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CRUNCH FACE SENATORS IN KEY SERIES
The Syracuse Crunch open a home-and-home series against the Belleville Senators tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena. It’s the Crunch’s final weekend of action before next week’s All-Star Break.
Tonight is the fourth meeting of the season series. The Crunch are 1-2-0-0 this season against the Senators and 0-2-0-0 on home ice.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 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 overcame a pair of deficits to defeat the Springfield Thunderbirds, 4-3, Wednesday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
The T-Birds held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period. Tristan Allard tied the score at one with his fifth goal of the season. Dylan Duke netted his team-leading 21st goal and Wyatt Newpower collected his first of the season to put the Crunch up 3-2. Those two goals came in the final 17 seconds of the first period.
Max Groshev extended the lead to 4-2 with his second goal of the campaign. The Thunderbirds scored once in the third to make it 4-3, but Brandon Halverson made 27 saves in the game to preserve his 14th win.
DUKE SETS NEW CAREER HIGH
Dylan Duke tallied one of the Crunch’s four goals in their win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday. It was his team-leading 21st goal of the season, and it set a new career high. Duke finished with 20 goals and 40 points as a rookie last season.
The University of Michigan product ranks fifth in the AHL in goals this season. His 13 power-play goals are tied with Belleville’s Arthur Kaliyev for the league lead. The last Crunch player to score at least 13 man-up goals in a season was Charles Hudon (2021-22).
SCOUTING THE SENATORS
Belleville enters tonight’s contest tied for fifth in the North Division with a 20-19-8-0 record. The Senators have played 47 games this season — the most in the AHL. Belleville has been red-hot recently, posting a 6-1-3-0 record in the last 10 games. Belleville defeated Rochester, 3-1, on the road Wednesday.
Games involving the Senators tend to produce a lot of goals. Belleville ranks first in the league in goals scored (154) and worst in goals allowed (168). The Senators are led by Arthur Kaliyev, one of the league’s most prolific scorers. Kaliyev leads the AHL in goals (28) and is second in points (48). The 24-year-old from Uzbekistan will be the Senators’ only representative at the AHL All-Star Classic next week.
Leevi Meriläinen has faced the Crunch twice this season, posting a 1-1-0 mark. He is 5-2-0/2.86/.915 in seven starts for Belleville this season.
NEWPOWER NABS FIRST WITH THE CRUNCH
Defenseman Wyatt Newpower scored his first goal of the season — and his first with the Crunch — on Wednesday. It was his first goal since Nov. 1, 2024, also against Springfield, when he was a member of the Bridgeport Islanders.
With an assist in the game, Newpower earned his first multi-point game of the season. The UConn product has six career two-point games. He has six points (1g, 5a) in 34 games this season for Iowa and Syracuse.
ALL-STAR BREAK ON THE HORIZON
Tonight marks the final home game before the AHL All-Star Break. Syracuse has earned points in six straight at home (5-0-1-0) and is 10-1-1-0 in the last 12 home contests. The Senators have handed the Crunch two of their four regulation home losses this season.
The Crunch will hit the break after the rematch in Belleville tomorrow. The Crunch won four of their final five games prior to the Christmas Break in December.