x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

AHL North Division Finals: Syracuse Crunch vs Toronto Marlies, game 3

The down and dirty

The Syracuse Crunch return to the Onondaga County War Memorial tonight to face the Toronto Marlies in game three of the North Division finals. Syracuse is down 0-2 in the series.

The good news: It isn’t nothing for Syracuse to take a team that was so good during the regular season to a second overtime, which is exactly what they did last night.

The bad news: Toronto’s rolling, and the exhilaration of winning last night probably hasn’t worn off.

Getting some home cookin’ will hopefully rejuvenate a team that was still playing hockey less than 24 hours before tonight’s puck drop. Fans in attendance tonight will be able to cheer on their team with help from the night’s giveaway: rally towels.

What you may have missed

How to follow the Crunch tonight

  • The pre-game radio broadcast with Lukas Favale will start at 6:45 EST on ESPN Syracuse. You can listen to the game in its entirety for free.
  • AHL Live has special playoff pricing deals for every game of the AHL playoffs, as well as team-specific packages. There’s also a pay-per-view option.
  • Be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram for updates if you’re away from other options.
  • Look for pre-and-post-game interviews on the Crunch’s YouTube./

Other game information

Syracuse gained forward Matthew Peca back last night after he missed game one with an undisclosed injury. This was most opportune for Syracuse, as Peca was the only Crunch forward to cash in during regulation.

Unfortunately for the Crunch, Gabriel Dumont, the team’s other forward that has been battling an injury, tried to play last night but left the ice before the first period was finished. He did not return. I have my guesses as to what is going on, but it’s pure speculation that isn’t helpful to anyone right now.

Honestly, as much as Syracuse depends on him, he also needs to watch out for his own body, his own health, and his own career. Concern for him among the fan base is at an all-time high right now, and it might be time for the Crunch to plan on moving forward without him.

With so little time between games – time that includes travel with a border crossing in the middle – the Crunch probably won’t make too many adjustments for tonight’s contest. Or, at least, they wouldn’t under normal circumstances.

Connor Ingram’s performance between the pipes for the Crunch last night was, by all accounts, incredible.

It’s probably very safe to assume he’ll get the nod tonight as long as he’s feeling fit to go. He played a ton of hockey last night, after all.

Something to keep an eye on: Syracuse’s secondary scoring seemed to go on a bit of an uncharacteristic vacation last night. It’d be nice to see a resurgence with the Crunch back in their own barn.

Also something to keep an eye on: News broke this afternoon that Crunch defenseman Mat Bodie has been suspended for two games. He will miss tonight’s game and Tuesday’s game 4. Ben Thomas, who has been in and out of the lineup lately, will probably find himself back in because of this.

If you enjoyed this article please consider supporting RawCharge by subscribing here, or purchasing our merchandise here.

Support RawCharge by using our Affiliate Link when Shopping Hockey Apparel !