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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Weekly

December 28, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


NEED TO KNOW

- The Crunch power play has surged to seventh in the AHL with contributions from 12 players in eight games.

- A split in Week 12 puts Syracuse sixth in the North Division and 10th in the conference at 12-12-4-1 (.500).

- Syracuse plays four games in a week for the first time this year, the meat of a six-game road trip, starting Tuesday.

Special teams continue rising

Both sides of Syracuse special teams have risen to their highest marks of the season. Over the last eight games (dating to Dec. 9) the Crunch power-play has rocketed from 21st in the AHL (15.1%) to seventh (19.2%). In the same span the club's penalty kill has surged from 19th in the league (81.3%) to 13th (84.9%).

The power-play jolt comes from a 10-for-32 (31.3%) run with 10 players recording multiple power-play points in that span. Matt Taormina has been the biggest contributor with five points (1g, 4a). Tanner Richard is next with four assists, followed by three power-play points for Jeff Tambellini (2g, 1a), Matthew Peca (3a) and Anthony DeAngelo (3a). Tye McGinnand Dylan Blujus have added two power-play goals each.

One power-play goal has been scored against the Crunch in eight games, a 96.4% kill efficiency. Perfect on the penalty kill over the last five outings, the Crunch last held opponents scoreless over five games March 14-22.

Reinforcements

Syracuse's roster added four forwards in recent days: Mike Angelidis and Mike Blundenwere reassigned to the Crunch Monday; forward Luke Pither signed a PTO with Syracuse Saturday night; Tanner Richard returned to Syracuse in time for Saturday's game after an emergency recall to Tampa Bay.

Angelidis has a goal in four NHL games plus eight points (2g, 5a) in 22 AHL games. Blunden's multi-point effort Saturday with Tampa Bay gives him two goals and two assists in nine Lightning games; he has nine points in 20 Crunch games (5g, 4a). Pither, who made his Crunch debut Sunday, has 13 points (8g, 5a) in 16 ECHL games.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Game 28: A game of firsts as Crunch down Falcons, 3-1

The Crunch erased a 1-0 first-period deficit and defeated the Springfield Falcons, 3-1, Saturday at the War Memorial. Andrei Vasilevskiy was the game's first start with 29 saves, improving to 4-2-1 in seven games as his goals-against average dropped from 2.02 to 1.87.

Brian Hart, Tye McGinn and Tanner Richard scored the Crunch goals. Hart's marker was the first of his AHL career in his seventh game; he has six goals in the ECHL this year. McGinn's marker was his fifth in five games, improving to nine for the year, second on the Crunch. Richard's goal was his first of the year; he had 13 goals last season. Anthony DeAngelo had two assists, his third multi-point game, while Daniel Walcott, Jeff Tambelliniand Adam Erne also notched helpers.

Game 29: Crunch blueline provides offense but Comets win, 4-2

Dylan Blujus and Slater Koekkoek scored power-play goals for Syracuse, but the Comets scored the last three unanswered for a 4-2 win Sunday at the Aud. The Comets lead the 10-game season series, 3-1.

Both Crunch goals were power-play scores: Blujus from Anthony DeAngelo and Cam Darcy in the first and Koekkoek from Matt Taormina and Tanner Richard in the second. Blujus's third goal gives him nine points while Koekkoek's first bumps him to six points. Syracuse was held to under 25 shots (22) for the third straight game.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves, slipping to 4-3-1 in eight games with the Crunch, as his goals-against average jumped to 2.15. Three of four Comets scorers potted their first of the year including No. 1 star David Shields.

A Jon Landry hit on Phil Paradis sparked fights between Landry and Adam Erne plus Jake Dotchin and Darren Archibald.

WEEK AHEAD

Game 30: Tue., Dec. 29 - Crunch at Hershey - 7 p.m.

Ten days after a 5-4 overtime loss at Giant Center, the Crunch visit Hershey again Tuesday. The Bears remain second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference at 16-9-1-5 (.613). Their 25 points at home are most in the league (tied with W-B/Scranton). Hershey had won nine of its last 10 home games until a 5-3 setback Sunday vs. Binghamton. They had the fewest regulation home losses in the AHL last year, seven.

Chris Bourque, the team's leading scorer and 11th in the AHL with 26 points, has been out since a Dec. 19 injury. The next three leaders are Paul Carey (12g, 9a), Carter Camper 4g, 16a) and Sean Collins (5g, 12a).

Veteran goalies Dan Ellis and Justin Peters have split time and have nearly identical stats. They both own 8-4-3 records with 2.74 and 2.76 goals-against averages, respectively, plus one shutout each.

Game 31: Thu., Dec. 31 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - 5:05 p.m.

The Penguins, tops in the Atlantic Division and second in the AHL, had points in six straight games (5-0-1-0) preceding the holiday break. In two games since Christmas under new head coach Clark Donatelli, the Pens have been outscored 8-0 in consecutive shutout losses. Matt Murray (12-4-0, 1.84), owner of the conference's best goals-against average, is in Pittsburgh leaving Brian Foster (1-2-1, 2.96) and Tristan Jarry (8-1-0, 1.50) on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton roster. Jarry blanked opponents for 144:02 over his last two games, both shutout wins.

Rookie Dominik Simon leads the team with 27 points (11g, 16a), but the next two leaders, Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson, have been recalled by Pittsburgh.

Games 32 & 33: Sat. & Sun., Jan. 2 & 3 - Crunch at Toronto - 3 p.m.

The Marlies host the Crunch for a pair of afternoon games at Ricoh Coliseum where Syracuse earned a 3-1 win Oct. 28. Toronto has since defeated Syracuse twice and climbed to the top of the AHL standings. They're 24-6-2-0 (.781) and the first team to 50 points. They lead the AHL in multiple categories including goals per game, 4.00.

Three of the AHL's top 10 scorers are Marlies including William Nylander (14g, 20a), Mark Arcobello (12g, 15a) and T.J. Brennan (11g, 16a). Six goalies have seen action for Toronto. Antoine Bibeau (10-3-0, 3.28) is 1-1 vs. Syracuse.

Syracuse Crunch single game and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch Box Office located in the War Memorial on 800 South State Street in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.comor follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@officialsyracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch and #BelieveInBlue.

LAST WEEK

Sat., Dec. 26 - Crunch vs. Springfield - W, 3-1

Sun., Dec. 27 - Crunch at Utica - L, 4-2

THIS WEEK

Tue., Dec. 29 - Crunch at Hershey - 7 p.m.

Thu., Dec. 31 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - 5:05 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 2 - Crunch at Toronto - 3 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 3 - Crunch at Toronto - 3 p.m.

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