Crunch look to rally in upcoming four-game stretch
The Crunch will play four games in six days against three North Division teams this week
By
Lukas Favale / <b>TampaBayLightning.com</b>
THIS WEEK
Wed., Jan. 16 - Crunch at Utica - 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 18 - Crunch vs. Belleville - 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 19 - Crunch at Binghamton - 7:05 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 21 - Crunch vs. Binghamton - 1 p.m.
CRUNCH GO WITHOUT A WIN IN WEEK 15
The Crunch's winless streak hit a season-high four games (0-3-0-1) after they dropped three decisions in Week 15. Syracuse has collected only one win in the first six games of 2019 after closing 2018 on a five-game winning streak.
In their first game of the week, the Crunch were shut out for only the second time this season in a 4-0 loss to the Binghamton Devils. It was the Crunch's first loss of the season in seven games against the Devils. Syracuse limited Binghamton to 10 shots on goal, a new Crunch franchise record for fewest shots allowed in a game.
Friday night, the Crunch held a 3-2 lead late in the third period against the Cleveland Monster, but the Monsters rallied to tie the game in the final minute and eventually won in a shootout, 4-3. Saturday night, the Crunch dug a 2-0 hole and their third-period comeback fell short in a 3-2 loss to the Utica Comets.
The Crunch aim to get back in the win column with four games in six days against three North Division teams this week.
TOP PERFORMERS
Defenseman Cameron Gaunce led the Crunch with three points-all assists-in Week 15. He had one assist Friday night against Cleveland and then recorded his 10th multi-point performance of the season with two assists Saturday in Utica. Saturday's game was the 28-year-old's 600th professional game. The first of his two assists that night was his 200th career AHL point.
Gaunce ranks third among AHL defensemen with 30 points and his 24 assists are tied for second. It is only the second time in his pro career that he has reached 30 points in a season; Gaunce's career high is 37 points (2g, 35a) in 75 games with Portland in 2015-16. He has matched his career high with six goals while his 10 multi-point games are a new career best and are currently tied for the second-most on the team.
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Rookie forward Alex Barré-Boulet recorded his second multi-goal game of the season Friday against the Cleveland Monsters. He scored the game's first game and then tied the game at two in the second period. The 21-year-old leads the Crunch and is tied for second among AHL rookies with 18 goals. His 35 points are tied for second among first-year players.
His two-goal performance was also his 10th multi-point performance of the season, which is tied with Cameron Gaunce and Cory Conacher for second-most on the Crunch. Although neither of his two goals Friday night came on the man advantage, Barré-Boulet leads the AHL with 11 power-play goals. No AHL rookie has scored more than 11 power-play goals since Providence's Frank Vatrano (12) in 2015-16.
MILESTONES
Cameron Gaunce was not the only Crunch player to hit a career milestone Saturday in Utica.
Cory Conacher netted his 15th goal of the season late in the third period to reach 400 career pro points. The majority of those (267) have come in the AHL; Conacher also has 74 in the NHL, 52 in the Swiss league and seven in the ECHL.
Andy Andreoff collected an assist on the Crunch's first goal Saturday night. It was his 100th AHL point (45g, 55a) in his 193rd AHL game.
UPCOMING: UTICA, BELLEVILLE, BINGHAMTON
The Crunch play four games in six days in Week 16; it is one of two such stretches for the Crunch this season.
The week begins Wednesday in Utica for the second straight match with the Utica Comets. It's the sixth overall meeting in the Galaxy Cup Series; Utica has won two straight against the Crunch since Jan. 2 and leads the series 3-2. The Comets defeated the Crunch, 3-2, Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center to jump past Syracuse in the North Division standings with 46 points, although the Comets have played six more games than the Crunch this season.
The Crunch are home Friday against Belleville in their final home match with the Senators this season. The Crunch earned a pair of wins in a two-game set in Syracuse to begin November. Belleville's 38 points are the fewest in the division.
Syracuse then plays two games in three days against Binghamton. The Crunch are in Binghamton for the final time this season Saturday night and then they host the Devils Monday afternoon. The Crunch are 6-1-0-0 against the Devils.
WEEK 15 RESULTS
Wednesday, January 9 | Game 34 at Binghamton | L, 4-0
Syracuse 0 0 0 - 0 Shots: 12-11-12-35 PP: 0/7
Binghamton 1 0 3 - 4 Shots: 5-3-2-10 PP: 0/2
Goalies-Syracuse, Pasquale 12-6-2 (9 shots-6 saves). Binghamton, Cormier 2-1-0 (35 shots-35 saves). A-2,814
Friday, January 11 | Game 35 vs. Cleveland | SOL, 4-3
CLE 0 2 1 0 1 - 4 Shots: 10-12-6-0-1-29 PP: 1/4
SYR 1 1 1 0 0 - 3 Shots: 12-10-11-7-0-40 PP: 0/3
1st Period-Barré-Boulet 17 (Colton, Gaunce), 5:47. 2nd Period-Barré-Boulet 18 (Verhaeghe, Dumont), 15:58. 3rd Period-Verhaeghe 15 (Dumont, Foote), 4:31. Shootout-Cleveland 1 (Gerbe NG, Letestu NG, Clendening NG, DeSalvo NG, Korostelev G) Syracuse 0 (Barré-Boulet NG, Verhaeghe NG, Conacher NG, Raddysh NG, Volkov NG). . . . Pasquale 12-6-3 (28 shots-25 saves). A-5,617
Saturday, January 12 | Game 36 at Utica | L, 3-2
Syracuse 0 0 2 - 2 Shots: 10-9-11-30 PP: 0/4
Utica 1 1 1 - 3 Shots: 8-8-10-26 PP: 1/5
3rd Period-Katchouk 6 (Gaunce, Andreoff), 4:01. Conacher 15 (Valleau, Gaunce), 19:31. . . . Pasquale 12-7-3 (26 shots-23 saves). A-3,917
| Category | | Leader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Points | 42 | Verhaeghe |
| Goals | 18 | Barré-Boulet |
| Assists | 26 | Verhaeghe |
| PIM | 57 | Andreoff |
| Plus/Minus | +15 | Gaunce |
| Wins | 12 | Pasquale |
| GAA | 2.44 | Ingram |
| Save % | 0.920 | Ingram |
