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CRUNCH FACE STERN TEST
The Syracuse Crunch wrap up their weekend with a road contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
It’s the second of four matches between the clubs. The Crunch blasted the Penguins, 6-0, in Syracuse on Jan. 3.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Countdown to Crunch Time at 5:50 p.m.
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com
LAST TIME OUT
The Crunch were edged by the Laval Rocket, 2-1, in overtime last night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
Both teams scored their lone regulation goal in the first period. Josh Jacobs blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle just 4:15 into the game for a 1-0 Laval lead. Mitchell Chaffee tied the game at 15:36 by sliding home rebound for his 11th goal of the season.
The goaltenders kept the game tied the rest of regulation. Brandon Halverson stopped an Owen Beck penalty shot midway through the second period for one of his 33 saves in the game.
Adam Engström scored at 4:18 of overtime to give the Rocket a 2-1 win for their second victory following regulation against the Crunch this season.
BOUNTIFUL JANUARY
Mitchell Chaffee scored the Crunch’s only tally last night against the Laval Rocket. The goal marked his 10th point in 10 January games; he has three goals and seven assists since the turn of the calendar.
Chaffee is one of three Crunch players with at least 10 points this month. Conor Geekie leads the team with 11 points (3g, 8a), including an assist on Chaffee’s goal. Dylan Duke has 10 points — including a team-leading eight goals — in 12 January games.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
The Penguins are second in the Eastern Conference with 58 points (27-12-2-2) through 43 games this season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has hovered around .500 throughout January. Since the start of the new year, they’ve posted a 5-4-1-0 record.
Special teams have been a struggle for the Penguins. Their power play ranks last in the AHL, converting at just a 12.8% clip. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has also racked up 581 penalty minutes this season – the most in the Atlantic Division.
All-Star forward Tristan Broz has spearheaded the offense with team highs in goals (14) and points (28). The 23-year-old is riding a three-game point streak with five points (3g, 2a) over that span.
Rookie Sergei Murashov ranks fourth in the AHL in both goals-against average (2.18) and save percentage (.922). Murashov has a 15-5-0 record and will be one of two goalies for the Atlantic Division in the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic presented by BMO on Feb. 10-11 in Rockford, Ill.
RISING SHOT VOLUME
After a 12-game stretch in which the Crunch allowed fewer than 20 shots on goal eight times, the Crunch have now allowed at least 30 shots in five of the last seven games.
Following their win versus Laval on Jan. 10 in which they allowed 17 shots on goal, the Crunch were ranked first in the AHL at 24.00 shots against per game. That has risen to 25.14, which is still good enough for second in the AHL.
REVISITING THE FIRST MEETING
The Crunch played one of their best games of the season in a 6-0 win against the Penguins on Jan. 3 at Upstate Medical University Arena. Syracuse tallied five goals in the first period and led 3-0 just 4:34 into the game.
Jarred Tinordi (1g, 2a) paved the way for the Crunch with a Gordie Howe hat trick, while Conor Geekie also posted three points (1g, 2a). Six different players found the back of the net, with Tristan Allard, Dylan Duke, Jakob Pelletier and Nick Abruzzese also recording goals. Brandon Halverson turned aside all 17 shots he faced to earn his third shutout of the season.