Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 12

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 Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 12

December 31, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


CRUNCH END 2024 ON A HIGH

The Crunch returned from their holiday break to sweep a two-game set against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell in Week 12. It was the Crunch's first sweep in a series of at least two straight games at Laval in 10 tries all-time.

In the first game of the weekend, the Crunch quieted the sold-out crowd with a goal six minutes into the game. They stymied the Laval attack all night and went on to a 4-1 win. They came from behind the following afternoon. The Rocket took a 1-0 lead in the second period before the Crunch rattled off four straight goals en route to a 5-2 win

The back-to-back wins give the Crunch four wins in the last five games heading into 2025. They posted a 5-2-3-0 mark in December and enter the week with a 13-9-4-3 record.

TOP PERFORMERS

Max Crozier's return to the lineup following a 13-game injury absence paid instant dividends for the Crunch. The second-year-pro saw significant minutes and contributed three points (1g, 2a) over the two games.

In his first game action since Nov. 16, Crozier posted an assist in Friday's 4-1 win against the Rocket. He followed that up with a one goal, one assist performance the next afternoon; his goal held up as the game-winning goal. He finished the week with a plus-5 rating.

Crozier has four points (2g, 2a) in 16 games this season. Both goals have been game-winning goals and he is one of two Crunch players (Dylan Duke) with more than one decisive tally.

***

Gabe Fortier earned points in both games in Laval, giving him one point in four of the last five games. The Crunch have won all four of those games and they are 5-1-0-0 when he finds the scoresheet this season.

Fortier grabbed an assist on Friday at Laval and then added an empty-net goal Saturday to cap the weekend. The assistant captain has eight points (4g, 4a) in 18 games this season.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The Crunch finish their season-high five-game road swing tomorrow in Toronto. They have posted a 3-1-0-0 record so far, splitting in Rochester before taking both games in Laval. Syracuse is 8-6-2-0 on the road this season.

Starting Friday, the Crunch play five of their next six games at home. They carry a six-game home point streak (2-0-2-2) into the New Year.

UPCOMING WEEK

Wednesday, Jan. 1 at Toronto | 2 p.m.

The Crunch travel to Toronto for their first New Year's Day contest since 2011. They face off against the Toronto Marlies in the first of six contests this season. The Crunch posted a 6-0-0-2 mark against the Marlies in 2023-24.

The Marlies hit 2025 with a league-low five regulation losses. They took back-to-back wins against Belleville after Christmas, and they have won three straight games overall. The Marlies are 17-5-2-3 this season and sit in third place in the North Division. Their 0.722 points percentage is tops in the division, earning head coach John Gruden the nod as the division's All-Star head coach.

Toronto is an AHL best 11-1-0-2 on home ice this season.

Friday, Jan. 3 vs. Belleville | 7 p.m.

After facing the Marlies for the first time on Wednesday, the Crunch are home to face the Belleville Senators - a team they've played six times already - Friday night.

The Crunch are 4-2-0-0 this season against the Senators, but Belleville claimed the most recent meeting, 2-1, on Dec. 11. Derrick Pouliot (3g, 4a) and Niko Huuhtanen (2g, 5a) pace the Crunch with seven points, while Garrett Pilon leads all scorers with eight (1g, 7a).

Saturday, Jan. 4 vs. Lehigh Valley | 7 p.m.

The Crunch finish the weekend with the first of four head-to-head matches against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday. The teams split a two-game series last year with the road team victorious in both contests.

The Phantoms enter the week with a 13-12-4-1 record to sit in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. They host Charlotte on New Year's Eve before heading to Utica on Friday.

WEEK 12 RESULTS

Friday, Dec. 27 | Game 28 at Laval | W, 4-1

Syracuse 1 2 1 - 4 Shots: 6-12-5-23 PP: 0/4

Laval 0 0 1 - 1 Shots: 5-8-10-23 PP: 0/5

1st Period-Walcott 2 (Groshev, Pouliot), 6:08. 2nd Period-Roelens 4 (Teasdale, Walford), 1:21. Schmidt 2 (Carlile, Sheary), 14:19. 3rd Period-Finley 1 (Fortier, Crozier), 12:08.. .. Tomkins 4-5-3 (23 shots-22 saves) A-10,243

Saturday, Dec. 28 | Game 29 at Laval | W, 5-2

Syracuse 0 3 2 - 5 Shots: 10-10-12-32 PP: 1/4

Laval 0 1 1 - 2 Shots: 10-8-5-23 PP: 1/7

2nd Period-Szturc 4 (Ylonen, Crozier), 8:25 (PP). Ylonen 5 (Sheary, Brown), 17:45. Crozier 2 (Sheary), 18:59. 3rd Period-Teasdale 4 (Brown, Pouliot), 5:25. Fortier 4 (Finley, Santini), 17:15 (EN).. .. Halverson 9-4-4 (23 shots-21 saves) A-10,243

Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)

Power Play 14.1% (14-for-99) 27th (27th)

Penalty Kill 82.0% (100-for-122) 18th (T-18th)

Goals For 2.72 GFA (79) T-28th (30th)

Goals Against 2.45 GAA (71) 1st (1st)

Shots For 25.93 SF/G (752) 30th (30th)

Shots Against 28.34 SA/G (822) 13th (13th)

Penalty Minutes 14.00 PIM/G (406) 9th (13th)

Category Leader

Points 22 Pouliot

Goals 11 Duke

Assists 17 Pouliot

PIM 37 Crozier

Plus/Minus +14 Schmidt

Wins 9 Halverson

GAA 1.80 Halverson

Save % .933 Halverson

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

1. Rochester 31 19 9 3 0 41 0.661 103 83 310 6-6-2-0 13-3-1-0 8-2-0-0 4-0-0-0 3-0

2. Cleveland 30 18 9 1 2 39 0.650 102 93 369 9-4-1-2 9-5-0-0 4-4-1-1 1-0-0-0 1-2

3. Toronto 27 17 5 2 3 39 0.722 89 71 236 11-1-0-2 6-4-2-1 7-3-0-0 3-0-0-0 2-3

4. Laval 30 18 10 1 1 38 0.633 90 81 510 9-4-1-1 9-6-0-0 5-4-0-1 0-2-0-0 2-1

5. Syracuse 29 13 9 4 3 33 0.569 79 71 406 5-3-2-3 8-6-2-0 5-2-3-0 2-0-0-0 2-3

6. Belleville 26 13 9 0 4 30 0.577 73 83 320 5-6-0-2 8-3-0-2 5-5-0-0 0-2-0-0 3-4

7. Utica 25 6 15 2 2 16 0.320 54 86 347 1-7-1-2 5-8-1-0 4-5-1-0 0-2-1-0 0-2


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