With the majority of the team off to points unknown to enjoy something other than hockey, three members of the Tampa Bay Lightning are back on their way to Syracuse. Brandon Halverson, Gage Goncalves, and Dylan Duke were reassigned to the Crunch to play some hockey while the Lightning are on break until the 23rd.
It’s not a surprise that these three are going to suit up against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday. Duke, who is waivers exempt was called up due to Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul getting banged up and was slated to go back down once everyone was healthy. He had a strong debut with a goal against Detroit, but was held off the shot chart against Montreal (but did have three hits). Assuming everyone is healthy at the end of the month, Duke will likely stay in Syracuse for the foreseeable future.
Halverson cleared waivers on Friday, but served as the back-up over the weekend. If Jonas Johansson is healthy after the break, the 28-year-old will stay in Syracuse as well. Thanks to the AHL All-Star Break, Halverson only missed two Crunch games, both started by Matt Tomkins. The duo will split starts down the stretch as they try and claw their way up the North Division standings.
Of the three players, Goncalves is the one likely to be recalled when the action heats back up in Tampa. Since his recall last month, he’s five assists in six games and is riding a three-game point streak. He has found a home in the top-six and could serve as a place-holder until the Lightning find another offensive player on the trade market.
The Crunch are currently sitting in a playoff spot in the North Division as they are in the fifth spot right now (the top five teams qualify) with a six point lead over sixth-place Belleville. However, with the amount of inter-divisional play in the AHL, that gap can disappear quickly so the Crunch can’t rest on their laurels. Adding these three players, along with Conor Geekie, should help that cause.
