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Week Eleven: Crunch Coaster

December 14, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL) - Syracuse Crunch News Release


To say that the Crunch's season has been like a roller coaster ride so far this year would be an understatement. The team has been up and down and cannot seem to find any consistency.

The club's longest winning streak so far this season is two games, when they beat Houston at home on November 27 and defeated the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the following night on November 28.

On a positive note, Syracuse has not lost more than three games in a row in regulation. So far in the month of December, the Crunch are 2-3-0-0 and have alternated wins and losses.

BATTAGLIA BREAKS OUT: Left wing Bates Battaglia tallied five points (3g, 2a) in his first six games as a member of the Crunch. Over the next three games, he hit a bit of a skid, being held scoreless.

Over his last two games, however, the 13-year veteran has picked it back up, notching three points (2g, 1a). Battaglia tallied an assist on Dan Fritsche's empty-net goal and was part of a penalty killing unit that kept the Phantoms power play off the score sheet in Friday night's 5-2 win over Adirondack.

On Saturday, Battaglia scored two of the Crunch's three goals in a 6-3 loss to Binghamton at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. His first goal tied the game at 2-2 in the second period and was of the shorthanded variety. Battaglia then added a power play marker to put the Crunch within one at 4-3 with eight minutes left in regulation. His two tallies was the first time a Crunch player has scored twice in a game all season.

UPCOMING GAMES:

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (FLORIDA PANTHERS): The Crunch travel to rival Rochester on Tuesday, December 15 for a game that was originally scheduled for January 27, 2010 at the Blue Cross Arena, but had to be moved due to another event taking place in that building. This will be the seventh of 10 overall meetings and final meeting between the two clubs in Rochester this season. The Crunch are winless on the year against the Americans with a 0-4-2-0 record and are led in scoring in the season series by center Dan Fritsche, who has registered four points (2g, 2a) in four games. Rochester's Chris Taylor leads his team and all players with nine points (3g, 6a), while rookie netminder Alexander Salak is 6-0-0 with a 1.96 goals against average and.928 save percentage against the Crunch this year.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): Syracuse welcomes the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to the War Memorial at Oncenter for the second time in nine days on Friday, December 18. This will be the fifth of eight overall meetings and second contest between these to teams at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Dan Fritsche and Alexandre Picard have both recorded three points (1g, 2a) in the season series for the Crunch, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Dustin Jeffrey leads all scorers with eight points (3g, 5a). Goaltenders Adam Berkhoel and John Curry have combined to go 3-0-0 with a 1.46 goals against average against the Crunch.

ALBANY RIVER RATS (CAROLINA HURRICANES): The Crunch welcome in Albany to the War Memorial at Oncenter, looking to keep their home winning streak alive against the Rats. The Crunch last lost to Albany at home on March 2, 2007, a span of 15 games. Syracuse is 1-2-0-0 against the River Rats so far this season and is led in scoring in the season series by Trevor Frischmon (1g, 3a). Albany's Jermome Samson leads his club with four points (3g, 1a) against the Crunch this year, while goaltender Mike Murphy is 2-0-0 with a 2.01 goals against average and.937 save percentage.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

POWERADE PUZZLE GIVEAWAY FRIDAY: The Syracuse Crunch announced that the first 2,000 fans in attendance at the Crunch's Friday, December 18 game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will receive a puzzle, courtesy of Powerade. The 15-piece, 5 x 7 inch puzzles depict a Crunch goal celebration and feature the Powerade and Crunch logos.

PANINI'S TO HOST PRE-GAME AL'S PALS PARTY: Panini's will host a pre-game Al's Pals party from 5 - 7 p.m. prior to the Crunch's December 18 home game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Panini's will offer free candy and soda for kids along with specially priced menu items. In addition, the Crunch's mascot, Al the Ice Gorilla, will make an appearance.

CRUNCH TEAM UP WITH TOYS FOR TOTS: The Syracuse Crunch and the Crunch Foundation, the club's charitable arm, announced that they are teaming up with Toys for Tots to make this holiday season brighter for area youth with a Crunch toy drive, which kicked-off on Wednesday, December 9 and will conclude on Monday, December 21 at 2 p.m.

From now until December 21 at 2 p.m., fans will receive either a coupon for a $2 discount on Crunch merchandise or a coupon for a $2 discount on a regularly priced adult ticket for an upcoming home game with the donation of a new and unwrapped toy. In addition, fans that make a donation will be entered into a raffle for a Crunch prize pack featuring an autographed #41 Jon Mirasty official game puck.

Fans are encouraged to bring their toy donations to the team's upcoming home games this weekend on Friday, December 18 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Saturday, December 19 vs. Albany at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Game times are set for 7:30 p.m.

CRUNCH AND AMERICAN RED CROSS TO HOLD BLOOD DRIVE: The Syracuse Crunch and the Crunch Foundation, the club's charitable arm, announced that they are partnering with the American Red Cross to hold a blood drive on Friday, December 18 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Memorial Hall at the War Memorial at Oncenter.

Anyone that donates blood will receive one (1) free ticket to that night's game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, an autographed t-shirt and will be entered into a raffle to win a Crunch team-signed stick. Fans are encouraged to contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-448-3543 or visit www.donatebloodnow.org to schedule an appointment. Photo ID is required and walk-ins are welcome.

CRUNCHABLES: The Crunch set a season single-game high with 81 penalty minutes Saturday and had four players given game misconducts (Simon Ferguson, Kevin Lalande, Jon Mirasty and Alexandre Picard).The Crunch lead the AHL in average penalty minutes per game (28.96).Syracuse put a season-high 46 shots on goal Saturday.Binghamton registered 45 shots on goal for the second time this season against the Crunch Saturday.Trevor Frischmon appeared in his 200th Crunch and AHL game Saturday.The Crunch defeated Adirondack Friday to move their record in games after being shut out to 3-0-1-0.


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