SYRACUSE CRUNCH WEEKLY REPORT
Presented by Penske Truck Rental
LAST WEEK
Fri., Nov. 9 – Crunch at Rochester – OTL, 3-2
Sun., Nov. 11 – Crunch vs. Hershey – W, 7-2
THIS WEEK
Wed., Nov. 14 – Crunch vs. Binghamton – 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 16 – Crunch at Utica – 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 17 – Crunch vs. Laval – 7 p.m.
CRUNCH COLLECT THREE OF FOUR POINTS IN WEEK 6
The Crunch pushed their points streak to four games (3-0-1-0) after posting a 1-0-1-0 record in Week 6. Syracuse (5-5-1-0) is back at 0.500 for the first time since the fourth game of the season and their four-game points streak is tied for the second-longest active streak in the league behind Bridgeport (5).
The Crunch collected a point to open the week Friday in an overtime loss to the Amerks. Cory Conacher netted the tying goal with 0.6 seconds left in regulation, the latest tying goal for the Crunch during the Lightning affiliation. Sunday, the Crunch scored a season-high seven goals in a 7-2 win over the Hershey Bears; the Crunch swept the season series with Hershey for the first time since 2014-15.
Week 7 features the Crunch’s first three-game week. Syracuse hosts Binghamton Wednesday and Laval Saturday, with a stop in Utica Friday night.
TOP PERFORMERS
Rookie forward Taylor Raddysh scored a goal in both games in Week 6 to extend his scoring streak to a team-high six games and his goal streak to three games. The 20-year-old netted the Crunch’s first goal in Friday’s overtime loss in Rochester then he potted a power-play goal Sunday against Hershey.
During his six-game scoring streak, Raddysh has eight points (5g, 3a) and his nine points in 10 games this season ranks fourth on the team. Raddysh’s six-game points streak is tied for the third longest by a Crunch rookie with Matthew Peca (2015-16) and Alex Killorn (2012-13) during the Lightning affiliation. Only Nikita Kucherov’s nine-game run Oct. 18-Nov. 8, 2013 and Anthony DeAngelo’s seven-game streak in 2015-16 are longer than Raddysh’s current stretch.
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Carter Verhaeghe’s points streak has extended to five games, which is currently tied with Alex Volkov for the second-longest run on the Crunch. Verhaeghe had an assist Friday in Rochester and then produced his third multi-point game (1g, 1a) during the streak Sunday against Hershey. He is tied for the team lead with 10 points (4g, 6a) in 11 games this season.
Verhaeghe’s current run is his longest since his team-high 12-game streak last year which finished as the second-longest in the AHL in 2017-18.
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CERNAK EARNS FIRST NHL RECALL
Defenseman Erik Cernak has been recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s the first time for the 21-year-old to get called up to the Lightning. He is expected to make his National Hockey League debut tonight for Tampa Bay as the Lightning visit the Buffalo Sabres.
In his second pro season with Syracuse, Cernak leads Crunch defensemen with seven points (2g, 5a), including six power-play points. He recorded his second-career multi-point game (1g, 1a) Sunday vs. Hershey.
As a rookie last season, Cernak finished with 18 points (5g, 13a) in 71 games.
UPCOMING: BINGHAMTON, UTICA, LAVAL
The Crunch play three games in a week for the first time this season as they play three North Division teams in four days.
Syracuse host Binghamton Wednesday night for the second of 10 matches between the teams this season. The Crunch collected a 4-0 shutout win in Binghamton Oct. 19 behind 27 saves from Connor Ingram. The Crunch are 8-2-0-1 against the Devils since they moved to Binghamton prior to last season. The Devils (7-6-2-0) are currently third in the division with 16 points.
The Crunch travel to Utica for the first time this season Friday night. The Comets defeated the Crunch, 4-3, in Syracuse Oct. 20. Utica (6-8-1-0) is tied for fourth in the North Division with the Laval Rocket despite logging a 2-6-0-0 record on home ice.
Saturday night is the Crunch’s Hockey Fights Cancer night when they will wear special Lavender jerseys against the Rocket. It’s the first of six head-to-head meetings this season; the Rocket don’t come back to Syracuse until Feb. 20. Last season, the Crunch were 4-2-1-1 against Laval, including a 3-0-1-0 mark at the War Memorial Arena.
WEEK 6 RESULTS
Friday, November 9 | Game 10 at Rochester | OTL, 3-2
Syracuse 0 0 2 0 – 2 Shots: 5-14-12-1-32 PP: 0/5
Rochester 0 1 1 1 – 3 Shots: 5-10-7-3-25 PP: 0/4
3rd Period-Raddysh 5 (Colton, Verhaeghe), 1:48. Conacher 5 (Volkov, Cernak), 19:59. . . . Pasquale 2-2-1 (25 shots-22 saves). A-6,318
Sunday, November 11 | Game 11 vs. Hershey | W, 7-2
Hershey 0 2 0 – 2 Shots: 2-13-4-19 PP: 2/8
Syracuse 3 2 2 – 7 Shots: 15-6-9-30 PP: 4/5
1st Period-Verhaeghe 4 (Hults), 4:49. Cernak 2 (Conacher, Verhaeghe), 7:23 (PP). Conacher 5 (Cernak, Andreoff), 11:52 (PP). 2nd Period-Raddysh 6 (Colton, Hults), 9:24 (PP). Andreoff 6 (Raddysh, Valleau), 12:11. 3rd Period-Gaunce 2 (Thomas, Barré-Boulet), 9:42 (PP). Volkov 3 (Thomas, Gaunce), 15:01. . . . Pasquale 3-2-1 (19 shots-17 saves). A-5,911
Category Average/Total AHL Rank (Prev)
Power Play 26.7% (16-for-60) 3rd (7th)
Penalty Kill 78.0% (46-for-59) 21st (23rd)
Goals For 3.45 GFA (38) 14th (19th)
Goals Against 3.27 GAA (36) T-14th (19th)
Shots For 28.45 SF/G (313) 25th (24th)
Shots Against 29.97 SA/G (322) 13th (18th)
Penalty Minutes 18.82 PIM/G (207) 1st (3rd)
Category Leader
Points 10 Andreoff, Conacher, Verhaeghe
Goals 6 Andreoff, Raddysh
Assists 6 Verhaeghe
PIM 29 Katchouk, Andreoff
Plus/Minus +4 Thomas, Andreoff
Wins 3 Pasquale
GAA 3.00 Pasquale
Save % 0.892 Pasquale
