Syracuse Crunch

Depleted Crunch continue to struggle.

SYR-1
BNG-5

Riku Helenius allowed 5 goals on 37 shots for the loss. The Crunch could really use one of their goaltenders standing on their head to get through this rough patch. Didn't quite happen tonight. Helenius did, at least, turn aside a Binghamton penalty shot early in the First Period.

First Period
BNG Sdao, (2) , 10:26

Second Period
BNG Petersson, (6) (O'Brien, Prince), 6:45
SYR Walker, (1) (Korobov, Cote), 10:35 (PP)
BNG Prince, (5) , 19:02

Third Period
BNG Schneider, (6) (Dziurzynski, Robinson), 11:31
BNG Petersson, (7) (O'Brien, Prince), 15:14

To add injury to insult, Nikita Nesterov took a slapshot to the face in an ugly scene, and may miss some more time because of it.

At this point, I have to openly wonder if Julien BriseBois is going to pull the trigger to get a veteran player or two into Syracuse to try to stabilize things. The team did add familiar face P.M. Devos on a PTO, but it may take a weightier move to staunch the bleeding.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

By Jeremy Houghtaling

The Syracuse Crunch’s lines went through a major makeover this week.

With JT Brown and Nikita Kucherov called up to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vladislav Namestnikov out with a broken hand, the Crunch’s most productive line won’t be available for the foreseeable future. While the trio amassed 55 points over Syracuse’s first 17 games, the remaining 11 healthy forwards at practice Tuesday combined for 22.

Dana Tyrell, set to take over a spot on one of the Crunch's top lines, has also been recalled by the Lightning.

With so much firepower out of the lineup, Syracuse is looking for ways to create more offense.

"We've just got to converge on the front of the net and bang away," said Crunch coach Rob Zettler. "Obviously, with those guys out, our skill level drops but our work ethic doesn't."

I hate all teams named "Bulldogs".

HAM-3
SYR-0

Cedrick Desjardins allowed 3 goals on 33 shots for the loss.

First Period
NO SCORING

Second Period
HAM Thomas, (1) (St. Pierre, Beaulieu), 1:29 (PP)
HAM Pateryn, (4) (Schiestel, Leblanc), 7:18 (PP)

Third Period
HAM Beaulieu, (2) (St. Pierre, Thomas), 6:47 (PP)

Nikita Nesterov was the game's third star.

Evidently hell hath no fury like Dusting Tokarski scorned. Tic stopped 43 shots in the blanking of his former teammates.

Syracuse gets Binghamton on Wednesday. They've now dropped to 7th in the Eastern Conference.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

By Jeremy Houghtaling

While Syracuse failed to convert on six power play chances, the Hamilton Bulldogs cashed in three times to hand the Crunch its fourth-straight loss, 3-0, at the Onondaga County War Memorial Saturday.

Former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dustin Tokarski stopped all 43 Crunch shots for his first shutout of the season with Hamilton.

"He played really well," said Syracuse defenseman Matt Taormina of Tokarski. "He did see a lot of shots, but we didn't really get in front to screen him."

Rough result in Montreal.

SYR-1
HAM-4

Cedrick Desjardins allowed 3 goals on 26 shots for the loss.

First Period
HAM Blunden, (4) (Dumont, Tinordi), 15:55

Second Period
HAM Ellis, (1) (St. Pierre, Nystrom), 11:00
HAM Dumont, (1) (Blunden), 13:06

Third Period
SYR Cote, (2) (Richard, Paradis), 15:13
HAM Blunden, (5) (Ellis), 19:00 (EN)

Tonight was a special game with the Bulldogs playing in front of the big league crowd in Montreal. Between that an Dustin Tokarski's obvious motivation playing against his old organization, Hamilton had some extra juice for this one.

These two clubs square off again tomorrow night, and Syracuse should have Brett Connolly in the lineup.

Update:
Following the game Crunch GM Julien BriseBois confirmed Vladislav Namestnikov broke his hand in tonight's game.

Box score from TheAHL.com.