Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 25
AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 31, No. 25

Published on April 1, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


CRUNCH EARN TWO WINS TO CLOSE MARCH

The Crunch picked up two crucial wins during a three-game weekend in Week 25.

Syracuse began its final three-in-three stretch of the season with a 1-0 win over the Utica Comets on Friday. Brandon Halverson made 20 saves for his fifth shutout of the season. The Crunch nearly rallied from a 3-0 deficit on Saturday, ultimately falling to the Rochester Americans, 4-2, Saturday on home ice. The teams rematched Sunday in Rochester, and this time the Crunch erased a 2-0 deficit to win, 3-2, in overtime. Conor Sheary delivered the game-winning goal 14 seconds into the extra session.

The Crunch posted an 8-3-1-0 record in March. They begin April in fifth place in the North Division with 72 points (30-21-8-4). Their cushion for the final playoff position in the North Division is three points with nine games remaining.

TOP PERFORMER

Forward Conor Sheary had a point in all three games for the Crunch in Week 25. He set up the game-winning goal Friday against Utica, grabbed another assist Saturday and then posted one goal and one assist Sunday at Rochester. He facilitated the Crunch's first goal to spark their comeback from 2-0 down before scoring the overtime game-winning goal 14 seconds into the extra frame.

With four points in three games, Sheary overtook Derrick Pouliot for the Crunch lead in scoring. The veteran has 50 points (18g, 32a) in 51 games. His 26 points (9g, 17a) in 20 games since the All-Star Break is tied for sixth in the AHL in that span.

TWO MORE ADDED FROM COLLEGE RANKS

The Crunch roster grew by two over the weekend with the addition of a pair of forwards out of college. The Lightning signed 2022 draft pick Connor Kurth following his junior season at the University of Minnesota. Tampa Bay also acquired the rights to forward Lucas Mercuri from Carolina, and the Lightning signed him on Sunday. Both players join the Crunch on tryout agreements for the remainder of the season.

Kurth, 21, posted 39 points (18g, 21a) in 40 games for the Gophers this season. The 6-foot, 215-pound winger totaled 71 points (32g, 39a) in 115 games over three collegiate seasons.

Mercuri, 23, was a 2020 pick by Carolina and spent the last four seasons at UMass-Amherst. He had 31 points (10g, 21a) in 40 games this season.

UPCOMING WEEK

Wednesday, April 2 at Belleville | 7 p.m.

The Crunch begin the week with their most important game of the season to date. They head to Belleville to face the team hot on their heels for the final playoff position in the division. The Crunch and Senators wrap up their eight-game season series and enter the match separated by three points in the standings. Syracuse is 5-2-0-0 in seven games against the Senators so far, but the team haven't gone head-to-head since Jan. 3.

The Senators are 4-5-0-1 in the last 10 games. They are 17-10-2-3 at CAA Arena.

Friday, April 4 vs. Toronto | 7 p.m.

The Crunch begin a home-and-home series against the Toronto Marlies Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena. The Crunch have played one fewer game than the Marlies and trail Toronto by three points in the North Division.

The teams have split the first four games of their season series. They have also split the two previous games contested in Syracuse. The Crunch's two wins have been via shutouts.

The Marlies are 5-5-0-0 in the last 10 games. They are 15-12-2-3 on the road this season.

Saturday, April 5 at Toronto | 4 p.m.

The Crunch and Marlies play the back end of their home-and-home series Saturday afternoon at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Syracuse holds a 1-0-1-0 record in Toronto this season and is 8-1-2-0 in the last 11 games played at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Jack Finley (2g, 3a) and Conor Sheary (5a) top the Crunch with five points apiece in the head-to-head series. Alex Nylander tops active Marlies with three points - all assists - in four games versus Syracuse.

WEEK 25 RESULTS

Friday, March 28 | Game 61 vs. Utica | W, 1-0

Utica 0 0 0 - 0 Shots: 6-7-7-20 PP: 0/5

Syracuse 0 1 0 - 1 Shots: 14-8-8-30 PP: 1/4

2nd Period-Geekie 6 (Sheary, Duke), 19:39 (PP). Halverson 17-9-8 (20 shots-20 saves) A-5,320

Saturday, March 29 | Game 62 vs. Rochester | L, 4-2

Rochester 2 1 1 - 4 Shots: 10-7-9-26 PP: 0/2

Syracuse 0 0 2 - 2 Shots: 7-6-12-25 PP: 1/5

3rd Period-Dumont 1 (Crozier, Korczak), 2:01. Geekie 7 (Pouliot, Sheary), 16:22 (PP).. .. Halverson 17-10-8 (11 shots-8 saves); Fanti ND (14 shots-14 saves) A-6,173

Sunday, March 30 | Game 63 at Rochester | W, 3-2 (OT)

Syracuse 0 1 1 1 - 3 Shots: 4-9-10-1-24 PP: 0/3

Rochester 0 2 0 0 - 2 Shots: 10-8-9-0-27 PP: 0/2

2nd Period-Finley 13 (Sheary, Geekie), 13:15. 3rd Period-Angello 10 (Santini, Allard), 14:59. Overtime-Sheary 18 (Finley, Crozier), 0:14.. .. Halverson 18-10-8 (27 shots-25 saves) A-7,541

Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)

Power Play 16.7% (38-for-228) T-26th (T-26th)

Penalty Kill 82.6% (181-for-219) 15th (16th)

Goals For 2.87 GFA (181) T-22nd (21st)

Goals Against 2.57 GAA (162) 3rd (5th)

Shots For 27.52 SF/G (1734) 25th (25th)

Shots Against 27.19 SA/G (1713) 7th (8th)

Penalty Minutes 11.89 PIM/G (749) 23rd (24th)

Category Leader

Points 50 Sheary

Goals 18 Sheary

Assists 42 Pouliot

PIM 73 Crozier

Plus/Minus +14 Huuhtanen

Wins 18 Halverson

GAA 2.30 Halverson

Save % .913 Halverson

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

1. x Laval 63 42 17 3 1 88 0.698 201 158 1002 23-8-2-1 19-9-1-0 7-2-1-0 0-1-0-0 3-1

2. Rochester 64 39 18 4 3 85 0.664 220 169 718 17-10-3-1 22-8-1-2 5-4-1-0 4-0-1-0 5-3

3. Toronto 64 33 22 3 6 75 0.586 184 177 758 18-10-1-3 15-12-2-3 5-5-0-0 0-1-0-0 4-6

4. Cleveland 64 31 22 5 6 73 0.570 181 198 789 13-11-3-5 18-11-2-1 3-6-0-1 0-1-0-1 3-6

5. Syracuse 63 30 21 8 4 72 0.571 181 162 749 14-10-4-4 16-11-4-0 7-3-0-0 1-0-0-0 3-4

6. Belleville 63 30 24 4 5 69 0.548 181 195 887 17-10-2-3 13-14-2-2 4-5-0-1 1-0-0-1 4-5

7. Utica 63 26 30 5 2 59 0.468 169 196 797 14-12-3-2 12-18-2-0 4-5-1-0 2-0-0-0 2-2

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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