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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Looks to Snap Eight-Game Streak

December 30, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


WINLESS STREAK HITS EIGHT: Syracuse returns to action tonight looking to snap a season-high eight-game winless streak (0-6-1-1). The streak is the Crunch's longest since November 17 - December 7, 2001, in which they did not post a victory in nine games (0-7-2-0). The franchise mark is 12 games, set February 25 - March 17, 2000. The Crunch will play five games this week, beginning tonight in Rochester. Syracuse plays Tuesday (Norfolk), Friday (Norfolk) and Saturday (Binghamton) at home before returning to the road on Sunday (Philadelphia). KNOPP IN FROM DAYTON - WINGFIELD RECALLED FROM ELMIRA - NEILSON RETURNED TO ELMIRA: The Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets have reassigned right wing Ben Knopp from Dayton (ECHL) to Syracuse. Syracuse also announced that they have recalled left wing Brad Wingfield from Elmira (UHL) and returned defenseman Corey Neilson on loan to Elmira. Knopp, 20, has appeared in 28 games with the Bombers, recording five goals, eight assists and 39 penalty minutes. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Knopp was Columbus' second pick, 69th overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft. Wingfield, 27, has played in 26 games with Elmira, tallying 13 goals, 6 assists and 262 penalty minutes. A native of Gibsons, British Columbia, Wingfield has appeared in eight career games with the Crunch, recording a goal and 79 penalty minutes. He holds the Crunch's franchise mark for penalty minutes in a game with 45 on March 17, 2002 @ Wilkes-Barre. Wingfield signed his second AHL contract with Syracuse on September 13, 2002. Neilson, 26, appeared in three games while with Syracuse, recording two penalty minutes. Syracuse signed Neilson to an AHL contract on August 17, 2002. LEVOKARI RETURNS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: The Crunch's defensive corps received a big boost on Saturday when defenseman Pauli Levokari returned two weeks ahead of schedule from an injury. Levokari has appeared in eight games with the Crunch this season with one goal, two assists and 10 penalty minutes. A native of Luvia, Finland, the 6-foot-7, 260 pound Levokari was acquired by Columbus along with right wing Tomi Kallio in a trade from Atlanta for right wing Chris Nielsen and the rights to defenseman Petteri Nummerlin on December 2. THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): The Crunch travel to Rochester tonight for the third of 12 regular season meetings. Rochester leads the series 2-0, after defeating Syracuse, 3-2 at home on December 28. Four Rochester players lead both teams in head-to-head scoring with three points. Five Crunch players have each recorded a point in two games. Crunch goaltender Karl Goehring appeared in both games, with a 0-2-0 mark, a 4.02 goals against average and a ..869 save percentage. Goaltender Ryan Miller also appeared in both games for Rochester with a 2-0-0 mark, a 1.00 goals against average and a .975 save percentage. Lifetime Syracuse is 34-45-11 against Rochester. NORFOLK (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS): Syracuse hosts Norfolk on Tuesday, December 31 and Friday, January 3 for the first and second of four regular season meetings this season. Right wing Mike Peluso leads all Norfolk players with 30 points (12g, 18a) in 30 games. Goaltender Michael Leighton has appeared 21 games for Norfolk, posting a 13-7-1-1 record, a 2.71 goals against average and .911 save percentage. Lifetime, Syracuse is 5-5-0 against Norfolk. BINGHAMTON (OTTAWA SENATORS): Binghamton travels to the War Memorial to face Syracuse on Saturday, January 4 for the fifth of eight regular season meetings. Binghamton leads the series, 3-1, after defeating Syracuse 3-2 on December 26. Right wing David Ling leads all players in head-to-head scoring with six points (1g, 5a). Left wing David Hymovitz (1g, 3a) and right wing Brad Smyth (3g, 1a) lead all Binghamton players in head-to-head scoring with four points. Goaltender Ray Emery has appeared in 3 games for Binghamton, posting a 2-1-0 record, a 1.90 goals against average and .939 save percentage. Lifetime, Syracuse is 1-3-0 against the Senators. PHILADELPHIA (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): Syracuse begins an eight-game road trip on Sunday, January 5 when they travel to Philadelphia for the third of six regular season meetings. The series is tied at one a piece. Right wing David Ling (1g, 3a) leads all players in head-to-head scoring with four points. Defenseman David Harlock leads all Phantoms players with two points (2a). Goaltender Neil Little appeared in both games, posting a 2.51 goals against average and ..884 save percentage. Lifetime, Syracuse is 7-14- 7 against the Phantoms.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: Saturday, January 4 TOWN AND COUNTRY CARPET AND LINOLEUM PUCK NIGHT: Saturday, January 4 against the Binghamton Senators will be Town and Country Carpet and Linoleum Puck Night at the Crunch. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive at Crunch puck, compliments of Town and Country Carpet and Linoleum and WB 43. INJURY UPDATE: Defenseman Darrel Scoville is expected to miss one to two weeks with an abdominal tear. Scoville, who suffered his injury on October 26 vs. Grand Rapids, underwent surgery the week of November 11 and has missed 28 games... Center Brad Moran is listed as day-to-day with an abdominal strain suffered on November 22. Moran has missed 18 games with the injury... Defenseman Trent Cull is listed as day-to-day after suffering a groin injury on December 20. He has missed four games with the injury... Right wing Kent McDonell is listed as day-to-day with a chest injury he suffered on December 27. He has missed one game with the injury. INJURIES BY THE NUMBERS: Through 32 games this season, Syracuse has lost 78 man-games due to injuries. Darrel Scoville - 28, Brad Moran - 18, Paul Manning - 9, Pauli Levokari - 8, Trent Cull - 4, Radim Bicanek - 3, Blake Bellefeuille, Kent McDonell & Martin Paroulek - 2 and Adam Borzecki, Andrej Nedorost & Dan Watson - 1, represent the Crunch's injury list this season. CRUNCHABLES: Right wing David Ling leads the Crunch with 19 power play points this season (3g, 16a)... In 32 games this season, the Crunch's overall penalty kill unit is ranked ninth in the league at 85.7%. In their current eight-game winless streak, the Crunch's penalty kill unit has killed off 32-of-35 opponent power play opportunities (91.4%)... Left wing Trevor Ettinger (32 PIM's) set a Crunch season high for most penalty minutes in a game Saturday, December 28 against Rochester.

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