AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Time for Syracuse

Published on February 11, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


The Syracuse Crunch enter a very important part of their schedule this week. The Crunch wrap up a three-game road trip on Tuesday in Philadelphia. This game concludes a stretch of eight out of the last nine Crunch games being played away from the War Memorial at Oncenter.

Friday night is the start of a five-game homestand, matching a season-high to date and a stretch of 20 of the season's final 26 games at home. The Crunch continue to make a push for the playoffs in a tight North Division race.

Syracuse is 3-1-1-0 in their last five games and have been doing it without a number of their players who are currently on recall to an injury-ravaged parent club Columbus Blue Jackets team. Derick Brassard, Gilbert Brule, leading scorer Joakim Lindstrom, Marc Methot and Andrew Murray are all currently with the big club and have seen significant time there this season.

DORSETT PROVIDING SOME OFFENSE: You would never think from the looks of Derek Dorsett that he leads the Crunch in penalty minutes. The feisty, five-foot eleven inch forward has racked up 173 minutes in the sin bin this season in just 38 games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets knew what they were getting when they drafted him 189th overall in the seventh round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. They knew they were getting an energetic player who loved to mix it up, but had an offensive upside. In his last two years of junior hockey in Medicine Hat (WHL), Dorsett racked up 44 goals, 68 assists and 485 penalty minutes in 129 games.

Dorsett missed the first 14 contests of the season with an ankle injury and did not make his debut until November 9 vs. Chicago. The following night, Dorsett tallied his first professional goal in a 4-0 win over Rochester.

Through his first 17 games, Dorsett had 4 points (3g, 1a). Things went south offensively after that, as Dorsett failed to record a point for 17 straight games. With recent call-ups and injuries, Dorsett has stepped up and notched 3 points (2g, 1a) in the last four games and shown a lot of offensive promise in his rookie campaign. Dorsett has 7 points (5g, 2a) on the season.

BOBBY ROBINS RELEASED: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that they have released center Bobby Robins from his professional tryout contract.

Robins, 26, appeared in one game with the Crunch this season. In 42 games for Elmira (ECHL) this season, Robins has tallied 10 goals, 8 assists and 86 penalty minutes. In addition, he has also appeared in 5 games for Rochester and 1 game for Albany this season, racking up a combined 13 penalty minutes.

A native of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, Robins has appeared in a combined 103 American Hockey League games with Binghamton, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse, notching 11 goals, 11 assists and 144 penalty minutes.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): The Crunch travel to Philadelphia on Tuesday for the second of two meetings against the Phantoms this season. Syracuse won the last match-up, 5-3 back on January 16 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Derek MacKenzie leads all players in the season series in scoring with 3 points (1g, 2a).

BINGHAMTON SENATORS (OTTAWA SENATORS): The Crunch return to the War Memorial at Oncenter to start a five-game homestand on Friday night against Binghamton for the fifth of eight meetings between these two teams. This will be the first meeting of the season between these two teams in Syracuse. The Crunch are 1-3-0-0 against the B-Sens this year and have dropped three straight decisions to them. Binghamton's Josh Hennessy and Alexander Nikulin are tied for the season series lead in scoring with 6 points (1g, 5a) apiece.

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (BUFFALO SABRES/FLORIDA PANTHERS): The Rochester Americans drop in on Saturday for the seventh of twelve meetings between these two clubs and third game at the War Memorial at Oncenter this season. Syracuse is 4-2-0-0 against Rochester this season and have won four straight against them. In the two games against Rochester in Syracuse this year, the Crunch have outscored the Amerks 13-2. Adam Pineault leads all players in the season series in scoring with 7 points (1g, 6a).

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

CRUNCH ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF LOTTERY NIGHT AT THE CRUNCH: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that their Friday, February 15 game against Binghamton will be New York State Lottery Night at the Crunch.

The first 500 fans 18 and over in attendance will receive one (1) Mega Millions Free play coupon, courtesy of New York State Lottery. Lottery tickets will be available for purchase at the New York State Lottery table, located on the concourse.

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

Tuesday, February 12 Game @ Philadelphia 7:05 p.m.

Wednesday, February 13 10:30 Practice @ Tsha'Hon'nonyen'dakhwa

Thursday, February 14 10:30 Practice @ Tsha'Hon'nonyen'dakhwa

Friday, February 15 10:00 a.m. Skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Game vs. Binghamton 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 16 10:00 a.m. Skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Game vs. Rochester 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 17 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

CRUNCHABLES: Saturday night's game featured two referees (Chris Ciamaga & Brian Pochmara) as opposed to the standard one used in AHL games... With an assist on Adam Pineault's first period goal Saturday, Alexandre Picard now has four points (1g 3a) in his last four games...The Crunch are 3-1-1-0 in their last five games...The Crunch have outscored their opponents on the road in the third period this season by a 42-32 margin...Left wing Kirill Starkov made his Syracuse Crunch debut Wednesday night in Rochester after being recalled from Youngstown (CHL)... Mark Rycroft tallied his first point as a member of the Crunch with an assist on Derek MacKenzie's second period goal Wednesday night...David Cullen made his first return to Blue Cross arena as a member of the opposing team Wednesday...Cullen played for Rochester from 2003-04 to 2005-06...Cullen notched his first goal as a member of the Crunch with his second period marker.

2007-08 RECORD: 24-25-2-2, 52 points, (10-8-1-1 home, 14-17-1-1 road), third place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Tuesday, February 12 @ Philadelphia (33-17-1-2, 69 points), first place, East Division

Friday, February 15 vs. Binghamton (24-19-4-4, 56 points), fifth place, East Division

Saturday, February 16 vs. Rochester (15-32-3-4, 37 points), seventh place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULT

Wednesday, February 6 Crunch 3 ROCHESTER 1

Saturday, February 9 Crunch 3 ALBANY 1

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2008


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