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Syracuse Crunch Weekly

October 27, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL) - Syracuse Crunch News Release


Crunch enter Week 3 at .500 The Crunch lost both of their Week 2 games, 5-4 vs. Utica and 3-1 at W-B/Scranton, for a 2-2 record for the season. A four-goal first period for the Comets Friday in Syracuse helped Utica secure the first of 12 matchups between the clubs. Two shorthanded goals from Kevin Porter Saturday in Wilkes-Barre led the Pens past the Crunch.

Top Performers Gabriel Dumont factored in each of four Syracuse goals Saturday, scoring three and assisting on another. Dumont, who had two assists in the season opener Oct. 15, leads Syracuse in scoring at six points (3g, 3a) and in shots (12). The first hat trick for Syracuse this year is the AHL's second; Grand Rapids' Anthony Mantha had one Oct. 18. A Crunch player last recorded a hat trick Jan. 3, 2015 (Mike Blunden). Dumont's last hat trick was the first of his career: Dec. 28, 2012, with Hamilton.

Cory Conacher recorded Syracuse's lone goal Saturday, a power-play score from Ben Thomas and Adam Erne. Conacher has five points (2g, 3a) in four games, second most on the team. Conacher's first power-play goal of the season is the 26th of his AHL career out of 69 goals overall. Last year, in 48 games with Bern (Switzerland), 13 of his 22 goals were man-up markers .

With a goal and an assist Friday vs. Utica, Michael Bournival recorded his ninth career AHL multi-point game. He also extended a scoring streak to three games. The only longer streak of his career was four games, Oct. 17-24, 2013, with Montreal (2g, 3a). Michael Bournivalhas three goals in four games (.75 goals per game) to begin his Crunch career. In his first 104 AHL games he totaled 16 goals (.15 goals per game). He also has 10 goals in 89 NHL games (.11 goals per game).

Debuts Two players made their Crunch debut in Week 2, veterans Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblondand Jeremy Morin.

Leblond, who debuted Friday, has played 450 career AHL games with seven clubs. He's also appeared in 41 NHL games, 37 of them with New Jersey. With a fight Saturday, Leblond bumped his career penalty minute total to 1697.

Morin, an Auburn, New York native, played his first Crunch game Saturday in Wilkes-Barre and put two shots on goal. He's played 350 pro games, 268 in the AHL and 82 in the NHL. Morin has 200 AHL points (97g, 103a).

Rookie defenseman Ben Thomas, who played eight games on a tryout last year, made his season debut Saturday and registered a power-play assist.

Adam Comrie was recalled from ECHL-Kalamazoo Wednesday and could make his Crunch debut in Week 3.

Special Teams After the Crunch's 11-for-11 start on the penalty kill, Utica scored twice on two power plays at Syracuse Friday. The Crunch rebounded with an 8-for-8 PK Saturday at Wilkes-Barre. Syracuse ranks sixth in on the kill at 90.5%.

The Crunch have scored a power-play goal in each of their four games this season. Two goals in nine man-up chances in Week 2 pushed Syracuse to sixth in the league on the power play (26.3%, 5-for-19).

Four Crunch players have multiple power-play points: Adam Erne (1g, 2a), Dylan Blujus(2a), Matthew Peca (1g, 1a), and Cory Conacher (1g, 1a). Michael Bournival owns Syracuse's lone shorthanded goal.

Upcoming: Binghamton, Providence, WBS Syracuse's first of five three-in-three weekends begins Friday in Binghamton. The Sens (2-1-0-1) downed the Comets Wednesday, 2-1, on the strength of their first two power-play goals. Francis Perron scored one and leads Binghamton at four points (2g, 2a). Syracuse won seven of the ten meetings last season.

Providence makes its only trip to Syracuse Saturday. The Bruins are last in the Atlantic Division (1-3-2-0) after a loss to Toronto Wednesday, 4-3. Peter Mueller scored in the defeat and leads the team with two scores, plus one assist. Three goalies have already seen action for the Bruins; Zane McIntyre has the only win with a 0.44 GAA.

The Crunch return to Wilkes-Barre 3 p.m. Sunday for their second match with the Pens in eight days. WBS halted Albany's five-game win streak Wednesday, 3-1. Jake Guentzel leads all rookies with seven points (3g, 4a).

Week 2 Results

Friday, October 21 | Game 3 vs. Utica | L, 5-4 Utica 4 0 1 - 5 Shots: 8-7-4-19 PP: 2/2 Syracuse 0 4 0 - 4 Shots: 11-9-3-23 PP: 1/4 1st Period-Dumont 1 (Koekkoek, Condra), 6:29. Bournival 3 (Dumont), 8:25 (SH). 2nd Period-Dumont 2 (Witkowski), 2:38. 3rd Period-Dumont 3 (Bournival, Blujus), 17:10 (PP) . . . . Gudlevskis (8 shots-4 saves). Wilcox 1-1-0 (11 shots-10 saves).

Saturday, October 22 | Game 4 at W-B/Scranton | L, 3-1 Syracuse 0 1 0 - 1 Shots: 10-5-12-27 PP: 1/5 W-B/S 0 2 1 - 3 Shots: 10-13-8-31 PP: 0/8 2nd Period-Conacher 2 (Thomas, Erne), 10:51 (PP). . . . Wilcox 1-2-0-0 (31 shots-28 saves).

Category standings (previous week) Power Play 26.3% (5-for-19) 6th (7th) Penalty Kill 90.5% (19-for-21) 6th (T-1st) Goals For 3.75 GFA (15) T-3rd (3rd) Goals Against 3.00 GAA (12) T-17th (T-8th) Shots For 31.0 SF/G (124) T-10th (3rd) Shots Against 23.0 SA/G (92) 1st (1st) Penalty Minutes 13.25 PIM/G (53) T-17th (20th)

Crunch Leaders Points 6 Dumont Goals 3 Dumont, Bournival Assists 3 Dumont, Conacher, Erne PIM 8 Conacher Plus/Minus +4 Witkowski Wins 1 Wilcox, Gudlevskis GAA 2.68 Wilcox Save % .889 Wilcox

Syracuse Crunch single game and season tickets for the 2016-17 season are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visitwww.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch.

LAST WEEK

Fri., Oct. 21 - Crunch vs. Utica - L, 5-4

Sat., Oct. 22 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - L, 3-1

THIS WEEK

Fri., Oct. 28 - Crunch at Binghamton - 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 29 - Crunch vs. Providence - 7 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 30 - Crunch at W-B/Scranton - 3:05 p.m.

Crunch enter Week 3 at .500

The Crunch lost both of their Week 2 games, 5-4 vs. Utica and 3-1 at W-B/Scranton, for a 2-2 record for the season. A four-goal first period for the Comets Friday in Syracuse helped Utica secure the first of 12 matchups between the clubs. Two shorthanded goals from Kevin Porter Saturday in Wilkes-Barre led the Pens past the Crunch.

Top Performers

Gabriel Dumont factored in each of four Syracuse goals Saturday, scoring three and assisting on another. Dumont, who had two assists in the season opener Oct. 15, leads Syracuse in scoring at six points (3g, 3a) and in shots (12). The first hat trick for Syracuse this year is the AHL's second; Grand Rapids' Anthony Mantha had one Oct. 18. A Crunch player last recorded a hat trick Jan. 3, 2015 ( Mike Blunden). Dumont's last hat trick was the first of his career: Dec. 28, 2012, with Hamilton.

Cory Conacher recorded Syracuse's lone goal Saturday, a power-play score from Ben Thomas and Adam Erne. Conacher has five points (2g, 3a) in four games, second most on the team. Conacher's first power-play goal of the season is the 26th of his AHL career out of 69 goals overall. Last year, in 48 games with Bern (Switzerland), 13 of his 22 goals were man-up markers .

With a goal and an assist Friday vs. Utica, Michael Bournival recorded his ninth career AHL multi-point game. He also extended a scoring streak to three games. The only longer streak of his career was four games, Oct. 17-24, 2013, with Montreal (2g, 3a). Michael Bournivalhas three goals in four games (.75 goals per game) to begin his Crunch career. In his first 104 AHL games he totaled 16 goals (.15 goals per game). He also has 10 goals in 89 NHL games (.11 goals per game).

Debuts

Two players made their Crunch debut in Week 2, veterans Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblondand Jeremy Morin.

Leblond, who debuted Friday, has played 450 career AHL games with seven clubs. He's also appeared in 41 NHL games, 37 of them with New Jersey. With a fight Saturday, Leblond bumped his career penalty minute total to 1697.

Morin, an Auburn, New York native, played his first Crunch game Saturday in Wilkes-Barre and put two shots on goal. He's played 350 pro games, 268 in the AHL and 82 in the NHL. Morin has 200 AHL points (97g, 103a).

Rookie defenseman Ben Thomas, who played eight games on a tryout last year, made his season debut Saturday and registered a power-play assist.

Adam Comrie was recalled from ECHL-Kalamazoo Wednesday and could make his Crunch debut in Week 3.

Special Teams

After the Crunch's 11-for-11 start on the penalty kill, Utica scored twice on two power plays at Syracuse Friday. The Crunch rebounded with an 8-for-8 PK Saturday at Wilkes-Barre. Syracuse ranks sixth in on the kill at 90.5%.

The Crunch have scored a power-play goal in each of their four games this season. Two goals in nine man-up chances in Week 2 pushed Syracuse to sixth in the league on the power play (26.3%, 5-for-19).

Four Crunch players have multiple power-play points: Adam Erne (1g, 2a), Dylan Blujus(2a), Matthew Peca (1g, 1a), and Cory Conacher (1g, 1a). Michael Bournival owns Syracuse's lone shorthanded goal.

Upcoming: Binghamton, Providence, WBS

Syracuse's first of five three-in-three weekends begins Friday in Binghamton. The Sens (2-1-0-1) downed the Comets Wednesday, 2-1, on the strength of their first two power-play goals. Francis Perron scored one and leads Binghamton at four points (2g, 2a). Syracuse won seven of the ten meetings last season.

Providence makes its only trip to Syracuse Saturday. The Bruins are last in the Atlantic Division (1-3-2-0) after a loss to Toronto Wednesday, 4-3. Peter Mueller scored in the defeat and leads the team with two scores, plus one assist. Three goalies have already seen action for the Bruins; Zane McIntyre has the only win with a 0.44 GAA.

The Crunch return to Wilkes-Barre 3 p.m. Sunday for their second match with the Pens in eight days. WBS halted Albany's five-game win streak Wednesday, 3-1. Jake Guentzel leads all rookies with seven points (3g, 4a).


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