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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly

March 11, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LAST WEEK

Fri., March 6 - Crunch vs. Portland - L, 5-2

Sun., March 8 - Crunch at Binghamton - L, 4-2

THIS WEEK

Fri., March 13 - Crunch vs. Adirondack - 7 p.m.

Sat., March 14 - Crunch at Albany - 5 p.m.

Sun., March 15 - Crunch at Bridgeport - 3 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW

- Syracuse leads the Northeast Division at 33-17-8-0 (74pts) but has four regulation losses in the last five games.

- Winger Justin Courtnall, son of 17-year NHLer Geoff Courtnall, has been traded to the Crunch from Bridgeport.

- Syracuse plays its sixth three-in-three, starting at home vs. Adirondack before trekking to Albany and Bridgeport.

Transactions

03/10/2015 Justin Courtnall (LW)  ADD Traded from Bridgeport (AHL)

03/10/2015 Nicolas Deschamps (LW) DEL Loaned to Florida (ECHL)

03/05/2015 Vladislav Namestnikov (C)   DEL Recalled from loan by Tampa Bay (NHL)

Crunch add Courtnall

The Crunch acquired left wing Justin Courtnall before Monday's AHL trade deadline, returning future considerations to Bridgeport.

Courtnall, 25, has played 40 games with the Sound Tigers this season, totaling four goals, seven points and 82 penalty minutes. In 107 career AHL games with Providence, Hamilton and Bridgeport, he has 16 points (10g, 6a).

The 6-foot-3, 204-lb. left-handed shot from Victoria, British Columbia, was a seventh-round selection, 210th overall, by Tampa Bay at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft but never signed with the Bolts.

Before turning pro, Courtnall played three seasons at Boston University, compiling seven goals, 13 points and 104 penalty minutes. He served as assistant captain his junior season. Prior to becoming a Terrier, Courtnall played 178 games in the BCHL with Victoria and Burnaby, totaling 46 goals and 127 points.

Justin's father Geoff Courtnall and his uncle Russ Courtnall both played over 1000 NHL games.

Kunyk kicks the offense in gear

Forward Cody Kunyk notched a point in both of the Crunch's games last weekend, the second time in the rookie's career he has points in consecutive games- the first time since Oct. 17-18. After his potting his ninth goal Friday against Portland and assisting on Yanni Gourde's first-period marker Sunday at Binghamton, Kunyk's season total stands at 19 points (9g, 10a).

Kunyk has five points (3g, 2a) in his last four games, including his first three-point performance Feb. 27 vs. Albany, scoring twice and assisting once. His lone multi-point game previously was two goals Nov. 29 in Hershey.

Before turning pro, the 24-year-old played for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks for four seasons, finishing his collegiate career with 60 goals and 133 points, 13th on the school's all-time scoring list. Named Second Team All-American as a senior in 2013-14, he scored 22 goals for the Nanooks, tied for eighth in Division I.

Straight shooting

Sunday against Binghamton, the Crunch outshot an opponent for the first time in six games, holding a 40-34 shots edge against the Sens in a 4-2 loss, marking the seventh time this season Syracuse lost in regulation when taking more shots than the opponent. Before Sunday, the last time the Crunch outshot the opponent was also against Binghamton, Feb. 21 at the War Memorial.

The Crunch are 22-7-2-0 when outshooting the opposing club, tied for the third most wins in the AHL. Only Grand Rapids (25 wins) and Manchester (23 wins) have more victories when outshooting opponents. Syracuse has recorded wins in six of its last eight games when leading in shots.

On the flip side, the Crunch are tied for the second-fewest wins in the AHL (10) when they are outshot. Coincidentally, Grand Rapids, which has the most wins when taking more shots than opponents, has the fewest victories (8) when outshot.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 57: Pirates down Syracuse, 5-2

In their first trip to the War Memorial since the opening round of the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs, Portland scored three goals in the opening period to defeat Syracuse, 5-2. Darian Dziurzynski, Dylan Reese and Brendan Shinnimin scored in an eight minute stretch in the first period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Portland lead.

Mike Angelidis scored the opening marker for Syracuse, his 17th of the season. The goal increased his point total to 33, one off of his total from last season and five off his career-high of 38 (20g, 18a) in 2010-11 with Norfolk.

Cody Kunyk scored the only other Crunch goal, a breakaway with four minutes left in the second period. Within a minute of Kunyk's goal, Henrik Samuelsson scored when older brother Philip found him for his 11th goal of the season. The Senators added an empty net goal in the final two minutes to ice the game.

Kristers Gudlevskis faced 24 shots in the loss and his record dropped to 18-10-2 on the season. Mike McKenna turned aside 22 of 24 Crunch shots, but needed only six saves in the third.

Game 58: Senators swallow Crunch, 4-2

In their second-to-last matchup this season, Binghamton erased an early deficit and defeated Syracuse, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

Yanni Gourde added to his team lead in goals with his 22nd of the season, a power-play marker midway through the first period. Carter Ashton assisted giving him seven points (1g, 6a) in 12 games with Syracuse after eight points (4g, 4a) in 12 contests with the Toronto Marlies. Cody Kunyk recorded his 10th assist for 19 points.

The Senators scored the next four goals, starting with Chris Wideman, who scored the only even-strength goal of the game. Aaron Johnson gave Binghamton the lead in the second period, and Cole Schneider scored a back-breaking shorthanded goal midway through the third. Derek Grant extended the lead to 4-1.

A Tanner Richard 6-on-4 power-play goal pulled the Crunch within 4-2 with two minutes remaining in regulation, his 10th of the season. Joel Vermin had the lone assist; he has 25 points (9g, 16a).

Kristers Gudlevskis was pegged with his 11th loss, stopping 30 of 34 Binghamton bids. Peter Mannino earned his fourth win of the year with 38 saves on 40 shots.

THE WEEK AHEAD

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

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

Syracuse welcomes Adirondack to the War Memorial for the first time this season Friday. The Flames have won both matchups this season, 4-1 Nov. 21 and 10-0 Feb. 10. Syracuse had not given up 10 goals in a game since Dec. 6, 2010, vs. Charlotte.

Adirondack enters the weekend with 64 points after a shootout loss to Hamilton Tuesday. The Flames are eighth in the Western Conference and third in the North Division. The Flames are tied with Texas for the conference's last playoffs spot and have points in seven of their last 10 games (5-3-2-0). The Flames' power play ranks eighth in the AHL at 18.7% while their penalty kill sits 15th at 83.9%

Drew Shore is the Flames leading scorer with 37 points (12g, 25a), but 30 of those came while playing for San Antonio. He has seven points seven points (3g, 4a) in 12 games since a trade brought him to Adirondack Jan. 9. The Denver native and AHL All-Star was called up to Calgary on March 2. Emile Poirier is second on the team with 30 points (14g, 16a). The Flames' other All-Star was called up to Calgary Feb. 23 and recorded his first NHL point, an assist, March 3 against Philadelphia. The player with the most points still on Adirondack's active roster are rookie David Wolf (14g, 12a) and Turner Elson (14g, 10a).

Joni Ortio has logged the most time in the Adirondack net, posting a 2.64 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage in 35 appearances. Ortio (20-12-1) has been out since Feb. 21 with a high ankle sprain. Brad Thiessen and Doug Carr have played in his absence. Thiessen (8-9-5) has a 2.71 goals-against-average and a .913 save percentage in 23 games. The British Columbia native has given up at least four goals in five of his last eight appearances. Carr has appeared in four games, allowing four goals on 80 shots. The UMass-Lowell product earned his first victory in an Adirondack jersey Saturday, stopping 29 of 30 Toronto shots.

Crunch at Albany- Saturday, 5 p.m.

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

Syracuse travels to Albany for the second time this calendar year Saturday. The Crunch defeated the Devils, 2-1, in Albany Jan. 2. Syracuse's last meeting with Albany, Feb. 27, saw the Devils score four power play goals en route to a 7-6 victory at the War Memorial. The Crunch equaled a season high with three power-play scores in the loss. Syracuse is 5-1 against Albany this season; five of six meetings have been decided by one goal.

Albany comes into the week fourth in the Northeast Division with 62 points. The Devils are 11th in the Eastern Conference, six points back of a playoff spot. Since losing six straight, Feb. 4-20, Albany is 4-2-1-0. The Devils have scored four or more goals in a game twice in their last 15 games. Albany own the ninth best power play (18.6%) and the 25th ranked penalty kill (80.3%) in the AHL.

Joe Whitney leads the Devils with 44 points (18g, 26a). Whitney, who boasts five years of AHL experience, has played four games with the New Jersey Devils this season. The Boston College alum scored his first NHL goal Dec. 31 against the Detroit Red Wings. Paul Thompson trails close behind with 43 points (24g, 19a). Thompson, a fellow five-year AHL veteran in his first season with Albany, is tied for second in the AHL in goals, but has just one in his last nine games.

Scott Wedgewood and Scott Clemmensen share time in the Albany net. Wedgewood has seen the most time this year, posting a 2.97 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage in 20 games. Wedgewood (9-12-5) was pulled from the Feb. 27 game against Syracuse after allowing five goals on 15 shots. He earned the win against St. John's Sunday despite leaving halfway through the game due to injury. Clemmensen (5-8-2) has played 17 games this season, totaling a 2.62 goals-against-average and a .904 save percentage. The 37-year-old has played in two games since returning to Albany from New Jersey March 3. The Des Moines native suffered an overtime defeat Saturday, allowing two goals on 23 shots, and finished Sunday's game for an injured Wedgewood, stopping all 17 shots faced.

Crunch at Bridgeport- Sunday, 3 p.m.

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

The Crunch skate into Bridgeport for the first time since splitting a pair at Webster Bank Arena Jan. 17 and 18. Syracuse dominated the first match, 6-2, but fell the next night, 2-1. Bridgeport won the most recent clash, 2-1 in overtime, Feb. 6 at the War Memorial.

Bridgeport enters the weekend last in the Northeast Division with 51 points. The Sound Tigers snapped a 10-game losing streak with a road win over Worcester Saturday but lost to the Sharks 5-1 Wednesday. Bridgeport hasn't scored more than three goals in a game since Jan. 31, a streak that spans 14 games. The Sound Tigers own the fourth-best power play in the league, at 19.9%, but one that's effective on only 14.4% of chances on the road, ranking 22nd. Bridgeport is 28th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 79.6%.

Alan Quine (14g, 30a) and Dustin Jeffrey (19g, 25a) are tied for the team lead in points with 44 apiece. Quine has just one point in his last four games. Jeffrey has two goals and an assist in two games since being acquired from Utica March 2. The Crunch acquired Justin Courtnall (4g, 3a) from Bridgeport Monday.

Kevin Poulin (15-15-7) is the starter in net for Bridgeport, posting a 2.81 goals-against-average and a .915 save percentage in 38 games. The Montreal native has won just once in his last eight games. Kent Simpson is the new backup since David Leggio was traded on March 2. Simpson lost both of his starts for Bridgeport at the end of January, allowing six goals on 33 shots.

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