AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly

February 3, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LAST WEEK

Fri., Jan. 30 - Crunch vs. Rochester - W, 6-4

Sat., Jan. 31 - Crunch at Hershey - W, 3-2 (SO)

THIS WEEK

Wed., Feb. 4 - Crunch vs. Hartford - 7 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 6 - Crunch vs. Bridgeport - 7 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 7 - Crunch vs. Springfield - 7 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW

Syracuse claimed first place in the Eastern Conference with two more wins in Week 17 and a 28-11-5-0 record.

Jonathan Marchessault leads Syracuse with 38 points and had his fourth career game-winning shootout goal Saturday.

This week the Crunch play three home games in four days for the first time since March 26-29 of last season.

Shot Machine

Crunch points leader Jonathan Marchessault has attempted 156 shots on goal this season, most in the AHL. One of four Syracuse skaters with double-digit goals, Marchessault has scored 12 times this campaign, four behind Crunch goal leader Yanni Gourde. Marchessault's 38 points are tied for sixth in the AHL.

Marchessault has led his team in shots on net his previous three AHL seasons, attempting at least 200 shots each year. He finished second in the AHL and set his career high last season, combining for 247 shots on goal in his time with Springfield and Syracuse.

Marchessault has totaled 80 career goals and 225 points in 270 AHL regular season games.

Shining in the Third

With third-period goals in five of the last six contests, the Crunch have scored 46 goals in the final period of regulation this season, tied for second most in the league, trailing only Bridgeport (51g).

Many of those third-period markers have been difference makers with Syracuse claiming a league-high 17 one-goal victories (17-3-5-0). Their 25 one-goal games are third most in the AHL behind Providence (28), Worcester (28) and Utica (27). Only Lake Erie has fewer one-goal losses (12-2-4-3) than Syracuse.

There are only five teams with higher scoring periods than Syracuse. The Binghamton Senators and Oklahoma City Barons each have scored 52 goals in the second period, tied for best in the league.

Overall, the third is the Crunch's highest-scoring period, and Syracuse scores more goals per period as the game goes along- 38 goals in first periods and 41 goals in second stanzas and 47 in third frames.

Holding the league's seventh-best scoring offense, 3.00 goals-per-game, the Crunch attempt fewer shots on goal in the third period than the first or second. Syracuse has been outshot, 401 to 417, in the final period.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 43: Vermin and defensemen lift Crunch past Amerks, 6-4

The Crunch and Amerks traded the lead four times Friday, but Syracuse led at the end, 6-4, the team's third win in a row and third against Rochester in five meetings.

Joel Vermin netted the game-winner 16:14 into the second period by forcing a turnover in the offensive zone and snapping an unassisted tally into the back of the net. He finished with three points, the first three-point game and third multi-point game of his AHL career.

Jonathan Marchessault started the scoring 1:11 into the first. He deposited a rebound of a Vladislav Namestnikov shot past goalie Andrey Makarov. Rochester responded to Marchessault's opening marker with two goals separated by 38 seconds. Phil Varone tallied the first and Brayden Irwin gave the Amerks a 2-1 lead with a quick snap from the right-wing circle on a delayed penalty.

Syracuse regained the lead when Jake Dotchin capitalized on the Syracuse's first power play of the game. His blast from the point was soon followed by another goal from J.P. Cote, the second goals of the season for both. The Americans responded, though, when Irwin tallied his second goal of the contest to tie the game, 3-3.

Dylan Blujus broke the 3-3 tie midway through the second period when his backhand shot snuck past Andrei Makarov. Joel Vermin's goal five minutes later earned the Crunch a 5-3 lead before former Crunch winger Evan Rankin narrowed the Amerks deficit with his first goal in his first AHL game this season.

Jonathan Marchessault ended Rochester's comeback bid with an empty-net goal, giving Syracuse a 6-4 victory. Kristers Gudlevskis made 23 saves for his 13th win.

Game 44: Yanni's Gourde-ie Howe hat trick helps Crunch to shootout win in Hershey

Yanni Gourde assisted on Syracuse's first goal and scored the second, and Jonathan Marchessaultscored the only tally in a shootout, as Syracuse defeated Hershey, 3-2, Saturday at Giant Center. Two standings points propels Syracuse ahead of Manchester for tops in the Eastern Conference.

Tanner Richard recorded the game's first goal at 4:22 of the second, jamming the puck under Phoenix Copley after Philippe Paradis and Yanni Gourde created the possession in the trapezoid. Two minutes later, in the midst of a penalty kill, Gourde started a 2-on-1 rush with Mike Angelidis. Back-and-forth passing finished with Gourde ripping a shorthanded goal past Copley for a 2-0 Crunch lead, Gourde's team-leading 16th goal of the year. Angelidis improved to 27 points with his 13th assist.

After a Kris Newbury score cut the Crunch lead to 2-1, Yanni Gourde completed his first career Gordie Howe hat trick with a fight halfway through the third. When Philippe Paradis was checked by Connor Carrick, Gourde dropped the gloves with Carrick and was charged an extra minor for roughing.

The Bears capitalized on the ensuing power play when a video review confirmed a deflected pass from Philippe Cornet fluttered across the goal line.

A scoreless overtime led to Syracuse's third shootout win of the season. Lynch couldn't solve Copley in the first round, but Marchessault clanked a shot off the pipe to put Syracuse ahead. Vasilevskiy denied Galiev, Cornet and Chris Brown for the win.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 of 32 shots in 67 minutes of action and each of three Hershey shootout attempts for his 14th win of the year and third in a row.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Crunch vs. Hartford- Wednesday, 7 p.m.

ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego

The Wolf Pack head to the War Memorial for the final time in the regular season for the seventh of eight contests between the squads. Since the Crunch defeated the Wolf Pack to claim the Northeast Division lead Jan. 24, both Syracuse and Hartford have won twice leaving the Wolf Pack four points behind the Crunch. The Wolf Pack have collected standings points in 10 of 12 January contests, suffering regulation losses to Syracuse and St. John's.

Chris Bourque leads the Pack with 39 points (18g, 21a) with five of those points coming against the Crunch this season, the most by a Hartford player, tied with Conor Allen (2g, 3a) and Danny Kristo (1g, 4a).

With former Crunch goaltender Cedric Desjardins out for the year because of injury Dec. 26, the Wolf Pack have relied on rookie Mackenzie Skapski (12-7-3) and veteran Yann Danis (4-1-0). Skapski has a 2.38 goals-against average in 24 appearances, tied with Andrei Vasilevskiy for 19th in the AHL and 6th among rookies. Danis, 33, has won four of five games for Hartford after getting five wins in 11 games for Norfolk. He owns a 2.67 goals-against average for the year.

Four Crunch scorers ( Mike Angelidis, Vladislav Namestnikov, Tanner Richard, and Jonathan Marchessault) have six points against the Wolf Pack this season. Kristers Gudlevskis, expected to start Wednesday, has won both of his starts against Hartford with five goals against and a .915 save percentage.

Crunch vs. Bridgeport- Friday, 7 p.m.

ESPN Radio 97.7 FM & 1200 AM, Syracuse; 100.1 FM & 1440 AM, Oswego

Syracuse welcomes division rival Bridgeport to the War Memorial for the first time this season Friday. The Crunch split their first two meetings against the Sound Tigers Jan. 17 and 18 in Bridgeport; Syracuse dominated the first meeting, 6-2, while Bridgeport exacted revenge the next night, 2-1. The Crunch and Sound Tigers will battle five more times after Friday, three times at the War Memorial and twice in Webster Bank Arena.

Bridgeport enters the week losers of five in a row and eight of ten. The Sound Tigers have given up an average of 4.2 goals in their last ten games, including 14 goals in their last two games. On the season Bridgeport ranks 27th in the AHL in goals allowed per game, 3.27. The Sound Tigers' recent woes have dropped them into last place in the Northeast Division (44 points), 17 points behind the first-place Crunch. Bridgeport ranks 13th in the Eastern Conference, eight points out of a playoff spot. The Sound Tigers have made the playoffs just once in the past four seasons.

Netminder Kevin Poulin has been the rock in net for Bridgeport this season, posting a 2.58 goals-against-average and a .922 save percentage in 29 starts. However, Poulin aggravated a lower body injury in practice Thursday, and a timetable for his return is unknown. No. 2 goalie David Leggio gave up six goals on twelve shots in Bridgeport's 8-6 loss to Hartford Friday. The seventh-year pro from Buffalo has a 3.94 goals-against average and .860 save percentage in 17 games. Kent Simpson cleaned up the mess Friday, suffering the loss, and made his first start for the Sound Tigers Saturday, allowing five goals on twenty shots in Bridgeport's 6-4 home loss to Portland. Simpson, who was 11-14-1 for Rockford last season, was called up from the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL earlier last week.

Bridgeport has averaged 2.8 goals per game in their last ten, and totaled ten goals in their last two games. The team ranks third in the AHL with 3.16 goals per game for the year. The Sound Tigers are paced in points by center Alan Quine with 36 (11g, 25a), center Kael Mouillierat (15g, 20a) and left-winger Harry Zolnierczyk (13g, 22a) with 35 apiece. Mouillierat scored a team high seven goals in January, including the opening goal in Bridgeport's 2-1 win over Syracuse Jan. 18. Quine had the secondary assist on Mouillierat's goal. Ryan Pulock leads the Sound Tigers' defensemen in goals with 12, but has been out with an injury since Jan. 2. Pulock was to be Bridgeport's representative at the AHL All-Star Classic, but his injury paved the way for captain Aaron Ness to be in Utica instead.

Crunch vs. Springfield- Saturday, 7 p.m.

ESPN Radio 1200 AM, Syracuse; 1440 AM, Oswego

Springfield visits Syracuse Saturday for the first time since two games in October. The Falcons own a 3-2 lead in the eight-game season series, including an overtime win Dec. 28 in Springfield, the teams' most recent meeting.

The Falcons have dropped their last six games by a combined score of 22-9. Springfield last earned a victory Jan. 11, a 2-1 decision versus Albany. The Falcons haven't won away from the MassMutual Center since Jan. 9, when they won in Providence 2-1. Stalled at 56 points, Springfield has slipped to third in the Northeast Division, five points back of first-place Syracuse. The Falcons slot fifth in the tightly-packed Eastern Conference.

In the Falcons' 12 January games they have scored just three first-period goals and scored a game's first goal only four times. The Falcons offense ranks 13th in the league with 2.84 goals per contest and has scored more than three goals in a game just once in January (four against Worcester Jan. 3).

All-Star defenseman Austin Madaisky leads the Falcons with 32 points (12g, 20a), the second most among AHL defensemen. Left-wing Luke Adam, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres organization in December, has posted 11 of his 31 points since joining the Falcons (4g, 7a).

Two Swedish rookies have backstopped the Falcons most of this season. Anton Forsberg (18-7-1) held the starting role, posting a 2.04 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage with two shutouts in 27 appearances. Forsberg, an AHL All-Star in first season in North America, was called up to Columbus last week due to an injury to Sergei Bobrovsky. The call-up is the 22-year-old's second of the season; he is 0-1-0 in two games with the Blue Jackets.

Oscar Dansk (5-4-3) has served as Forsberg's backup, posting a 3.74 goals-against-average and .865 save percentage in 14 games. Scott Munroe (3-4-0) has also been called upon, posting a 2.58 goals-against-average and .905 save percentage in eight games. Munroe put out Dansk's fire Friday, stopping all 10 shots he faced in Springfield's 5-0 loss. The 33-year-old Alabama-Huntsville alum started in the Falcons cage Saturday, taking the loss despite stopping 30 of 32 shots.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics



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