Syracuse Crunch Weekly Release
Presented by Penske Truck Rental
LAST WEEK
Wed., Oct. 16 – Crunch at Utica – L, 6-2
Sat., Oct. 19 – Crunch vs. Charlotte – L, 7-3
THIS WEEK
Sat., Oct. 26 – Crunch vs. Rochester – 7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 27 – Crunch vs. Toronto – 5 p.m.
CRUNCH SLIP UP TWICE IN WEEK 3
The Crunch lost a pair of games in Week 3 for their first two regulation losses of the 2019-20 season. In the two games, Syracuse surrendered a total of 13 goals, their highest two-game total since giving up 12 in back-to-back 6-1 losses Feb. 15-18, 2017. The last time the Crunch gave up 13 goals over two games was Dec. 6-8, 2010, which also included a loss against Charlotte.
Syracuse suffered its first regulation loss Wednesday in Utica, dropping a 6-2 decision to the Comets. The Crunch had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before Utica rattled off five straight goals for the win. In their home opener Saturday night, the Crunch went down 4-0 in the first period in a 7-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers. It was the second year in a row that Charlotte spoiled the Crunch’s home opener.
The Crunch aim to get back on track in Week 4 with home matches versus Rochester and Toronto.
TOP PERFORMERS
Veteran Chris Mueller recorded back-to-back multi-point games and led the Crunch in scoring with four points (2g, 2a) in Week 3. He began the week with a goal and assist Wednesday in Utica, first setting up Cory Conacher’s shorthanded goal then jamming in a rebound to put the Crunch up 2-1. He followed that with another one goal, one assist outing Saturday against Charlotte, scoring a shorthanded goal of his own in that game.
The shorthanded goal was his 11th career man-down strike in the AHL and his first since March 28, 2017 while with the Tucson Roadrunners. Through three weeks, Mueller is tied with Cory Conacher for the team lead with five points (2g, 3a) in five games.
Alex Barré-Boulet pushed his point streak to four games with one point in each game in Week 3. The second-year pro recorded his first assist of the season in Wednesday’s loss at Utica and then he potted a power-play goal – his first man-advantage goal of the season – Saturday night.
Last season, the Montmagny, Quebec native had five scoring streaks of at least four games, including a 12-game run from Nov. 11 through Dec. 12 which was the longest by a Crunch rookie dating to at least the 2005-06 season. The 22-year-old has four points (3g, 1a) in five games this season and his three goals lead the team.
MILESTONE TRACKER
Entering Week 4 of the season, the Crunch have several players approaching career milestones.
Cory Conacher enters the week three points shy of 300 in his AHL career. The 29-year-old has accumulated his 297 points (115g, 182a) in only 315 career AHL games. He’s recorded 172 of those points in a Crunch sweater, ranking fifth all-time in franchise history.
Veteran defenseman Cameron Gaunce enters the week with his sights set on 600 career AHL games. He has played in 598 AHL games in his career, amassing 219 points. He is in line for his 600th game Sunday against Toronto.
UPCOMING: ROCHESTER, TORONTO
The Crunch host two division foes – Rochester and Toronto – in the midst of a five-game homestand in Week 4.
After a second-straight Friday without a game, the Crunch open the week against the Amerks at the War Memorial Arena for Pink in the Rink, presented by Upstate Cancer Center. Fans are encouraged to wear pink during the game. It is the second of 12 matches – and the first of six at home – between the teams this season. Rochester defeated the Crunch, 3-2 in overtime, on opening night at Blue Cross Arena Oct. 4. The Amerks are off to a 3-2-0-1 start this season under interim head coach Gord Dineen; head coach Chris Taylor has been serving as an interim assistant with Buffalo to begin the season. Rochester plays at home Wednesday night against Hershey to begin the week.
Sunday means a match with unbeaten Toronto, who enters the week with a perfect 6-0-0-0 record. The Marlies have outscored their opponents 23-11 so far this season and they have collected four wins at home and two on the road. Sunday will be the first of six head-to-head meetings, but the only one to fall in 2019; their final five matches come after the turn of the calendar. The Marlies head to Syracuse after a Saturday game in Binghamton.
WEEK 3 RESULTS
Wednesday, Oct. 16 | Game 4 at Utica | L, 6-2
Syracuse 2 0 0 – 2 Shots: 8-3-7-18 PP: 0/5
Utica 2 3 1 – 6 Shots: 12-17-9-38 PP: 0/5
1st Period-Conacher 2 (Masin, Mueller), 12:00 (SH). Mueller 1 (Barré-Boulet, Schenn), 19:42. . . . Wedgewood 1-1-0 (38 shots-32 saves). A-3,917
Saturday, Oct. 19 | Game 5 vs. Charlotte | L, 7-3
Charlotte 4 1 2 – 7 Shots: 11-12-7-30 PP: 2/5
Syracuse 0 1 2 – 3 Shots: 7-16-11-34 PP: 1/7
2nd Period-Mueller 2 (Conacher), 12:10 (SH). 3rd Period-Barré-Boulet 2 (Yan, Mueller), 12:51. Yan 2 (Gaunce), 15:03. . . . Domingue 1-1-1 (11 shots-7 saves), Wedgewood ND (18 shots-16 saves). A-6,178
Category Leader
Points 5 Conacher, Mueller
Goals 3 Barré-Boulet
Assists 4 Foote
PIM 6 Valleau, Conacher
Plus/Minus +3 Yan
Wins 1 Domingue, Wedgewood
GAA 3.41 Wedgewood
Save % 0.898 Wedgewood
Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play 20.8% (5-for-24) T-10th (2nd)
Penalty Kill 91.3% (21-for-23) 5th (T-1st)
Goals For 3.00 GFA (15) 13th (T-8th)
Goals Against 4.00 GAA (20) 29th (T-5th)
Shots For 28.40 SF/G (142) 23rd (15th)
Shots Against 33.20 SA/G (166) 23rd (23rd)
Penalty Minutes 11.40 PIM/G (57) 21st (24th)
