Syracuse Crunch

By Jeremy Houghtaling

Vladislav Namestnikov made an impact on his first shift.

The Crunch forward, sent to Syracuse to get more ice time earlier this week, chipped in a rebound 59 seconds into the game and was a catalyst in the Crunch getting out to a five-goal lead in the first period. But Syracuse saw its lead dwindle to one early in the third and barely hung on to top the Hartford Wolf Pack, 6-5, at the Onondaga County War Memorial Friday.

"We actually came out great, kind of against what we've done all year," said Crunch head coach Rob Zettler. "We came out great and finished flat."

Crunch outlast Wolf Pack.

HFD-5
SYR-6

Kristers Gudlevskis got the "W" despite allowing 5 goals on 35 shots.

First Period
SYR Namestnikov, (1) (Marchessault, Nesterov), 0:59 (PP)
SYR Angelidis, (7) (Smith, Gourde), 3:26
SYR Vermin, (6) (Nesterov, Namestnikov), 3:44
SYR Dotchin, (1) (Blujus, Richard), 13:34 (PP)
SYR Gourde, (10) (Richard, Paradis), 16:34

Second Period
HFD Haggerty, (5) (Lindberg, R. Bourque), 1:55 (PP)
HFD Nehring, (1) (Nicholls, Jackson), 3:49
HFD Malone, (1) (R. Bourque, Mueller), 9:37

Third Period
HFD Kristo, (6) (C. Bourque, Kostka), 4:02 (PP)
SYR Angelidis, (8) (Namestnikov, Marchessault), 6:11 (PP)
HFD C. Bourque, (8) (Bodie, Kristo), 7:50 (PP)

Mike Angelidis, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Yanni Gourde were the game's three stars.

There's simply no excuse to almost squander a 5 goal lead, and while Syracuse continues to scores goals at an accelerated clip they continue to struggle keeping it out of their own net.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that the club reassigned forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.

Namestnikov, 22, has skated in 23 games with the Lightning this season, posting three goals and seven points to go along with four penalty minutes. He recorded his first career NHL goal and assist on October 13 against the Montreal Canadiens. The 6-foot, 182-pound forward has played in 27 career NHL games, all with the Lightning over the past two seasons.

A native of Zhukovskiy, Russia, he has appeared in 100 career AHL games, all with the Crunch, registering 26 goals and 69 points. Last season he set AHL career high totals for games played (56), goals (19), assists (29), points (48) and penalty minutes (40).

BP Commentary: Finally.

By Jeremy Houghtaling

We continue our Bolt Prospect of the Week award, an honor (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for his recent contributions on and off the ice.

The Bolt Prospect of the Week for December 3, 2014 is … Philippe Paradis, Syracuse Crunch (AHL – USA).

Philippe Paradis’ mindset remains the same every shift.

No matter the line or who he is paired with, the Syracuse Crunch forward is focused on checking hard, creating space, and making the right passes to his linemates. Even after registering five goals and an assist in the last three games – statistically the best week of his professional career that earned him our Prospect of the Week award – Paradis knows he has to stick with his gritty game instead of worrying about the points.

(AHL Press Release)

The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch left wing Yanni Gourde, Hamilton Bulldogs center Charles Hudon and Springfield Falcons goaltender Anton Forsberg have been selected as the CCM/AHL award winners for November.

Gourde, the CCM/AHL Player of the Month, tallied nine goals and nine assists for 18 points along with a plus-13 rating in 13 games for the Crunch during November.

After recording just one assist in eight games during October, Gourde led the entire AHL in scoring in November, beginning with an assist on the go-ahead goal in the Crunch’s 6-3 win at Binghamton on Nov. 1. Gourde notched his first two goals of the season in the third period of a 5-4 win over Norfolk on Nov. 8, helping the Crunch rally from a three-goal deficit, and also had two-goal games on Nov. 15 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Nov. 19 at Hartford, both sparking come-from-behind wins as well. Gourde tallied the game-winning goal in the Crunch’s 2-1 win over Utica at the Toyota Frozen Dome Classic inside the Carrier Dome on Nov. 22, and registered his first three-point night of the year with a goal and two assists against the Comets on Nov. 26.

Vasya rising up.

SYR-4
HER-1

Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed 1 goal on 29 shots for the victory. That's 2 quality starts out of his last 3, including the command performance in the Frozen Dome game. Now, if I'm Zettler, I declare Vasilevskiy the hot hand and see if I can ride him a little while. Time to see if that talent can translate to more results. Even without superior centermen, I feel Syracuse should score plenty of goals. They'll go as far as the goaltending takes them, though.

First Period
SYR Paradis, (6) (Gourde, Mormina), 6:06

Second Period
HER Galiev, (3) (Carrick, Kennedy), 16:41 (PP)

Third Period
SYR Kunyk, (3) (Vermin), 1:58
SYR Kunyk, (4) (Mormina), 14:51 (PP)
SYR Marchessault, (8) (Gourde), 19:04

Cody Kunyk, Philippe Paradis, and Vasilevskiy were the game's three stars. Kunyk pots the GWG and the insurance goal in a good night's work. Paradis has 5 goals and 6 points in 3 games this week, essentially daring Bolt Prospects not to select him Player of the Week. With 2 helpers, Yanni Gourde now has 9 goals and 18 points in 13 November contests. He and Jonathan Marchessault are now tied for 8th in the AHL in scoring (at the moment of this posting) with several others, 4 points back of the leader.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

By Jeremy Houghtaling

A night that would otherwise be memorable for all the right reasons was soured for Philippe Paradis.

The Syracuse forward netted a natural hat trick in less than a five minute span to turn a two-goal deficit into a Crunch lead late in the first period. But the Binghamton Senators rallied for four goals in the third to top Syracuse, 6-3, at the Onondaga County War Memorial Friday.

"It doesn't matter how many goals you score, you just need the two points at the end of the day," Paradis said. "We didn't do it."

Bingo crushes Crunch in Third Period fiasco.

BNG-6
SYR-3

Kristers Gudlevskis allowed 5 goals on 32 shots for the victory. At some point, patience wears thin waiting for what should be one of the better goaltending tandems in the AHL to play like it.

First Period
BNG Schneider, (5) (Johnson, Guptill), 8:16
BNG Schneider, (6) (Pageau, Johnson), 10:41
SYR Paradis, (3) (Gourde, Richard), 11:10
SYR Paradis, (4) (Dotchin, Richard), 13:29
SYR Paradis, (5) , 15:52 (SH/PS)

Second Period
NO SCORING

Third Period
BNG Prince, (7) , 1:50
BNG Prince, (8) (D. Grant), 8:00 (PP)
BNG D. Grant, (6) (Prince, A. Grant), 17:10
BNG Dziurzynski, (1) (McCormick), 19:14 (EN)

Philippe Paradis was the game's first star and had a natural hat trick. Wasted.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Oh Vasya...

SYR-4
UTI-5

After his Frozen Dome brilliance, Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed 5 goals on 35 shots for the loss. Still waiting for that one cathartic moment when it all clicks for the big Russian.

First Period
NO SCORING

Second Period
SYR Gourde, (9) (Paradis), 1:23
UTI DeFazio, (8) (Archibald), 5:37
UTI Archibald, (2) (DeFazio, Acton), 11:27
UTI Grenier, (6) (Jensen, Biega), 15:42 (PP)
SYR Paradis, (2) (Dotchin, Gourde), 16:09
UTI Kenins, (4) (Tommernes, Shinkaruk), 18:34 (PP)

Third Period
SYR Marchessault, (7) (Nesterov), 11:29 (PP)
SYR Richard, (4) (Gourde, Cote), 12:44
UTI Archibald, (3) (Jensen, Acton), 15:48

Unfortunately, after climbing all the way back into the 4-4 tie, the team promptly coughed up the lead goal to Utica, erasing any hope at moral victories. At least Yanni Gourde, Tanner Richard, and Philippe Paradis continue to raise holy hell for the Crunch. That trio has 33 points in 11 games in the month of November. Kind of a Modin/Richards/St. Louis-esque trio there in how the line works.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

By Jeremy Houghtaling

Despite knowing there would be a record-breaking crowd in attendance, the Syracuse Crunch focused on the task at hand.

The Crunch battled back from an early deficit, took the lead in the second period and held on in the third, as Syracuse topped the Utica Comets, 2-1, in front of 30,715 people at the Frozen Dome Classic Saturday. The total sets a new United States professional hockey attendance record, which was previously held by the Lightning.

"In the beginning, when we were standing on the goal line, you look around and it's really impressive to see all those people in that building," said Crunch forward Joel Vermin. "After one or two shifts, it's a game and you've got to execute."