AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Makes Final Push for Playoffs

Published on April 11, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


FERRARO HEATS UP: Right wing Peter Ferraro enters the final week of the regular season on a four-game point streak, recording three goals and two assists during that stretch. Ferraro has appeared in 45 games with the Crunch after signing a free agent deal on December 13, recording 9 goals, 15 assists and 52 penalty minutes. A native of Port Jefferson, NY, Ferraro has appeared in 568 career AHL games with Binghamton, Hartford, Providence, Portland, Springfield and Syracuse, netting 238 goals, 325 assists and 1,164 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by the NY Rangers in the first round, 24th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Following Hamilton's 4-1 victory over the Manitoba Moose on Sunday night (April 10), the Crunch trails the Bulldogs by eight points, putting Syracuse in a position where they must win their remaining four games and Hamilton must lose their last two games for Syracuse to qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs. The teams meet on Wednesday, April 13.

CRUNCH PRESIDENT & CEO HOWARD DOLGON TO HOLD FAN FORUM: Syracuse Crunch President and CEO Howard Dolgon will hold a fan forum on April 15 prior to the Crunch's home game against Binghamton. The forum will run from 6:30 – 7:15 p.m. in Memorial Hall.

DAVE KARPA MAKES DEBUT: Veteran defenseman Dave Karpa made his Crunch debut on April 9 vs. Rochester after signing a professional tryout contract on April 7. Karpa, 33, has appeared in 557 career NHL games with Quebec, Anaheim, Carolina and New York Rangers, tallying 18 goals, 80 assists and 1,374 penalty minutes. In 20 games with San Diego (ECHL) this season, Karpa has recorded 2 goals, 10 assists and 65 penalty minutes. Through 143 career AHL games with Halifax, Cornwall, Hartford and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Karpa has recorded 7 goals, 44 assists and 303 penalty minutes. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Karpa was selected by Quebec in the fourth round, 68th overall, in the 1991 Entry Draft.

CRUNCH JERSEY AUCTION ENDS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13: The Crunch's annual game-worn jersey auction will end on Wednesday, April 13 @ 5 p.m. Available in the auction this year are the teams' home jerseys (blue color), road jerseys (white color), third jerseys (red color) and St. Patrick's Day jerseys (green). All of the available Crunch jerseys can be viewed on the Crunch's official website (www.syracusecrunch.com). Fans can bid on Syracuse's 2004-05 game-worn jerseys by calling or stopping by the Crunch office or on the Crunch's official website.

GORNICK RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO: The Crunch announced today that they have returned center Brian Gornick to San Diego (ECHL). Gornick appeared in one game while with Syracuse, recording two penalty minutes.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

HAMILTON (MONTREAL CANADIENS): Syracuse travels to Hamilton on Wednesday, April 13 for the sixth and final regular season meeting between the teams this season. Hamilton leads the series 3-1-1, after shutting out Syracuse 3-0 on April 2 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Tomas Plekanec (3g, 3a) leads all players in head-to-head scoring with six points. Several Crunch players are tied with three points each in head-to-head scoring. Karl Goehring has appeared in four games for Syracuse, posting a 1-3-0 record, a 2.44 gaa and a .919 save percentage. Yann Danis has appeared in all three games for Hamilton, posting a 3-1-1 record, a 1.55 gaa and a .958 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 24-28-11 against the Bulldogs.

BINGHAMTON (OTTAWA SENATORS): Syracuse hosts Binghamton for their last regular season home game on Friday, April 16 for the eighth and final regular season meeting between the teams this season. Binghamton leads the series 6-0-1, after defeating Syracuse 2-1 on February 18 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Jason Spezza (3g, 8a) leads all players with 11 points in head-to-head scoring. Right wing Joe Motzko (1g, 5a) leads all Crunch players with six points in head-to-head scoring. Karl Goehring appeared in three games for Syracuse, posting a 0-3-0 record, a 3.28 gaa and .894 save percentage. Ray Emery has appeared in four games for Binghamton, posting a 3-0-1 record, a 1.93 gaa and a .942 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 8-13-2 against the Senators.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): Syracuse visits Rochester on Saturday, April 16 for the 12th and final regular season meeting between the teams this season. Rochester leads the series 6-3-2, after Syracuse defeated Rochester 5-2 on April 9 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Right wing Jason Pominville (5g, 8a) leads all players with 13 points in head-to-head scoring. Center Brad Moran (2g, 7a) leads all Crunch players with nine points in head-to-head scoring. Karl Goehring has appeared in seven games for Syracuse, posting a 3-4-0, a 3.05 gaa and a .902 save percentage. Ryan Miller has appeared in nine games for Rochester, posting a 6-3-2 record, a 2.64 gaa and a .925 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 47-62-14 against the Amerks.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): Syracuse's regular season concludes on Sunday, April 17 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the eighth and final regular season meeting between the teams this season. Syracuse leads the series 4-2-1, after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defeated Syracuse 5-4 in a shootout on March 18 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Brad Moran (6g, 4a) and right wing Joe Motzko (5g, 5a) lead the Crunch with 10 points in head-to-head scoring. Right wing Michel Ouellet (2g, 6a) leads the Penguins with eight points in head-to-head scoring. Karl Goehring has appeared in four games for Syracuse, posting a 3-1-0 record, a 2.70 gaa and a .909 save percentage. Marc-Andre Fleury has appeared in five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting a 3-1-0 record, a 3.64 gaa and a .881 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 28-18-7 against the Penguins.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Friday, April 15:

Post-Game Autograph Session: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that they will hold a post-game autograph session on Friday, April 15 following their game against Binghamton.

The Syracuse Crunch team will be available in the Crunch Club (basement) of the War Memorial to sign autographs for 30 minutes, following their game against Binghamton.

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

Tuesday, April 12 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Wednesday, April 13 11:15 a.m. skate @ Copps Coliseum

7:30 p.m. game @ Hamilton

Thursday, April 14 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Friday, April 15 10 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Binghamton

Saturday, April 16 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game @ Rochester

Sunday, April 17 5:05 p.m. game @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Right wing Brandon Sugden moved into third place on the Crunch's all-time penalty minutes list on April 9, recording his 530th minute to surpass Jody Shelley (522 penalty minutes). Sugden now trails John Badduke (649 penalty minutes) and Jeremy Reich (820 penalty minutes)... Goaltender Karl Goehring's next appearance will be his 150th in a Syracuse uniform... Center Brad Moran is two goals shy of 100 in his Syracuse career. He enters the final week of the regular season six shy of tying Lonny Bohonos for the franchise's all-time mark of 104... Syracuse is 181 team penalty minutes away from tying the franchise mark of 2,139 penalty minutes in a season set during the club's inaugural year of 1994-95... Defenseman Aaron Johnson broke a 20-game goal drought on Saturday, April 9 vs. Rochester... Left wing Greg Mauldin broke a nine-game point drought, tallying an assist in back-to-back games over the weekend... Syracuse has appeared in 14 shootouts so far this season, tied with Edmonton and Utah. Syracuse leads the league with 10 wins, followed by Utah with nine.

2004-05 RECORD: 34-31-7-4, 79 points (18-14-5-2 home, 16-17-2-2 road), fifth place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Wednesday, April 13 @ Hamilton (37-28-7-6), 87 points, fourth place, North Division

Friday, April 15 vs. Binghamton (45-21-5-7), 102 points, first place, East Division

Saturday, April 16 @ Rochester (49-16-4-6), 108 points, first place, North Division

Sunday, April 17 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (37-26-7-7), 88 points, fourth place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Tuesday, April 5 MANITOBA 3 Crunch 1

Wednesday, April 6 Crunch 4 MANITOBA 3

Friday, April 8 CLEVELAND 3 Crunch 1

Saturday, April 9 CRUNCH 5 Rochester 2

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2005


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