AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Top Shootout Team in League

Published on February 21, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SHOOTOUT SUCCESS CONTINUES: Syracuse participated in their AHL high 11th shootout (one more than Lowell's 10) of the season Saturday, February 19 vs. Cleveland, defeating the Barons for the club's 8th shootout victory. The Crunch's eight shootout wins is tops in the AHL, one more than Hartford's seven.

Five different players have recorded a goal in a shootout, Mark Hartigan (6-for-12), Joe Motzko (5-for-10), Matthias Trattnig (5-for-10), Brad Moran (3-for-9) and Greg Mauldin (1-for-2). Three players have been credited with a game-winning shootout goal this season, lead by Moran and Motzko's three, followed by Trattnig's two.

Three different goaltenders have posted a shootout win, led by Karl Goehring, who has won all five he has participated in, stopping 24 of 26 shots. Goehring's five shootout wins is tied for the AHL lead and his .923 save percentage is fourth behind Hershey's Tom Lawson (5 saves, 5 attempts), Hamilton's Dan Ellis (4 saves, 4 attempts) and Springfield's Brian Eklund (15 saves, 16 attempts). Pascal Leclaire has won two of the five shootouts he has been in, stopping 17 of 27 shots and Andrew Penner has a victory in his only shootout appearance, making 3 of 5 stops.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Syracuse enters this week seven points behind the Edmonton Road Runners for fourth place in the North Division. Edmonton (62 points) has 26 games remaining (10 home, 16 road), the same number as Syracuse (14 home, 12 road). Hamilton (55 points), currently tied with the Crunch for fifth, has 25 games remaining (15 home, 10 road). Cleveland (52 points) trails both Syracuse and Hamilton by three points with 24 games remaining (11 home, 13 road).

GAMES PLAYED MILESTONES: Left wing Jeremy Reich and center Brad Moran are two games shy of tying defenseman Mark Wotton for the franchise all-time mark of 310 games played... Defenseman Aaron Johnson appeared in his 100th Syracuse game February 20 @ Hershey... Left wing Mike Pandolfo is two games shy of tying Mathieu Darche for eighth all-time at 205 games played... Defenseman Zenith Komarniski is three games shy of 200 in a Crunch uniform.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

MILWAUKEE (NASHVILLE PREDATORS): Syracuse travels to Milwaukee on Tuesday, February 22 for the second and final regular season meeting between the teams this season. Milwaukee leads the series 1-0, after defeating Syracuse 3-2 on December 11 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis (1g, 2a) leads all players with three points in head-to-head scoring. Left wing Greg Mauldin (2g) and center Alexander Svitov (2a) lead the Crunch in head-to-head scoring with two points. Karl Goehring appeared in net for Syracuse, recording 24 saves in the loss. Seamus Kotyk posted the victory for Milwaukee, recording 24 saves. Lifetime, the Crunch are 1-4-0 against the Admirals.

CHICAGO (ATLANTA THRASHERS): Syracuse visits Chicago on Wednesday, February 23 for the first of two regular season meetings between the teams this season. Right wing J.P. Vigier leads the Wolves with 49 points (19, 30a) in 55 games. Kari Lehtonen has appeared in 41 games for Chicago, posting a 24-15-2 record, a 2.29 gaa and a .929 save percentage. Lifetime, Syracuse is 1-3-0 against Chicago.

MANITOBA (VANCOUVER CANUCKS): Syracuse concludes the teams' first-ever six games in seven nights stretch at home on Thursday, February 24 for the first of four regular season meetings between the teams this season. Center Peter Sarno leads Manitoba with 59 points (11g, 48a) in 54 games. Alex Auld has appeared in 33 games for Manitoba, posting a 20-7-4 record, a 2.27 gaa and a .919 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 1-2-1 against the Moose.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): Syracuse travels to Rochester on Sunday, February 27 for the seventh of 12 regular season meetings between the teams this season. Rochester leads the series 4-1-0-1, after Syracuse beat the Amerks 2-1 in a shootout on January 22 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Derek Roy (2g, 5a) leads all players in head-to-head scoring with seven points. Left wing Mike Pandolfo leads the Crunch with four points (2g, 2a). Karl Goehring has appeared in three games against Rochester, posting a 1-2-0 record, a 2.29 gaa and a .929 save percentage. Ryan Miller has appeared in all six games for Rochester, posting a 4-1-1 record, a 1.46 gaa and a .956 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 44-60-14 against the Amerks.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Crunch Announce Details of Score with P&C Promotion: The Syracuse Crunch announced today the details of the Score with P&C Promotion.

Syracuse Crunch fans that purchase any of the designated Acosta brand products noted below from P&C will be eligible to purchase up to four Adult or Child tickets for only $10 a ticket (up to $8 savings on each ticket) until April 15, 2005.

Customers must purchase any of these Acosta Products at P&C to receive the Syracuse Crunch Ticket Discount:

Minute Maid

Hershey's

Campbell's

Ocean Spray

Duncan Hines

Once customers purchase these products with their P&C Wild Card they will receive a checkout coupon with their receipt. They simply need to bring the checkout coupon to the Crunch box office to receive their Syracuse Crunch ticket discount.

Just one more way P&C and the Syracuse Crunch have teamed up to save Crunch fans more!

Thursday, February 24:

Winnie the Pooh Visits the War Memorial at Oncenter February 24: The Syracuse Crunch, along with Time Warner announced that Winnie the Pooh will visit the War Memorial at Oncenter during their Thursday, February 24 game vs. Manitoba.

Winnie the Pooh will be available between the first and second intermissions to take pictures and sign autographs in Memorial Hall. During the Crunch's February 19 game, fans will be able to register at the Advance Auto Parts Guest Service Center to win four (4) tickets and a special family VIP Pass for a meet and greet with Winnie the Pooh on February 24.

Friday, February 25:

Crunch Players to Sign Autographs at Tully's, February 25: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that Crunch players Francois Beauchemin, Peter Ferraro and Matthias Trattnig will be at Tully's in Cicero on Friday, February 25 from 6-7 p.m. to sign autographs.

The Cicero Tully's is located at 7838 Brewerton Road. Call 452-5656 for directions.

Saturday, March 5:

Bob Evans Team Photo Night Saturday, March 5: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that their Saturday, March 5 game against Edmonton will be Bob Evans Team Photo Night.

All fans in attendance will receive a Crunch team photo, courtesy of Bob Evans, Eastwood Litho and WSEN.

INJURY UPDATE: Goaltender Pascal Leclaire is list as day-to-day with a groin injury. He has missed 33 games with the injury... Right wing Brandon Sugden is expected to miss three-to-four weeks with a thumb injury. He has missed 17 games with the injury... Center Chris Ferraro is expected to miss six weeks with a hand injury. He has missed four games with the injury... Through 54 games this season, Syracuse has lost 137 man-games due to injuries. Pascal Leclaire – 33, Brandon Sugden – 22, Zenith Komarniski – 11, Andre Lakos – 9, Jeff Panzer – 8, Francois Beauchemin – 7, Jamie Pushor – 7, Prestin Ryan – 7, Raffaele Sannitz – 7, Greg Mauldin - 6, Tim Jackman – 5, Chris Ferraro – 4, Mark Hartigan – 3, Peter Ferraro - 3, Aaron Johnson – 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, February 22 12:15 p.m. (E.S.T.) skate @ Bradley Center

8:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) game @ Milwaukee

Wednesday, February 23 12:15 p.m. (E.S.T.) skate @ Allstate Arena

8:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) @ Chicago

Thursday, February 24 7:00 p.m. game vs. Manitoba

Friday, February 25 Off Day

Saturday, February 26 TBD

Sunday, February 27 6:05 p.m. game @ Rochester

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Bears was only their second this season on a Sunday (6-2-1-0)... There are three players currently on the Crunch's roster that are still looking for their first goal of the season (Tyler Sloan, Brandon Sugden and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen).

2004-05 RECORD: 24-23-4-3, 55 points (12-11-2-1 home, 12-12-2-2 road), tied-fifth place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Tuesday, February 22 @ Milwaukee (35-16-2-4), 76 points, first place, West Division

Wednesday, February 23 @ Chicago (30-19-4-2), 66 points, second place, West Division

Thursday, February 24 vs. Manitoba (34-13-1-6), 75 points, second place, North Division

Sunday, February 27 @ Rochester (39-10-3-5), 86 points, first place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Friday, February 18 Binghamton 2 CRUNCH 1

Saturday, February 19 CRUNCH 4 OT Cleveland 3

Sunday, February 20 HERSHEY 3 Crunch 1

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2005


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