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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Move Into Fourth

March 14, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


FOUR WIN WEEK LIFTS CRUNCH TO FOURTH: With a 6-5 shootout victory Sunday night in Rochester, Syracuse extended it's win streak to four games, lifting the club into fourth place, one point ahead of Edmonton and Hamilton and three points in front of Cleveland. It is the second time this season Syracuse has won four consecutive games (November 27 – December 4). Entering this week Syracuse (8 home, 8 road), Edmonton (8 home, 8 road) and Cleveland (8 home, 8 road) each have 16 remaining home games and Hamilton (8 home, 7 road) has 15 remaining.

MORAN SETS FRANCHISE ASSIST MARK – EIGHT SHORT OF POINT RECORD: Center Brad Moran continued his assault on the Crunch's record book this week, taking over the franchise's all-time assist lead after a week that saw him record eight helpers. Moran (128 assists), surpassed Lonny Bohonos' mark of 126 on Sunday night in Rochester. His 222 points leave him eight shy of Bohonos' point mark of 230. A native of Abbotsford, BC, Moran is the Crunch's all-time leader in power play goals (37), short-handed goals (9) and games played (318). He is second in goals (94) and game-winning goals (13).

HARTIGAN/MORAN/MOTZKO LINE RECORDS TWENTY POINT WEEK: The Crunch's line of Mark Hartigan (5g, 2a), Brad Moran (8a) and Joe Motzko (3g, 2a) combined last week for 20 points (8g, 12a). Moran (53 points), Hartigan (48 points) and Motzko (48 points) enter this week as the Crunch's top three scorers.

OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: Center Nathan Robinson had an immediate impact on his new club, recording back-to-back multiple point games on March 12 and 13. Robinson scored once with an assist on march 12 in Syracuse's 3-1 victory over Rochester and followed that up with 2 assists in the Crunch's 6-5 shootout win over the Americans on March 13. A native of Kingston, Ontario, Robinson, who was acquired from Grand Rapids in exchange for Jeff Panzer on March 11, has 28 points (9g, 19a) in 53 games with the Griffins and Crunch.

GOEHRING SHOOTOUT SUCCESS: Goaltender Karl Goehring remained perfect in shootouts this season, recording his AHL leading sixth win on Sunday night in Rochester. Goehring has stopped 30 of the 33 shots he has faced in the shootout.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): Syracuse hosts Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday, March 18 for the seventh of eight regular season meetings between the teams this season. Syracuse leads the series 4-2, after defeating Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2-1 in a shootout on January 20 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Right wing Michel Ouellet (2g, 6a) leads all players with eight points in head-to-head scoring. Centers Brad Moran (6g, 1) and Alexander Svitov (3g, 4a) lead Syracuse in head-to-head scoring with seven points. 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 four games for the Penguins, posting a 2-1-0 record, a 3.62 gaa and a .881 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 28-12-6 against the Penguins.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): Rochester visits Syracuse on Saturday, March 19 for the 10th of 12 regular season meetings between the teams this season. Rochester leads the series 5-2-2, after Syracuse defeated the Amerks 6-5 in a shootout on March 13 in Rochester. Center Derek Roy (2g, 7a), left wing Thomas Vanek (7g, 2a) and right wing Jason Pominville (5g, 4a) lead all players with nine points in head-to-head scoring. Right wing Joe Motzko (5g, 1a) and center Brad Moran (1g, 5a) lead the Crunch in head-to-head scoring with six points. Karl Goehring has appeared in five games for Syracuse, posting a 2-3-0, a 3.12 gaa and a .900 save percentage. Ryan Miller has appeared eight games for Rochester, posting a 5-1-2 record, a 1.95 gaa and a .941 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 46-61-14 against the Amerks.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Crunch Announce Details of Arrow Fence ‘Straight as an Arrow' Promotion: The Syracuse Crunch announced the details of the Arrow Fence ‘Straight as an Arrow' promotion.

During the month of March, fans can sign-up at the Advance Auto Parts Guest Service Center for a chance to win a swing set, compliments of Arrow Fence. Following the March 30 games two fans will be randomly selected to participate in the Arrow Fence ‘Straight as an Arrow' on-ice competition at a select April home game (TBD).

Each of the winning fans will select a family member to compete with them. One member of each team will be blindfolded and spun around ten times and be asked to walk from the center red line to the goal line, through a fence and back. While walking, the contestants' teammate and Al will help guide the contestant. After completing the course, the second team member will repeat the ‘Straight as an Arrow' walk. The first team to complete the course will receive swing set, complements of Arrow Fence.

Crunch Jersey Auction Begins: The Syracuse Crunch announced that their 2004-05 game-worn jersey auction has begun.

Available for 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 color). 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 at remaining Crunch home games or on the Crunch's official website www.syracusecrunch.com/shop/jersey_auction_new.cfm.

Bids must be made in $20 increments (for example - if current bid is $500, bids of $520, $540, $560, etc... will be accepted)

All winning bids will be notified within 48 hours of the conclusion of the auction. The auction will conclude Wednesday, April 13 at 5 p.m.

Winners are responsible for shipping and handling costs. Jerseys are not autographed.

Friday, March 18:

Empire Vision Centers Poster Night II at the Crunch Set For March 18: The Syracuse Crunch announced that they will hold their second Empire Vision Centers Poster Night on Friday, March 18, when the first 1,200 fans in attendance will receive an Empire Vision Centers Crunch poster.

This years' poster depicts the coaching staff and players in a western style ‘WANTED' format. Each fan in attendance will receive the Crunch poster, courtesy of Empire Vision Centers.

Saturday, March 19:

Coca-Cola and POWERADE DVD Night at the Crunch Set For March 19: The Syracuse Crunch announced, along with Coca-Cola and POWERADE, that their Saturday, March 19 game will be Coca-Cola and POWERADE DVD Night at the Crunch.

Syracuse has teamed up with Coca-Cola and POWERADE, to give fans a collection of Crunch highlights. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a Crunch DVD highlight video, which includes six (6) highlight videos from the Crunch's first ten seasons, compliments of Coca-Cola and POWERADE.

INJURY UPDATE: Goaltender Pascal Leclaire is listed as indefinite with a groin injury. He has missed 43 games with the injury... Right wing Brandon Sugden is expected to miss one week with a thumb injury. He has missed 27 games with the injury... Center Chris Ferraro is expected to miss three weeks with a hand injury. He has missed 14 games with the injury... Left wing Mike Pandolfo is expected to miss three weeks with an ankle injury. He has missed five games with the injury... Defenseman Andre Lakos is listed as day-to-day with a shoulder injury. He has missed 10 games with the injury... Defenseman Zenith Komarniski is expected to miss one-to-two weeks with a back injury. He has missed one game with injury... Center Alexander Svitov is listed as day-to-day with a concussion. He has missed two games with the injury... Through 64 games this season, Syracuse has lost 191 man-games due to injuries. Pascal Leclaire – 43, Brandon Sugden – 32, Andre Lakos – 19, Chris Ferraro – 14, Zenith Komarniski – 13, Jamie Pushor – 10, Jeff Panzer – 8, Francois Beauchemin – 8, Prestin Ryan – 7, Raffaele Sannitz – 7, Greg Mauldin - 6, Tim Jackman – 6, Mike Pandolfo – 5, Mark Hartigan – 3, Peter Ferraro - 3, Aaron Johnson – 2, Alexander Svitov – 2, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen – 1, Jeremy Reich - 1 and Joe Motzko – 1 represent the Crunch's injury list this season.

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

Tuesday, March 15 10:30 a.m. @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Wednesday, March 16 10:30 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Thursday, March 17 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Friday, March 18 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Saturday, March 19 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Rochester

Sunday, March 20 Off Day

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen recorded points in back-to-back games on March 12 and 13, breaking a 25-game pointless streak... Defenseman Francois Beauchemin has at least one assist in his last three games (4a)... The 170 combined penalty minutes in the March 12 game against Rochester is a season high for the Crunch.

2004-05 RECORD: 30-26-5-3, 68 points (16-12-3-1 home, 14-14-2-2 road), fourth place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Friday, March 18 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-19-6-6), 76 points, fourth place, East Division

Saturday, March 19 vs. Rochester (45-11-4-6), 100 points, first place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Wednesday, March 9 CRUNCH 4 Edmonton 2

Friday, March 11 CRUNCH 3 Hershey 1

Saturday, March 12 CRUNCH 3 Rochester 1

Sunday, March 13 Crunch 6 SO ROCHESTER 5

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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