Game 59: Syracuse Crunch (33-17-8-0) vs. Adirondack Flames (29-22-5-1)
7 p.m., War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.
 
The Syracuse Crunch seek their first win of the season against the Adirondack Flames in the third meeting between the clubs Friday at the War Memorial. Despite dropping four of their last five in regulation, the Crunch (33-17-8-0, 74 points) lead the Northeast Division by four points over Springfield and are third in the Eastern Conference. Adirondack, third in the North Division with 64 points (29-22-5-1), is 10th in the Western Conference and two points out of the final playoff spot. 

Broadcast Coverage | Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Radio: ESPN Radio | 97.7 FM, 1200 AM Syracuse | 100.1 FM, 1440 AM Oswego | Listen Live | 
Mobile: Free audio on your mobile device via TuneIn App and ESPN Radio App
Streaming Video: AHL LIve.com and mobile devices with the AHL Live App
 

Story Links

• Get Tickets Online

Courtnall in the 'Cuse
Forward Justin Courtnall is set to make his first appearance for the Crunch since he was acquired in a trade with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Monday in exchange for future considerations. Courtnall will wear No. 14 with Syracuse.
 
Courtnall, 25, has played 40 games with Bridgeport this season, totaling four goals, seven points and 82 penalty minutes. In 107 career AHL games with Providence, Hamilton and Bridgeport, he has 10 goals and 16 points. He began his pro career with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays in 2012, collecting five goals and nine points in 44 games.
 
The 6-foot-3, 204-lb. left-handed shot from Victoria, British Columbia, was a seventh-round selection, 210th overall, by Tampa Bay at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
 
Kunyk kicks the offense in gear
Forward Cody Kunyk notched a point in both of the Crunch's games last weekend, the second time in the rookie's career he has points in consecutive games—the first time since Oct. 17-18. After potting his ninth goal Friday against Portland and assisting on Yanni Gourde's first-period marker Sunday at Binghamton, Kunyk's season total stands at 19 points (9g, 10a).
 
Kunyk has five points (3g, 2a) in his last four games, including his first three-point performance Feb. 27 vs. Albany, scoring twice and assisting once. His lone multi-point game previously was two goals Nov. 29 in Hershey.
 
Before turning pro, the 24-year-old played for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks for four seasons, finishing his collegiate career with 60 goals and 133 points, 13th on the school's all-time scoring list. Named Second Team All-American as a senior in 2013-14, he scored 22 goals for the Nanooks, tied for eighth in Division I.
 
Last Time Out
In their second-to-last matchup this season, Binghamton erased an early deficit and defeated Syracuse, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.
 
Yanni Gourde added to his team lead in goals with his 22nd of the season, a power-play marker midway through the first period. Carter Ashton assisted giving him seven points (1g, 6a) in 12 games with Syracuse after eight points (4g, 4a) in 12 contests with the Toronto Marlies. Cody Kunyk recorded his 10th assist for 19 points.
 
After the Senators scored the next four goals, a Tanner Richard 6-on-4 power-play goal pulled the Crunch within 4-2 with two minutes remaining in regulation, his 10th of the season. Joel Vermin had the lone assist; he has 25 points (9g, 16a).
 
Kristers Gudlevskis was pegged with his 11th loss, stopping 30 of 34 Binghamton bids. Peter Mannino earned his fourth win of the year with 38 saves on 40 shots.
 
Scouting the Flames 
The Flames have won both matchups this season, 4-1 Nov. 21 and 10-0 Feb. 10. Syracuse had not given up 10 goals in a game since Dec. 6, 2010, vs. Charlotte. Adirondack's AHL All-Stars and leading scorers – Drew Shore (37p) and Emile Poirier (30p) – have been called up to the NHL's Calgary Flames in the last month. Rookie David Wolf (14g, 12a) and Turner Elson (14g, 10a) are the Flames top-two active point leaders.
 
Joni Ortio has logged the most time in the Adirondack net, posting a 2.64 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage in 35 appearances. Ortio (20-12-1) has been out since Feb. 21 with a high ankle sprain. Brad Thiessen and Doug Carr have played in his absence. Thiessen (8-9-5) has a 2.71 goals-against-average and a .913 save percentage in 23 games. The British Columbia native has given up at least four goals in five of his last eight appearances. Carr has appeared in four games, allowing four goals on 80 shots. The UMass-Lowell product earned his first victory in an Adirondack jersey Saturday, stopping 29 of 30 Toronto shots.
 
Special Teams
The Crunch, ranked 26th overall on the man advantage (13.2%), come off a 2-for-5 power-play performance against Binghamton last game. Syracuse has scored man-up goals in three of its last four games (6-for-19). The Crunch look for their first power-play goal against Adirondack this season, failing to score their first eight opportunities.
 
Syracuse's penalty kill is 26th in the AHL (79.8%) and allowed two power-play goals on four chances to Binghamton last game.
 
Adirondack's power play is 3-for-7 against Syracuse this season and has scored on the man advantage in eight of ten games (10-for-42, 23.8%), including a six-game streak Feb. 10–Feb. 28.  The Flames man-up unit is ninth in the AHL (18.7%).
 
The Flames' penalty kill is slightly better on the road than at home, holding power-play units scoreless on 86% of opportunities away from the Glens Falls Civic Center and 83.9% overall (16th in AHL). Adirondack has not allowed a power-play goal in three-straight contests, holding teams scoreless its last 16 times down a man.