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CRUNCH FACE HOME TEST AGAINST PENGUINS
The Syracuse Crunch return home to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight at Upstate Medical University Arena.
It’s the final game of the four-game season series between the teams, and none of the previous three have been close. Syracuse’s two wins are by a combined 11-0 score, while the Penguins beat the Crunch 4-1.
The Crunch have wins in 10 of their last 11 games and have the highest points percentage in the North Division (0.648).
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Television: CNY Central — CW6 beginning at 7 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Brandon Halverson recorded his AHL-leading sixth shutout of the season as Syracuse blanked Laval, 2-0, on Wednesday night at Place Bell. The Crunch have now won 10 of their last 11 games and five straight road contests. They are 4-1-1-1 in the eight-game season series against the Rocket.
Wyatt Newpower scored his second goal of the season to break a scoreless tie with six minutes remaining in the third period. It was Newpower’s first career game-winning goal in his 256th AHL game.
Jakob Pelletier added an empty-netter for insurance with 1:53 to go. Halverson made 16 saves and has now won seven consecutive starts.
HALVERSON STANDS ALONE
Goaltender Brandon Halverson recorded his 12th career Crunch shutout to establish a new franchise record. He broke a tie with J.F. Labbe and Karl Goehring, but he did it fewer games than both goaltenders.
Halverson picked up his sixth shutout of the season, which is tied with Connor Ingram (2018-19) for the second-most in a single season in team history. Labbe holds the record with nine in 2001-02.
DOWN THE STRETCH THEY GO
The Crunch are three quarters of the way through the regular season. They reached the halfway point of the season on Jan. 14; since then they are 14-3-1-0. They have outscored their opponents 63-38 in that span.
Syracuse has a league-high 13 home games remaining, and they have five road games left.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is in second place in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. The Penguins had a terrific February, posting an 8-1-2-0 record, but they enter tonight’s contest on a two-game losing streak. Their lone regulation loss of the month came against the Crunch on Feb. 14.
The Pens are 21-6-1-1 this season on the road — the best mark in the AHL. They are 9-0-1-0 in their last 10 road matches.
Forward Ville Koivunen ranks second on the Penguins with 33 points (11g, 22a) in 28 games. He racked up 16 points (6g, 10a) in February and was named AHL Player of the Month.
Rookie Sergei Murashov (20-6-2) ranks third among active AHL goaltenders in both goals-against average (2.12) and save percentage (.924). He is 1-2-0 in three starts against the Crunch this season.
BIRTHDAY BASH
It’s birthday weekend for the Crunch. Dylan Duke kicked off the celebration with his 23rd birthday on Wednesday. Tommy Miller celebrates his 27th birthday today.
Three Crunch players — Steven Santini, Lucas Mercuri and Jakob Pelletier — share a birthday tomorrow.
Five Penguins have had a birthday within the past week, including Aaron Huglen, who turns 24 today.