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CRUNCH BEGIN WEEKEND SET AGAINST CHECKERS
The Syracuse Crunch kick off a four-game homestand tonight with the first of a back-to-back against the Charlotte Checkers.
The Crunch have won a season-high six straight games, which included four consecutive road wins.
Charlotte has won the first two games of this four-game season series. The Checkers haven’t played in Syracuse since early Februray 2023, when they swept a two-game set against the Crunch.
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
POSTGAME JERSEY AUCTION
The Crunch will wear specialty jerseys during warmups for Pride Night. Select jerseys will be auctioned live on the ice immediately following the game.
LAST TIME OUT
Dylan Duke’s game-winning goal late in the second period pushed the Crunch past the Belleville Senators, 2-1, on Wednesday night at CAA Arena.
Mitchell Chaffee opened the scoring 1:13 into the first period with a one-timer off a pass from Conor Geekie. Chaffee now has goals in five straight games. However, the Sens scored late in the frame to tie it up 1-1.
Duke buried a partial breakaway with 10 seconds left in the second period to put the Crunch back in front, 2-1. It’s Duke’s team-leading 24th tally of the season, and he’s now scored in three consecutive games.
Brandon Halverson made 21 saves to secure the 2-1 victory. He picked up his 17th win of the season.
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
The Crunch finished off a perfect four-game road stretch on Wednesday, and they can now settle in on home ice for nearly all of their remaining games. Syracuse plays 17 of its final 23 games at home, starting with tonight’s contest against the Charlotte Checkers. The Crunch are 14-4-1-0 at Upstate Medical University Arena and are on a 6-0-1-0 run since Jan. 10.
Twenty of their final 23 games will take place in New York State. Two of their final six road games are in Rochester and one is at Utica.
SCOUTING THE CHECKERS
The Checkers (28-16-3-0) sit third place in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is riding a two-game winning streak after defeating Rochester in a shootout, 3-2, on Wednesday.
Ben Steeves (18g, 14a), Wilmer Skoog (17g, 15a) and rookie Jack Devine (13g, 19a) are all tied for the team lead with 32 points apiece. Devine had four points (2g, 2a) in Charlotte’s sweep of the Crunch in November.
Rookie goaltender Cooper Black (19-8-2/2.45/.905) is having a strong campaign for the Checkers. His 19 wins are tied for third in the AHL.
MONEY MITCH
Mitchell Chaffee has been on a tear, posting at least a goal in five straight and finding the back of the net eight times in his last nine. Chaffee has 38 points in 37 games this season and is one point shy of tying his career high, set in 2021-22.
The Crunch forward ranks third of the Crunch with 17 goals — six shy of his career best of 23 (2021-22). His five-game goal streak is the longest of his career.
COLLEGE REUNION
Crunch forward Cooper Flinton and Checkers goaltender Cooper Black go head-to-head for the first time as pros. The two were college teammates at Dartmouth College from 2022-2024 before the Florida Panthers signed Black as an undrafted free agent.
Flinton appeared in 89 games with 64 points (32g, 32a) at Darmouth. Black saw time in 60 games and held a 2.82 goals-against average and .904 save percentage.