Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 11
December 24, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release
CRUNCH SPLIT HEADING INTO BREAK
The Crunch split a two-game set on the road against the Rochester Americans in Week 11 for their final two games before the holiday break.
The two-game set began Wednesday in Rochester and the Crunch grabbed a 5-2 win over the Amerks. Dylan Duke scored twice and the Crunch snapped a string of seven straight games decided by one goal, which established a new franchise record.
After a day off on Thursday, the teams rematched on Friday at Blue Cross Arena. The Amerks scored 44 seconds into the game and went on to win, 3-1, with the aid of a shorthanded goal and an empty-net goal against the Crunch.
The Crunch hit the holiday break with an 11-9-4-3 record through 27 games. They slipped back to sixth place in the North Division with 29 points.
After the Christmas break, the Crunch close out 2024 with a pair of contests in Laval against the division-leading Rocket.
TOP PERFORMERS
Forward Jesse Ylonen led the Crunch with four points in their two-game set against the Rochester Americans in Week 11. Ylonen earned his second three-assist game of the season Wednesday with three primary assists in the Crunch's 5-2 win against the Amerks. It marked his fourth career three-assist game in the AHL. He proceeded to earn another assist on the Crunch's lone goal in their 3-1 loss on Friday night.
After starting the season slowly - with only three points through the first 11 games of the campaign - Ylonen has come on strong since mid-November. The Finnish forward has 12 points (4g, 8a) in 15 games since Nov. 15, which puts him in a three-way tie for the most points on the team in that span.
His assist on Friday also marked his 100th career AHL point in 147 games with Laval and Syracuse. He has 15 points (4g, 11a) in 27 games this season.
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Dylan Duke logged his first career two-goal game to lead the Crunch to their 5-2 win on Wednesday. The rookie put the Crunch ahead 2-1 in the second period and then he sealed the game with an empty-net strike in the third period.
The University of Michigan product leads the Crunch and ranks second among AHL rookies with 11 goals this season. He is second on the Crunch with 19 points in 27 games.
CONTINUING THE ROAD SWING
The Crunch are in the midst of their longest stretch of road games this season. They played twice in Rochester last week; the rest of the swing includes two games at Laval and one in Toronto - the teams with the top two home records in the AHL.
The Crunch are 6-6-2-0 on the road. They next play at home on Jan. 3-4.
CALL IT A STREAK
The Crunch's win on Wednesday against the Amerks was their second in a row. It's only the third time all season they've won back-to-back games; it was the first time since Oct. 20-25.
Syracuse's loss on Friday means the Crunch have not won three straight games yet through 27 games this season.
UPCOMING WEEK
Friday, Dec. 17 at Laval | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 18 at Laval | 3 p.m.
The Crunch emerge from their holiday break with a two-game set against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell, beginning Friday night. The rematch Saturday will mark the Crunch's final visit to Laval this season. The Crunch lost a pair of games during the Rocket's home-opening weekend in October.
The Rocket have won all four games so far in the eight-game season series. Their two wins in Syracuse were decided past regulation - once in overtime and once in a shootout. Three of the four contests have been one-goal games; the Rocket are 11-2-1-1 in those contests while the Crunch are 4-4-4-3.
Laval hit the holiday break on a three-game winning streak to move back to first place in the North Division with 38 points. They are 18-8-1-1 in 28 games this season after earning wins over Bridgeport, Belleville and Springfield. The Rocket's 9-2-1-1 (0.769) home record is the second-best in the AHL behind Toronto (10-1-0-2, 0.846).
WEEK 11 RESULTS
Wednesday, Dec. 18 | Game 26 at Rochester | W, 5-2
Syracuse 1 3 1 - 5 Shots: 7-15-6-28 PP: 0/2
Rochester 1 1 0 - 2 Shots: 13-13-7-33 PP: 0/3
1st Period-Sheary 6 (Ylonen), 10:29. 2nd Period-Duke 10 (Ylonen), 11:31. Brown 2 (Santini), 13:43. Fortier 3 (Finley, Walcott), 17:57. 3rd Period-Duke 11 (Ylonen), 16:55 (EN).. .. Halverson 8-3-4 (33 shots-31 saves) A-3,619
Friday, Dec. 20 | Game 27 at Rochester | L, 3-1
Syracuse 0 0 1 - 1 Shots: 4-10-9-23 PP: 0/5
Rochester 1 1 1 - 3 Shots: 11-5-10-26 PP: 0/5
3rd Period-Carlile 2 (Brown, Ylonen), 11:39.. .. Halverson 8-4-4 (25 shots-23 saves) A-6,610
Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play 14.3% (13-for-91) 27th (25th)
Penalty Kill 80.9% (89-for-110) T-18th (21st)
Goals For 2.59 GFA (70) 30th (30th)
Goals Against 2.52 GAA (68) 1st (T-1st)
Shots For 25.81 SF/G (697) 30th (30th)
Shots Against 28.74 SA/G (776) 13th (14th)
Penalty Minutes 13.81 PIM/G (373) 13th (9th)
Category Leader
Points 20 Pouliot
Goals 11 Duke
Assists 15 Pouliot
PIM 33 Huuhtanen
Plus/Minus +13 Schmidt
Wins 8 Halverson
GAA 1.79 Halverson
Save % .934 Halverson
North Division GP W L OTL SOL PTS PCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD LAST 10 STREAK S/O
1. Laval 28 18 8 1 1 38 0.679 87 72 455 9-2-1-1 9-6-0-0 5-4-0-1 3-0-0-0 2-1
2. Rochester 29 17 9 3 0 37 0.638 94 78 306 5-6-2-0 12-3-1-0 8-2-0-0 2-0-0-0 3-0
3. Cleveland 28 17 8 1 2 37 0.661 97 87 339 9-3-1-2 8-5-0-0 4-4-1-1 0-1-0-0 1-2
4. Toronto 25 15 5 2 3 35 0.700 82 68 210 10-1-0-2 5-4-2-1 5-4-0-1 1-0-0-0 2-3
5. Belleville 24 13 7 0 4 30 0.625 70 76 298 5-5-0-2 8-2-0-2 6-4-0-0 1-0-0-0 3-4
6. Syracuse 27 11 9 4 3 29 0.537 70 68 373 5-3-2-3 6-6-2-0 3-3-3-1 0-1-0-0 2-3
7. Utica 23 6 14 1 2 15 0.326 49 77 339 1-7-0-2 5-7-1-0 6-4-0-0 0-1-0-0 0-2
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