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Game 17 Preview: Syracuse Crunch vs. Belleville Senators

Game 17 Preview: Syracuse Crunch vs. Belleville Senators


CRUNCH LOOK TO FEAST ON SENATORS

The Crunch are home for a pre-Thanksgiving matchup against the Belleville Senators at Upstate Medical University Arena.

 

It’s the fifth head-to-head meeting already this season. The Crunch have won three of the first four games. 

 

Syracuse enters after a pair of one-goal home setbacks last week, while Belleville split a home-and-home series against the Laval Rocket.

 

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 erased a two-goal deficit in the third period before falling in a shootout to the Hershey Bears, 5-4, Saturday at Upstate Medical University Arena.

 

The Bears capitalized on a sluggish Crunch start for two goals in the first period to open a 2-0 lead. It stayed that way until late in the second period when Niko Huuhtanen circled the zone and fired home his sixth goal of the season at 15:59. 

 

After Hershey stretched the lead back to two on a 2-on-1 goal early in the third, Huuhtanen deposited his second tally of the night at 11:59 to make it 3-2. Pierrick Dube potted a power-play goal with 6:02 remaining to put the Bears up 4-2. Tobie Bisson sniped a response 22 seconds later to make it 4-3. The Crunch tied the score when Dylan Duke tipped a Derrick Pouliot shot at 17:34 to make it 4-4.

 

After a frantic overtime, the Bears scored the only shootout goal over four rounds to win the game.

 

SCOUTING THE CRUNCH

The Crunch came up short in a pair of one-goal games last week, earning one standings point in a shootout loss Saturday against the Bears. Syracuse has earned points in four of the last five games (2-1-0-2) and is 7-6-1-2 this season. The Crunch have 17 points this season and are in sixth place in the North Division.

 

Half of the Crunch’s games this season — eight of 16 — have been decided by one goal. The Crunch are 2-3-1-2 this season in games decided by one goal, and they have ended up on the wrong side in four straight instances (0-1-1-2).

 

HUUHTANEN TAKING OFF

Niko Huuhtanen maintained his scoring touch in Week 7 by pacing the Crunch with three goals in two games.

 

Huuhtanen began his week by scoring a game-tying power-play goal in the third period of Friday’s 4-3…

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