The Syracuse Crunch are on a roll, extending their winning streak to five games with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and a solid 4-1 win over Utica on Sunday. This hot streak has them closing in on Laval, trailing by just three points with three games in hand. As they gear up to face the Rocket for the last time in the regular season, the Crunch hold a 4-1-1 record against them, setting the stage for an exciting showdown on Saturday.
The playoff picture is beginning to take shape, and the Crunch's magic number stands at 8 to secure a playoff spot, and 30 to clinch the division title. So far, only Grand Rapids and Providence have locked in playoff berths in the league.
Lucas Mercuri was the hero on Friday, scoring a power-play goal at the 3:21 mark of overtime to seal the win for the Crunch. On Sunday, Ryan Fanti was stellar between the pipes, stopping 27 of 28 shots for his 11th victory of the season. Dylan Duke was on fire, netting two goals to bring his season total to 29, while Brendan Furry added to his impressive form with his fourth goal in the last five games.
With 35 wins under their belt, the Crunch are just two victories away from matching last year's total, showcasing their growth and determination this season.
In roster news, the Lightning have made paper transactions involving Conor Geekie and Charle-Edouard D’Astous, assigning and then recalling them to ensure their eligibility for the Crunch's playoff run.
Around the Hockey World
Brandon Hagel was fined by the Department of Player Safety, a situation that players often find preferable to suspension.
The Lightning find themselves in a playoff battle, with 17 of their final 20 games against teams in or near playoff spots. Despite this challenge, projections still favor them to secure a playoff berth.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper faced an emotional time, dealing with the sudden passing of his father while returning from Milan after Canada’s gold medal game loss.
The NHL trade deadline saw several notable prospects changing teams, but the Lightning managed to hold onto their prospects, avoiding further depletion of their ranks.
In the race for NHL awards, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jon Cooper are leading contenders for the Vezina and Jack Adams awards, respectively, with Nikita Kucherov in the mix for the Hart. However, the Lightning’s recent struggles could impact these races.