AHL Syracuse Crunch

Crunch Weekly: Goehring Blanks Pens

Published on February 25, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Wednesday, February 27 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (31-22-0-3, 65 points), fourth place, East Division

Friday, February 29 vs. Toronto (37-14-1-4, 79 points), first place, North Division

Saturday, March 1 vs. Rochester (17-35-4-4, 42 points), seventh place, North Division

Sunday, March 2 @ Hamilton (29-21-2-5, 65 points) third place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULT

Friday, February 22 Houston 5 CRUNCH 4 SO

Saturday, February 23 CRUNCH 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 0

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

NO ‘SHORT' SUPPLY HERE: The Syracuse Crunch have not had a short supply of shorthanded goals this season. As a matter of fact, the Crunch currently lead the American Hockey League in that category with 17.

The all-time team record for shorthanded goals in a year is 19, which was set in the 2002-03 season. Syracuse has had two players that have already broken the Crunch all-time individual record for shorthanded goals in a season this year. Syracuse has scored two shorthanded goals in a game three times this season.

Derek MacKenzie and Adam Pineault both have five shorthanded goals on the 2007-08 campaign, eclipsing the old mark of four shared by Jarkko Ruutu (1999-00), Matt Davidson (2002-03) and Ben Simon (2005-06). MacKenzie is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded points (8) and Pineault is tied for fifth in the league (6).

GOEHRING BLANKS PENS: Crunch goaltender Karl Goehring made his first start since February 1 on Saturday vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Dan LaCosta had started a season-high eight games in a row before that.

Goehring made 21 saves in route to his first shutout of the season and first shutout in a Crunch uniform since blanking Cleveland back on February 3, 2005. That goose egg put Goehring one step closer to becoming the Crunch's all-time career leader in shutouts. He currently has 10 and trails only J.F. Labbe (11) for first all-time in Crunch history.

Goehring, 29, has appeared in 13 games for the Crunch this season, going 5-8-0-0 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. A native of Apple Valley, Minnesota, Goehring was signed by the Crunch to a second professional try-out contract on February 10, 2008. He originally signed a P.T.O. on December 14, 2007.

Goehring is in the top five all-time in Crunch history in every major goaltending category, including games played (165, first all-time), wins (68, first all-time), goals-against average (2.68, fifth all-time) and shutouts (10, second all-time).

A RESILIENT CRUNCH: The Syracuse Crunch have proven to be a resilient bunch this season. When coming off of a loss, the team has posted an 18-11-1-2 record.

The team's longest losing streak of the season is only three games and spanned from October 20-26. The Crunch have also not lost more than two games in a row at home this year.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): The Crunch travel to Wilkes-Barre to take on the Penguins on Wednesday night for the seventh of eight meetings and final match-up at Wachovia Arena this season. The Crunch are 1-5-0-0 against the Penguins this season, winning the last meeting on February 23 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Nathan Smith (on recall to Pittsburgh) leads all players in the season series in scoring with 9 points (3g, 6a).

TORONTO MARLIES (TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS): The North Division-leading Toronto Marlies make their second visit to the War Memorial at Oncenter for the fifth of eight regular season meetings between these two clubs on Friday night. The Crunch are 0-3-1 against Toronto this season. These two teams have not played each other since December 19. Joakim Lindstrom (1g, 7a) and David Ling (5g, 3a) lead their respective clubs in the season series in scoring with eight points each.

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (BUFFALO SABRES/FLORIDA PANTHERS): Syracuse welcomes in the Rochester Americans on Saturday night for the eighth of twelve meetings between these two teams this year. The Crunch are 5-2-0-0 against the Amerks this season and won the last meeting in overtime on February 16, 3-2. Right wing Adam Pineault leads all players in the season series in scoring with 9 points (2g, 7a). Crunch goaltender Dan LaCosta is 2-1-0-0 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .931 save percentage vs. Rochester this season.

HAMILTON BULLDOGS (MONTREAL CANADIENS): The Crunch finish up a three games in three nights stretch on Sunday, as they travel to Hamilton to take on the Bulldogs in a crucial North Division matinee match-up. The Crunch are 4-1-0-0 against Hamilton this season and have won two of three games at Copps Coliseum, including the last game on January 26, a 2-0 shutout. Joakim Lindstrom (2g, 6a) leads all players in the season series in scoring. Syracuse goaltender Adam Munro is 2-0-0-0 with a 0.83 goals-against average and .964 save percentage against the Bulldogs this year.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

CRUNCH PLAYERS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AT AMERICU CREDIT UNION - FEBRUARY 28: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that Crunch players Marc Methot and Brett Motherwell will be at AmeriCU Credit Union on Thursday, February 28.

Methot and Motherwell will be signing autographs from 3 - 4 p.m. at AmeriCU Credit Union, located at 6414 State Route 31 in Cicero. Please call (315) 356-3000 for directions.

CRUNCHABLES: Karl Goehring became the fourth Crunch goaltender to record a shutout this season, recording 21 saves in the Crunch's 1-0 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday...Syracuse's win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Saturday was the first victory in six tries against them this season...Derek MacKenzie has 11 points (7g, 4a) in his last 9 games...MacKenzie has had 10 multiple point games this season...The Crunch are 5-2-0-3 in the month of February...Adam Pineault has 8 points (4g, 4a) over his last 8 games.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2008


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