AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Head Out on Road

November 1, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


CRUNCH TO MAKE STOPS IN EDMONTON, SAN ANTONIO AND HOUSTON ON SIX-GAME TRIP: The Crunch will go thirteen days and roughly 7,210 miles before playing another game at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Following their home game on Saturday night against the Hamilton Bulldogs the Crunch traveled to Rochester on Sunday, defeating the Americans 3-2. This morning the team left the War Memorial for Edmonton (roughly 2,350 miles) for games Tuesday, November 2 and Wednesday, November 3. Thursday the club will fly to Houston (roughly 2,400 miles) and then bus to San Antonio (197 miles) for a game on Friday, November 5 against the Rampage. The Crunch will then return to Houston for a Sunday, November 7 game against the Aeros before returning to Syracuse (roughly 1,700 miles) for a game in Rochester (90 miles) on November 12. The 13 days is the second longest gap between home games this season (the club will go 17 days between home games December 28 – January 13). It is one of two six-game road trips for the Crunch (December 29 – January 9).

LECLAIRE BRINGS ‘A' GAME IN OCTOBER: Crunch goaltender Pascal Leclaire continued his strong October play last night in Rochester, recording 34 saves, helping the Crunch to a 3-2 victory over Rochester, earning his fourth victory of the season. Friday night he earned his second shutout of the season in just his fifth game, recording 21 saves. His two shutout's are tied for first in the American Hockey League. He entered the season with two shutouts through his first 80 career AHL games. A native of Repentigny, Quebec, Leclaire has a 4-1-1 mark this season, with a 1.76 goals against average and a .938 save percentage. Leclaire has participated in a shootout in three of his six starts, stopping 11 of the 17 shots he has faced, recording a 2-1 record. He appeared in two games with Columbus during the 2003-04 season with a 0-2-0 record and a 3.53 goals against average. The Blue Jackets selected Leclaire with their first pick, 8th overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft.

CRUNCH IN THIRD SHOOTOUT: Three of the Crunch's first eight games have gone into a shootout with the Crunch winning two and losing one. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire has been in net all three times, stopping 11 of the 17 shots he has faced. Nine different players have taken a shootout attempt, with the Crunch converting on 7 of their 17 opportunities (Mark Hartigan 3-for-4, Matthias Trattnig 3-for-4, Joe Motzko 1-for-2, Brad Moran 0-for-2, Alexander Svitov 0-for-1, Greg Mauldin 0-for-1, Jeff Panzer 0-for-1, Aaron Johnson 0-for-1 and Tim Jackman 0-for-1).

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

EDMONTON (EDMONTON OILERS): The Crunch continue their six-game road trip in Edmonton on Tuesday, November 2 and Wednesday, November 3 for the first and second of four regular season meetings. Right wing Tony Salmelainen leads all Edmonton players with 12 points (5g, 7a) in nine games. Tyler Moss has appeared in five games for Edmonton posting a 3-1-1 record, a 2.33 goals against average and .918 save percentage. Lifetime Syracuse is 2-3-1 against the Road Runners.

SAN ANTONIO (FLORIDA PANTHERS): Syracuse travels to San Antonio on Friday, November 5 for the first of two regular season meetings. Center Stephen Weiss leads all Rampage players with nine points (2g, 7a) in nine games. Travis Scott has spent time between the pipes for San Antonio with a 2-3-0 record, a 2.83 goals against average and .906 save percentage. Lifetime Syracuse is 1-1-0 against the Rampage.

HOUSTON (MINNSOTA WILD AND DALLAS STARS): On Sunday, November 7 the Crunch play in Houston for the first of two regular season meetings. Center Pierre Bouchard leads all Houston players with seven points (1g, 6a) in seven games. Josh Harding has appeared in five games for the Aeros posting a 1-3-0 record, a 2.67 goals against average and .896 save percentage. Lifetime Syracuse is 1-1-0 against Houston.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Wednesday, November 10

Labatt's Celebrity Bartending at Dodsters: Crunch players Mark Hartigan, Andre Lakos and Joe Motzko will be at Dodsters on Wednesday, November 10 from 5-7 p.m. to raise money for the CNY SPCA.

Saturday, November 13

Taco Bell Night Set For Saturday, November 13: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Saturday, November 13 game against the Rochester Americans is Taco Bell Night at the Crunch. Local Taco Bell stores will serve as outlets for vouchers good for discounted tickets to Taco Bell Night at the Crunch, courtesy of Taco Bell.

INJURY UPDATE: There are no injuries to date.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Crunch's weekly schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, November 2 1:10 p.m. (EST) skate @ Rexall Place

9:00 p.m. (EST) game @ Edmonton

Wednesday, November 3 1:10 p.m. (EST) skate @ Rexall Place

9:00 p.m. (EST) game @ Edmonton

Thursday, November 4 Travel to San Antonio

Friday, November 5 12:10 p.m. (EST) skate @ SBC Center

8:00 p.m. (EST) game @ San Antonio

Saturday, November 6 Travel to Houston

Sunday, November 7 6:05 p.m. (EST) game @ Houston

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Defenseman Zenith Komarniski appeared in his 300th American Hockey League game Sunday night in Rochester... Center Brad Moran recorded his 100th assist October 30 against Hamilton. He is 23 assists behind Mark Wotton for second on the Crunch's all-time list and 25 behind Lonny Bohonos for first.

2004-05 RECORD: 4-2-1-1, 10 points (1-0-1-1 home, 3-2-0-0 road), tied-third place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Tuesday, November 2 @ Edmonton (5-2-1-1), 12 points, second place, North Division

Wednesday, November 3 @ Edmonton (5-2-1-1), 12 points, second place, North Division

Friday, November 5 @ San Antonio (4-4-1-0), 9 points, tied-fourth place, West Division

Sunday, November 7 @ Houston (4-3-1-0), 9 points, tied-fourth place, West Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Wednesday, October 27 Crunch 4 SOW WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3

Friday, October 29 Hershey 1 SOL CRUNCH 0

Saturday, October 30 Hamilton 3 OT CRUNCH 2

Sunday, October 31 Crunch 3 ROCHESTER 2

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2004


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