Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 15
January 21, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release
CRUNCH BACK ON HOME ICE FOR TWO
The Crunch's busy January continues with two more home games this weekend to complete a stretch of five games in nine days.
Syracuse played four games in six days stretching into the annual Monday Matinee. The Crunch went 1-2-0-1 over the four games, but they lost the last two in regulation. Syracuse began the stretch with a shootout loss last Wednesday at home against the Providence Bruins. They earned a win on Friday at Bridgeport before being shut out by the Bruins on Saturday. Yesterday, the Crunch had their Martin Luther King Jr. Day winning streak snapped with a 2-1 loss to Utica. They had won eight in a row on the holiday since 2016-17.
The Crunch have four games remaining before the AHL All-Star Break (Feb. 2-3) and carry a 17-13-5-4 record. They are in fifth place with 43 points ahead of home dates with Bridgeport and Cleveland this weekend.
TOP PERFORMER
Goaltender Matt Tomkins played twice for the Crunch during their stretch of four games in six days. He made 29 saves in their 4-1 win in Bridgeport on Friday before suffering a 2-1 loss yesterday against Utica.
The 30-year-old has won three of his last five decisions. He is 3-2-1 with a 2.18 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in six appearances since Dec. 13. He has allowed two or fewer goals in five of those starts. He is 6-7-3 with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage in 16 appearances this season.
FINLEY MAKES NHL DEBUT
It was quite a week for Jack Finley, who skated in five games in just seven days starting last Tuesday. The 22-year-old earned his first NHL recall on Tuesday and then made his NHL debut for the Tampa Bay Lightning that night against the Boston Bruins. After logging 8:25 of ice time, Finley was reassigned to the Crunch and dressed against the Providence Bruins on Wednesday to begin a stretch of four Crunch games in six days.
Finley became the 94th player to appear in a game for both the Crunch and Lightning during the affiliation. He is the third player who has joined the list this season, and he is the first this year to make his NHL debut.
UPCOMING WEEK
Friday, Jan. 24 vs. Bridgeport | 7 p.m.
The Crunch and Bridgeport Islanders meet for the second time in a week Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena. The Crunch defeated the Islanders, 4-1, in Bridgeport last Friday. This week's matchup will be the middle game of the Crunch's three-game homestand and concludes the two-game season series. Syracuse is eyeing a sweep of Bridgeport for the second straight season.
The Islanders began a four-game road trip Monday with a 4-3 win at Springfield. They face off in Utica on Wednesday before taking on the Crunch on Friday. The Islanders are last in the AHL with 22 points (9-25-2-2), but they've been more competitive on the road (7-9-2-0) than at home (2-16-0-2).
Saturday, Jan. 25 vs. Cleveland | 7 p.m.
The Crunch finish off the homestand Saturday against the Cleveland Monsters. It's the final game of the four-game season series between the clubs. The teams split a pair in Cleveland, but the Monsters won, 5-2, in Syracuse on Nov. 9. Both games in Cleveland required overtime.
Luca Del Bel Belluz leads all scorers in the series with seven points (5g, 2a) in just three games. He has been on recall with Columbus since Jan. 8, earning three points in six games.
The Monsters enter the week in third place in the North Division with 48 points at 22-12-1-3. They trail first place Rochester by two points, but they are only five points ahead of the Crunch, who are in fifth place.
WEEK 15 RESULTS
Wednesday, Jan. 15 | Game 36 vs. Providence | SOL, 3-2
PRO 1 0 1 0 1 - 3 Shots: 7-12-10-1-1-31 PP: 0/3
SYR 0 1 1 0 0 - 2 Shots: 11-11-13-4-0-39 PP: 0/2
2nd Period-Brown 4 (Goncalves, Crozier), 14:47. 3rd Period-Khaira 2 (Bisson, Teasdale), 10:29. Shootout-Syracuse 1 (Brown G, Goncalves NG, Ylonen NG, Sheary NG, Khaira NG) Providence 2 (Merkulov NG, Farinacci NG, Pitlick G, Harrison NG, Tufte G).. .. Halverson 11-5-6 (30 shots-28 saves) A-4,111
Friday, Jan. 17 | Game 37 at Bridgeport | W, 4-1
Syracuse 0 3 1 - 4 Shots: 9-17-10-36 PP: 1/4
Bridgeport 0 0 1 - 1 Shots: 12-11-7-30 PP: 0/2
2nd Period-Goncalves 1 (Sheary), 4:28. Goncalves 2 (Brown, Pouliot), 6:32. Sheary 9 (Goncalves, Pouliot), 18:41 (PP). 3rd Period-Fortier 8 (Dumont), 17:43 (EN).. .. Tomkins 6-6-3 (30 shots-29 saves) A-2,827
Saturday, Jan. 18 | Game 38 at Providence | L, 5-0
Syracuse 0 0 0 - 0 Shots: 8-8-10-26 PP: 0/4
Providence 1 3 1 - 0 Shots: 13-13-8-34 PP: 1/2
Halverson 11-6-6 (34 shots-29 saves) A-8,073
Monday, Jan. 20 | Game 39 vs. Utica | L, 2-1
Utica 1 1 0 - 2 Shots: 8-5-5-18 PP: 0/1
Syracuse 0 1 0 - 1 Shots: 10-10-7-27 PP: 0/4
2nd Period-Brown 5 (Khaira, Pouliot), 0:54.. .. Tomkins 6-7-3 (18 shots-16 saves) A-5,692
Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play 14.4% (20-for-139) 30th (27th)
Penalty Kill 83.3% (120-for-144) 14th (T-15th)
Goals For 2.62 GFA (102) 30th (T-28th)
Goals Against 2.49 GAA (97) 2nd (2nd)
Shots For 26.28 SF/G (1025) 29th (31st)
Shots Against 28.54 SA/G (1113) 16th (14th)
Penalty Minutes 12.36 PIM/G (482) 20th (T-15th)
Category Leader
Points 31 Pouliot
Goals 11 Duke
Assists 26 Pouliot
PIM 46 Crozier
Plus/Minus +13 Pouliot
Wins 11 Halverson
GAA 1.98 Halverson
Save % .928 Halverson
North Division GP W L OTL SOL PTS PCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD LAST 10 STREAK S/O
1. Rochester 38 23 11 3 1 50 0.658 130 105 402 7-6-2-1 16-5-1-0 7-2-0-1 0-1-0-0 3-1
2. Laval 37 23 11 2 1 49 0.662 112 94 589 12-5-1-1 11-6-1-0 6-3-1-0 0-1-0-0 2-1
3. Cleveland 38 22 12 1 3 48 0.632 119 116 462 10-5-1-3 12-7-0-0 5-4-0-1 0-1-0-0 2-3
4. Toronto 35 20 10 2 3 45 0.643 107 92 335 11-5-0-2 9-5-2-1 5-5-0-0 2-0-0-0 2-3
5. Syracuse 39 17 13 5 4 43 0.551 102 97 482 7-5-3-4 10-8-2-0 4-4-1-1 0-2-0-0 2-4
6. Belleville 33 15 13 1 4 35 0.530 93 108 433 6-7-1-2 9-6-0-2 3-6-1-0 0-2-0-0 3-4
7. Utica 35 12 19 2 2 28 0.400 86 115 489 4-10-1-2 8-9-1-0 6-4-0-0 2-0-0-0 0-2
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