Scouting report
All three of the Falcons opening-round wins came in overtime, the second time in AHL history that's happened in a best-of-five series (1956 Cleveland Barons). Cody Bass scored back-to-back OT game-winners, the third such occasion in Calder Cup Playoff history. Bass leads the Falcons with four points in the first four playoff games. Six other players registered multiple points in the series vs. Manchester, while Springfield's leading scorer during the regular seasons, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, managed just one assist.

Audy-Marchessault posted 67 points in 74 games this year, tied for fifth in the AHL, while leading the Falcons in goals (21) and assists (46). Ryan Craig was second in goals (20) and Nick Drazenovic was second in assists (36). Craig has three points (2g, 1a) vs. Syracuse and Drazenovic had three assists in the Feb. 23 win over the Crunch. Dalton Smith, who's not played in a postseason game, was the only Falcon with over 100 penalty minutes in the regular seasons, 128 in 67 games.

Goalie Curtis McElhinney started all four Quarterfinal games and was 3-1 while allowing eight goals, a 1.74 goals-against average. He was 29-16-3 in the regular season and an AHL best nine shutouts. His 2.32 goals-against average was 10th in the league, while ranking fifth in minutes and saves. Allen York has been the backup goalie for Springfield with a 13-6-0 record, and suffered the 3-0 loss to the Crunch Feb. 23. 

Mark Barberio led Crunch players against the Falcons with four points (1g, 3a), including his “goal-of-the-year” marker in the Crunch win, when Cedrick Desjardins recorded a 26-save shutout in his Syracuse home debut.  

Ondrej Palat led the Crunch with seven points (3g, 4a) in the Quarterfinals, and his 2.33 points per game is best the Calder Cup Playoffs. Tyler Johnson is not far behind at 2.00 points per game, two goals and four assists. Both recorded game-winning goals in the first round, along with one from Richard Panik (1g, 1a) who leads Syracuse with 19 penalty minutes. Matt Taormina has four assists and Dan Sexton has a goal and two assists. Cedrick Desjardins earned victories in each of Syracuse's three playoff games with a 2.33 goals-against average, allowing eight goals in three games. 

Previous Matchups
Feb. 23: Crunch keep rolling against Falcons
Syracuse shut out Springfield 3-0 for a season-high sixth straight win Feb. 23 at the War Memorial. Goalie Cedrick Desjardins stopped all 26 shots he faced in his home debut with the Crunch. The first two periods were scoreless before defenseman Mark Barberio dangled around Springfield goalie Allen York and tucked home a tight angle shot to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead. Minutes later (following a stellar penalty kill), P.C. Labrie added a wraparound goal to double the lead. Finally, J.T. Brown scored an empty-netter in his first game since breaking his collarbone Dec. 28. The win gave the Crunch a three-point lead over the Falcons for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Feb. 2: Falcons spoil Crunch comeback
In the first matchup of the season between the Crunch and Falcons, Syracuse fell 5-3 Feb. 2 at MassMutual Center. After neither team could bury a goal in the first period, the Falcons took a 1-0 lead on a five-on-three power-play tally from Ryan Craig 42 seconds into the frame. Almost eight minutes later, Syracuse countered with a power-play goal of its own from Brett Connolly finishing at the net mouth with Alex Killorn and Mark Barberio assisting. Springfield added three straight goals, including another on the power play and a shorthanded marker, to take a 4-1 lead by the 12:01 mark of the third period. The Crunch cut into that lead with late power-play goals from J.T. Wyman and Alex Killorn, but surrendered an empty-netter to lose 5-3.  Dustin Tokarski suffered the loss, stopping 21 of 25 shots while Curtis McElhinney made 34 saves. The Crunch finished 3-for-7 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the  penalty kill.