AHL Syracuse Crunch

Johnson's All-Star Debut

Published on February 9, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


JOHNSON'S ALL-STAR APPEARANCE: Defenseman Aaron Johnson, who will appear in the AHL All-Star Game as a member of the Canadian team tonight at 7 p.m. at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, competed in three events during the 2004 AHL Skills Competition, held Sunday night. Johnson and his team of Kyle Wellwood (St. John's) and Brandon Reid (Manitoba) fell to a team of Noah Clarke (Manchester), Garrett Stafford (Cleveland) and Timofei Shishkanov (Milwaukee) in the InGlasCo Puck Control Relay. Johnson took part in the third round of the Kodak Breakaway relay, failing to score on Rochester's Ryan Miller. Johnson also competed in the third round of The Hockey News Rapid Fire, failing to score on goaltender Rastislav Stana (Portland). The PlanetUSA All-Stars defeated the Canadian All-Stars 18 - 9 in the competition.

LEAGUE LEADERS: Entering the All-Star break the Crunch have a number of players among the AHL leaders. Donald MacLean is eighth in scoring with 47 points and Brad Moran is tied for 14th with 41 points. Darrel Scoville enters the break fourth among AHL defensemen with 28 points, three points behind Cleveland's Garrett Stafford for the lead. Joe Motzko checks in 12th among AHL rookies with 26 points and Brandon Sugden is tied for second in the AHL with 21 majors, three behind Springfield's Trevor Gillies for first.

COLUMBUS/SYRACUSE SHUTTLE: At the All-Star break 17 different players (Anders Eriksson, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Mark Hartigan, Tim Jackman, Aaron Johnson, Espen Knutsen, Pascal Leclaire, David Ling, Kent McDonell, Brad Moran, Joe Motzko, Andrej Nedorost, Sean Pronger, Jamie Pushor, Jeremy Reich, Todd Rohloff and Derrick Walser) have appeared in a Columbus and Syracuse uniform this season and 18 players (Zenith Komarniski - recalled but did not dress) have spent time on both rosters.

MORAN MOVES INTO FOURTH - EYES THIRD: With a goal and an assist on Saturday night, center Brad Moran moved into sole possession of fourth place on the Crunch's all-time scoring list with 151 points. He trails Larry Courville (152 points) by one point for third place. Moran's power play, game-winning goal on Saturday moved him into a third place tie with Mathieu Darche (10) on the club's all-time game-winning goals list and into a fourth place tie with Courville (24) on the all-time power play goal list.

UPCOMING APPEARANCES:

Sunday, February 12:

Hartigan and Motzko To Sign Autographs at Saturn of Route 31: On February 12, Crunch players Mark Hartigan and Joe Motzko will be on hand at Saturn of Route 31, from 5-6 p.m. to sign autographs.

Saturn of Route 31 is located at 3885 Route 31, in Liverpool. For directions call 622-0054.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

February

Anheuser-Busch Bring Your 'Bud'dy to the Game Program: The Syracuse Crunch, along with Anheuser-Busch, announced the details of the Bring Your 'Bud'dy to the Game Program.

During the month of February any person that brings a proof of purchase from an Anheuser-Busch product to the Crunch's box office will receive a buy one, get one free ticket.

Friday, February 13:

New York State Lottery Night Set For February 13: The Syracuse Crunch announced that the New York State Lottery will be on hand February 13, when the Crunch host the Binghamton Senators, to distribute lotto coupons, to the first 500 people in attendance, redeemable for $1 off a New York Lottery's Free Play game.

During the game, fans will be selected at random to participate in the New York State Lottery intermission puck shoot-out. The two shoot-out winners will receive 25 "Money Tree" Instant Game Tickets. "Money Tree" offers players a chance to win a top prize of $25,000 on each ticket.

Taco Bell Night Set For February 13: The Syracuse Crunch announced that the Friday, February 13 game against the Binghamton Senators is Taco Bell Night at the Crunch. Local Taco Bell stores will serve as outlets for vouchers good for discounted tickets to Taco Bell Night at the Crunch, courtesy of Taco Bell.

The Taco Bell discounted vouchers are available at the following locations:

ShoppingTown Mall Dewitt

4081 Route 31 Clay

168 Grant Ave. Auburn

3179 Erie Blvd. E. Syracuse

3500 W. Genesee St. Syracuse

8095 Oswego Rd. Liverpool

3716 Brewerton Rd. Syracuse

7881 Route 11 Cicero

222 Elmira Rd. Ithaca

1164 Erie Blvd. West Rome

#9 River St. Cortland

Carousel Mall Syracuse

Saturday, February 14

Quickway Trading Card Night: The Crunch's Saturday, February 14 game against Rochester will be Quickway Trading Card Night.

The first 1,000 fans in attendance at the Saturday, February 14 game, will receive the first 13 of the 25 2003- 04 trading card set. The remaining 12-card set will be available, beginning that night, at area Quickway locations. The following are participating Quickway locations:

2501 Erie Blvd. East

915 State Fair Blvd.

701 Crouse Ave.

2052 Route 5 (Camillus)

510 State Fair Blvd.

106 E. Molloy Rd.

4464 West Seneca Turnpike (Syracuse)

356 N. Midler Ave.

2640 State Route 3 (Fulton)

Second Annual Bradley's Jewelers Valentine's Day Giveaway Set For February 14: The Syracuse Crunch announced that Bradley's Jewelers will be giving away a 14K yellow gold ruby/diamond ring as part of the Second Annual Valentine's Day Giveaway at the Saturday, February 14 game against Rochester.

The first 1,000 women (18 and over) in attendance will be entered into a drawing that will be held that night, to win one of seven prizes. In addition, all women in attendance that night that bring their ticket stub from the February 14 game to Bradley's Jewelers, will receive a free charm and a free bracelet with the purchase of three charms.

The prizes, which will be given out during the second intermission, include:

First Prize: 14K yellow gold ruby/diamond ring...$1,200 value

Second Prize: Ladies' Citizen wristwatch... $150 value

Third Prize: One pair of 14K gold heart earrings... $100 value

Fourth through Seventh Prize: Italian charm bracelet with hockey charm

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

BINGHAMTON (OTTAWA SENATORS): Syracuse plays a home-and-home series with Binghamton on Wednesday, February 11 and Friday, February 13 for the fifth and sixth of eight regular season meetings between the clubs. The series is tied at two, after Syracuse defeated Binghatmon 5-3 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in their last meeting on January 14. In head-to-head scoring, right wing Chris Kelly (2g, 2a) and left wing Denis Hamel (2g, 2a) pace both teams with four points each. Several Crunch players have three points. Karl Goehring appeared in three games for the Crunch, posting a 1-2-0 record, a 2.67 goals against average and a .928 save percentage. Ray Emery has appeared in three games for Binghamton, posting a 2-1-0 record, a 2.34 goals against average an d .928 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 4-7-1 against the Senators.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): Syracuse then hosts Rochester on Saturday, February 14 for the sixth of 12 regular season meetings between the clubs. Syracuse leads the series 3-2, after defeating Rochester 3-2 in their last meeting on January 10 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Brad Moran paces all players in head-to-head scoring with six points (2g, 4a). Right wing Jason Pominville leads Rochester in head-to-head scoring with five points (2g, 3a). Pascal Leclaire has appeared in five games, posting a 3-1-0 record, with a 2.09 goals against average and a .948 save percentage. Ryan Miller has appeared in four games, posting 1-3-0 record, a 2.77 goals against average and .882. Lifetime, the Crunch are 40-52-13 against the Amerks.

NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COLUMBUS UPDATE: The Blue Jackets (15-28-8-3, 41 points) enter this week in fourth place in the Central Division, 19 points behind Nashville (60 points) for third place. Left wing Rick Nash leads the NHL with 31 goals and paces Columbus with 40 points (31g, 9a). There are currently three players on the Columbus roster that have appeared in a Crunch jersey (Jody Shelley, Duvie Westcott and Anders Eriksson).

INJURY UPDATE: Left wing Brandon Sugden is listed as day-to-day with a hand injury he suffered on Wednesday, February 4 against St. John's. He has missed two games with the injury. Through 48 games this season the Crunch have lost 56 man-games due to injury (Trent Cull - 16, Brandon Sugden - 9, Zenith Komarniski - 8, Paul Traynor - 7, Sean Connolly - 5, Andrej Nedorost -5, Pauli Levokari - 4, Shawn Limpright - 4, David Ling - 2).

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

Tuesday, February 10 All-Star Break

Wednesday, February 11 10:00 a.m. skate @ Tsha'Hon'nonyen'dakhwa

7:05 p.m. game @ Binghamton

Thursday, February 12 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Friday, February 13 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Binghamton

Saturday, February 14 10:00 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Rochester

Sunday, February 15 Off

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: The Crunch's current three-game road winning streak matches their season high (January 2 - 18)... With the victory on Friday night @ Wilkes-Barre, goaltender Karl Goehring moved into sole possession of third place on the club's all-time wins list with 86. Goehring trails J.F. Labbe (92) by six for second place... Center Donald MacLean is one point shy of 300 in his AHL career... Hershey' Evgeni Artukhin's power play goal during Aaron Johnson's five-minute boarding major on Saturday night was the first power play goal the Crunch has allowed in five games (18-for-19)... Right wing Kent McDonell appeared in his 200th Crunch game Friday night @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton... The Crunch's 6-1 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday night represents their largest margin of victory this season. The 22 shots against in that game is the lowest total allowed by the Crunch.

2003-04 RECORD: 23-15-7-3, 56 points (12-5-5-2 home, 11-10-2-1 road), third place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Wednesday, February 11 @ Binghamton (24-20-4-2), 54 points, fourth place, East Division

Friday, February 13 vs. Binghamton (24-20-4-2), 54 points, fourth place, East Division

Saturday, February 14 vs. Rochester (21-20-7-3), 52 points, fourth place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Tuesday, February 3 ST. JOHN'S 4 Crunch 3

Wednesday, February 4 Crunch 4 ST. JOHN'S 2

Friday, February 6 Crunch 6 WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 1

Saturday, February 7 Crunch 4 HERSHEY 2

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2004


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