games, during their final three-in-three weekend of the season in Week 25.

Syracuse began the week with a shootout win over the Belleville Senators Friday night. The teams traded leads before the Crunch prevailed, 6-5, in their lone home game of the weekend. Saturday, the Crunch rallied from 3-1 down in the third period before defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 4-3, in overtime to sweep the season series. The Crunch went to overtime again Sunday in Utica, but lost to the Comets, 5-4, in a shootout.

The Crunch are 33-24-5-4 and have 75 points, which is good for second place in the North Division. Syracuse can clinch a playoff berth as soon as tomorrow. One point separates Syracuse, Utica and Rochester for second place in the division.

TOP PERFORMERS

Alex Barré-Boulet racked up seven points in three games, and in the process broke another franchise record, in Week 25. After scoring a power-play goal Friday, he scored a pair of goals and added two assists in the Crunch's comeback win against the Penguins Saturday. He had two more assists Sunday at Utica.

The fifth-year pro tied and then set the Crunch's franchise record with his 107th and 108th career goals Saturday at Wilkes-Barre. He has played 265 AHL games with the Crunch and is the franchise's all-time leader in goals (108), assists (169) and points (277).

Barré-Boulet ranks second in the league in assists (55) and points (78) - both career highs - over 63 games played. He is four points shy of the Crunch's single season record (82, Carter Verhaeghe). He was named the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week for the first time in his career; he is the second Crunch player (Hugo Alnefelt) to win that award this season.

***

Forward Gage Goncalves matched Alex Barré-Boulet for the team and AHL lead with seven points last week. He began with a goal and an assist Friday, collected three assists Saturday, and added another one and one Sunday. The second-year pro has now registered a multi-point game in four straight outings - the longest run of his career.

Goncalves ranks fourth on the team with 49 points (12g, 37a) in 65 games this season. He is tied for second on the Crunch with 13 power-play points (1g, 12a).

***

Rookie Jack Finley notched three points - including a pair of goals - to help the Crunch earn five of six standings points. Finley broke a 3-3 tie in the opening minute of the third period Friday against Belleville to complete his second multi-point game (1g, 1a) of the season. He then broke another 3-3 tie in the second period Sunday at Utica with his 10th goal of the season.

Finley, 20, has three goals in the last seven games and he has 19 points (10g, 9a) in 63 games this season. He became the 12th Crunch player with at least 10 goals this season, which is tied with Calgary for the second most in the AHL (Texas).

UPCOMING WEEK

Wednesday, April 5 at Rochester | 7:05 p.m.

The Crunch and Amerks begin a crucial home and home series Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena. The Crunch have won three straight against the Amerks and lead them by one point in the North Division

Friday, April 7 vs. Rochester | 7 p.m.

The Crunch and Amerks wrap up the season series; entering the week both teams have earned five wins.

Saturday, April 8 vs. Laval | 7 p.m.

The Rocket arrive in Syracuse looking to firm up a playoff spot. With four straight wins, the Rocket have opened a three point lead for the final playoff position.

WEEK 25 RESULTS

Friday, March 31 | Game 63 vs. Belleville | W, 6-5 (SO)

Belleville 3 0 2 0 0 - 5 Shots: 11-9-12-5-0-37 PP: 1/2

Syracuse 2 1 2 0 1 - 6 Shots: 11-16-11-2-1-41 PP: 1/5

1st Period-Goncalves 11 (Ryfors, Myers), 1:02. Fortier 11 (Finley, Carlile), 1:45. 2nd Period-Barré-Boulet 21 (Goncalves, Carrick), 13:04 (PP). 3rd Period-Finley 9 (Thompson), 0:23. Robert 17 (Edmonds, Usau), 2:31. Shootout-Syracuse 1 (Goncalves G, Edmonds NG, Balcers NG), Belleville 0 (Sokolov NG, Lucchini NG, Quenneville NG). . . . Alnefelt 17-10-1 (37 shots-32 saves) A-5,801

Saturday, April 1 | Game 64 at W-B/Scranton | W, 4-3 (OT)

Syracuse 0 1 2 1 - 4 Shots: 12-9-11-1-33 PP: 1/8

W-B/Scranton 1 1 1 0 - 3 Shots: 10-8-3-0-21 PP: 1/4

2nd Period-Robert 18 (Goncalves, Barré-Boulet), 16:31 (PP). 3rd Period-Barré-Boulet 22 (Goncalves, Thompson), 9:38. Barré-Boulet 23 (Day, Goncalves), 16:12. Overtime-Myers 7 (Ryfors, Barré-Boulet), 0:52. . . . Lagace 15-12-6 (21 shots-18 saves) A-7,568

Sunday, April 2 | Game 65 at Utica | SOL, 5-4

Syracuse 1 3 0 0 0 - 4 Shots: 7-12-9-3-0-29 PP: 1/3

Utica 2 2 0 0 1 - 5 Shots: 10-12-5-2-1-30 PP: 0/5

1st Period-Carrick 15 (Goncalves, Barré-Boulet), 1:46 (PP). 2nd Period-Balcers 7 (Carrick, Alnefelt), 1:11. Goncalves 12 (Ryfors, Barré-Boulet), 2:28. Finley 10 (Walcott, Fortier), 11:29. Shootout-Syracuse 1 (Goncalves NG, Edmonds G, Balcers NG), Utica 2 (Foote G, Clarke G). . . . Alnefelt 17-10-2 (29 shots-25 saves) A-3,917

Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)

Power Play 18.6% (41-for-220) 18th (T-15th)

Penalty Kill 80.3% (208-for-259) 18th (20th)

Goals For 3.50 GFA (231) 5th (T-4th)

Goals Against 3.27 GAA (216) 22nd (T-20th)

Shots For 31.97 SF/G (2110) 4th (4th)

Shots Against 29.83 SA/G (1969) 11th (11th)

Penalty Minutes 15.76 PIM/G (1040) 4th (6th)

Category Leader

Points 78 Barré-Boulet

Goals 23 Barré-Boulet

Assists 55 Barré-Boulet

PIM 99 Walcott

Plus/Minus +25 Barré-Boulet

Wins 17 Alnefelt

GAA 2.61 Alnefelt

Save % .910 Alnefelt

North Division GP W L OTL SOL PTS PCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD LAST 10 STREAK S/O

1. y Toronto 67 41 21 3 2 87 0.649 216 203 844 20-12-0-2 21-9-3-0 3-5-1-1 1-0-0-0 3-2

2. Syracuse 66 33 24 5 4 75 0.568 231 216 1040 17-10-5-1 16-14-0-3 5-4-0-1 3-0-0-1 4-4

3. Utica 67 32 25 6 4 74 0.552 198 206 750 16-9-3-4 16-16-3-0 3-5-0-2 1-0-0-0 2-4

4. Rochester 66 33 25 5 3 74 0.561 215 215 711 18-11-3-1 15-14-2-2 6-1-1-2 5-0-1-1 4-3

5. Laval 67 29 28 7 3 68 0.507 235 233 897 15-9-5-3 14-19-2-0 5-5-0-0 4-0-0-0 1-3

6. Belleville 67 28 30 6 3 65 0.485 214 243 1070 17-14-1-2 11-16-5-1 3-3-2-2 0-1-0-0 4-3

7. Cleveland 65 29 29 5 2 65 0.500 205 237 786 15-15-4-0 14-14-1-2 5-4-1-0 0-2-0-0 4-2

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