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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly

February 18, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LAST WEEK

Tue., Feb. 10 - Crunch at Adirondack - L, 10-0

Fri., Feb. 13 - Crunch at Norfolk - L, 2-0

Sat., Feb. 14 - Crunch at Norfolk - L, 2-1

THIS WEEK

Fri., Feb. 20 - Crunch vs. Albany - 7 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 21 - Crunch vs. Binghamton - 7 p.m.

Wed., Feb. 22 - Crunch at Rochester - 5:05 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW

- At 29-13-8-0, Syracuse is first in the Northeast Division, third in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the AHL.

- The Crunch's 66 points through 50 games equals their pace from the 2012-13 conference championship season.

- Syracuse plays its fifth three-in-three this week, hosting Albany and Binghamton before visiting Rochester.

A year-by-year breakdown of the Crunch through 50 games

Syracuse has been affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning for three seasons, and in two of those three campaigns the team reached 66 points in its first 50 games. A point Saturday in Norfolk helped this year's Crunch tie the 2012-13 club which went on to an East Division title and Calder Cup Finals appearance.

2014-15: 29-13-8-0 overall (66pts) 15-4-4-0 home (34 points in 23 home games)

2013-14: 18-23-4-5 overall (45pts) 7-9-2-3 home (19 points in 21 home games)

2012-13: 30-14-2-4 overall (66pts) 10-8-2-2 home (24 points in 22 home games)

No team in the AHL has fewer home losses than the Crunch, four. Syracuse's total of 34 points at home this season ranks sixth in the AHL. Its .739 home points percentage ranks third in the AHL behind Manchester (.800) and Hershey (.750). Syracuse ended the 2013-14 season with a .566 home points percentage and a .592 mark in 2014-15.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 48: Adirondack blasts Syracuse, 10-0

The Crunch suffered a 10-0 setback Feb. 10 at the hands of the Adirondack Flames in Syracuse's final trip to Glens Falls. The loss was Syracuse's worst since a 10-3 loss in Charlotte Dec. 6, 2010. The 10-goal disparity was the largest for an AHL game since 2002. The worst loss in Crunch history was a 14-2 decision against Providence Nov. 25, 1998.

Kristers Gudlevskis started and was pulled after allowing his fourth goal in the second period, making nine saves on 13 shots. Allen York went the rest of the way making eight saves on 14 shots. Gudlevskis was tagged with the regulation loss, his first since Dec. 31 in Rochester.

Nine Adirondack players recorded multiple points. Four collected three points, including Sven Baertschi with his first hat trick. Joni Ortio stopped each of 29 Crunch shots for his second shutout.

Game 49: Crunch blanked by Admirals, 2-0

The Crunch were held scoreless for the second consecutive game, suffering a 2-0 defeat Friday in the first of two games against the Norfolk Admirals. Syracuse last endured back-to-back shutouts was March 16-21, 2014.

Both Admirals goals were scored on the power play, the first by Nick Kerdiles at 1:13 of the first and the second by Josh Manson with 1:18 remaining in the second. The Admirals were 2-for-8 on the man advantage and stopped each of the Crunch's six power plays.

Crunch goalie Kristers Gudlevskis made 26 saves on 28 shots. Jason LaBarbera stopped the Crunch on eight shots in the first, six in the second and four in the third for an 18-save shutout, his second shutout of the season, improving to 6-8-3.

David Broll made his Crunch debut and landed an open-ice body check on Kerdiles, knocking the Admirals' leading scorer out of the game. John Kurtz fought Broll later in the first, Broll's sixth fight in the AHL this year for 86 penalty minutes in 23 games. Mike Angelidis had a one-sided fight with Josh Manson earlier in the period.

Game 50: Syracuse earns point in final trip to Norfolk with 2-1 overtime loss.

William Karlsson scored twice for the Norfolk Admirals including the overtime game-winner during 3-on-3 action, to defeat the Syracuse Crunch, 2-1, Saturday at the Norfolk Scope, the last meeting between the Crunch and Admirals before the Anaheim Ducks move their AHL affiliate to San Diego.

Artem Sergeev scored his first goal for the Crunch this season, starting the scoring in the first period when his centering pass deflected off of Mark Fistric's skate and slid into the back of the net, ending the Syracuse scoreless slump at 136:55. Carter Ashton recorded his first Crunch point with an assist on the goal and J.P. Cote got the secondary assist, his sixth of the season.

Karlsson scored his first goal to tie the game midway through the second period, and the game-winning tally on a right wing shot that beat Crunch goalie Kristers Gudlevskis.

Gudlevskis made 24 saves in the overtime loss, including a penalty shot by Max Friberg in the final seconds of the second period. The loss is his second in overtime this season and drops his record to 15-8-2. Jason LaBarbera stopped 20 of 21 Crunch shots for his seventh win of the season.

THE WEEK AHEAD

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

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

The Crunch start their third three-in-three of the season Friday against Albany, the fifth of eight matchups between the teams. The Devils (22-20-4-5) rank 11th in the Eastern Conference with 53 points, 13 points behind Syracuse. In the most recent contest, Jan. 2, the Crunch defeated the Devils, 2-1, in a shootout behind 35 saves by Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The Devils enter Friday on their own five-game losing streak, losing every game in regulation during that stretch. Since the Jan. 2 loss against Syracuse, Albany has posted a 7-10-2-0 record.

Joe Whitney and Paul Thompson are among the AHL's top 20 scorers with 40 and 39 points, respectively. Thompson leads the Devils with 23 goals, which is second in the league, and leads the team with a plus-12. Whitney leads the Devils in helpers, posting 23 assists.

Scott Wedgewood and Scott Clemmensen have alternated starts during the five-game losing streak and have served as the top two goalies for Albany this season. Wedgewood posts a 2.88 goals-against average with a 7-11-5 record in 25 starts. Clemmensen has started between the posts 13 times and holds a 2.79 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage with a 4-7-1 record.

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

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

The Senators come to the War Memorial for their sixth contest against the Crunch this season; Syracuse has won three of the first five matchups. Binghamton (20-24-5-1) ranks last in the Eastern Conference standings with 46 points, and 28th out of 30 teams in the AHL. In the last matchup between the teams, Binghamton beat Syracuse, 5-0, at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena Jan. 16.

The Senators have won three of seven games in the month of February, most recently losing to Toronto, 5-4, Monday. Peter Mannino made his 10th start for the Senators in the loss; he's 3-6-2 with a 3.75 goals-against average since singing with Binghamton on Dec. 27. He started three games at the beginning of the season for Portland.

Andrew Hammond has been the top goalie for Binghamton this year, starting 25 games, going 7-13-2, with two shutouts, including one against Syracuse on Jan. 16.

The top point scorer for Binghamton, Shane Prince, was recalled to Ottawa on Sunday. He has 38 points (18g, 20a) in 47 games this season. Chris Wideman also has 38 points (13g, 25a), which is the most by a defenseman in the AHL this year.

Crunch at Rochester- Sunday, 5:05 p.m.

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

After starting the weekend with two homes games, the Crunch travel down I-90 to take on in-state rival Rochester for the sixth time this season. The Amerks (22-26-4-0) have 48 points on the season, 13th in the Western Conference. Syracuse has three wins in the first five matchups, including a 6-4 victory Jan. 30, the most recent meeting.

The Amerks have tallied points in all seven February contests, going 4-0-3-0. The last regulation loss for Rochester came on the final day of January, a 3-2 loss to Adirondack in Glens Falls.

Goalie Matt Hackett, who was reassigned from Buffalo on Dec. 27, has made seven starts in the new year and has posted a 4-2-1 record. Hackett has played in four of the last five games for the Amerks, winning three straight starts before losing in overtime Feb. 8 against Milwaukee in relief of Andrey Makarov.

Makarov has been the main option between the posts this year for the Amerks, winning 14 of 32 starts with a 3.01 goals-against average and two shutouts, one coming against Syracuse on Oct. 31.

Phil Varone leads the Amerks with 39 points (12g, 27a) in 47 games this season. Johan Larsson has the best points-per-game average on the team with 37 points in 41 games, but was called up by the Sabres on Sunday, leaving Tim Schaller as the second-leading scorer with 36 points (15g, 21a).

Buffalo recently traded away key prospects in a multi-player trade with Winnipeg, the trade included Amerks winger, Joel Armia, who had 25 points (10g, 15a) in 33 games for Rochester this season. Former Crunch winger has three poings in nine games since joining Rochester, but hasn't scored a goal since his AHL season debut against Syracuse Jan. 30.

Team Schedule

Thursday Feb. 19

10:30 a.m. Practice Cicero Twin Rinks, Cicero, N.Y.

Friday Feb. 20

10 a.m. Morning skate War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

7 p.m. Game vs. Albany War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

Saturday Feb. 21

10 a.m. Morning skate War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

7 p.m. Game vs. Binghamton War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

Sunday Feb. 22

5:05 p.m. Game at Rochester Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y.

Monday Feb. 23

Off

Tuesday Feb. 24

11 a.m. Practice War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

Wednesday Feb. 25

9:30 a.m. Morning skate War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.

7:05 p.m. Game at Rochester Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y.

*Subject to change.

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