AHL Syracuse Crunch

Leclaire Records First Professional Shutout

Published on October 20, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


LECLAIRE OFF TO GOOD START: Goaltender Pascal Leclaire's sophomore season got off to a good start this past weekend with the 20-year net-minder winning both of his starts. Friday night, Leclaire stopped 27 of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 29 shots en route to a 3-2 victory. Leclaire followed up his first victory of the season with his first professional shutout the following night against the Rochester Americans, recording 39 saves to improve to 2-0-0 on the young season. After a rookie season in which he posted a 8-21-3 record, Leclaire has a 2-0-0 mark with a 1.00 goals against average and a .971 save percentage in two games to start the season. A native of Repentigny, Quebec, Leclaire was selected by Columbus with their first pick, 8th overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft.

WHAT A WEEKEND FOR McDONELL: Right wing Kent McDonell had a weekend to remember, scoring his first National Hockey League goal on Saturday against the Nashville Predators (Vokoun) and netting both Crunch goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the Crunch to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phantoms on Sunday. In two games with the Crunch this season, McDonell has two goals, two assists and two penalty minutes. A native of Williamstown, Ontario, McDonell was acquired by Columbus in an August 16, 2000 trade with Detroit for a sixth round draft choice in the 2003. In 178 career AHL games, all with Syracuse, McDonell has 37 goals, 42 assists and 253

penalty minutes.

JACKMAN'S FOUR-FOR-FOUR: Right wing Tim Jackman is the only player to record a point in each of Syracuse's first four games (2g, 2a). A native of Minot, North Dakota, Jackman was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with their second choice, 38th overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft. He appeared in 77 games with the Crunch as a rookie last season netting nine goals, seven assists and 48 penalty minutes.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Friday, October 24

Liverpool Merchants ‘Village Historical Halloween Festival': On Friday, October 24 Crunch defensemen Darrel Scoville and Trent Cull will be on hand at the Liverpool Merchants Village Historical Halloween Festival (at Washington Park across from Chris' Flowers Etc...) in Liverpool to sign autographs and participate in the Bale 'N' Jail and Pumkin' Chunkin' from 5-6 p.m.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

CLEVELAND (SAN JOSE SHARKS): Syracuse travels to the Gund Arena in Cleveland on Tuesday, October 21 for the first of eight regular season meetings. The remaining games include: 11/22, 1/4, 1/17 and 3/31 at Syracuse and 11/26, 3/28 and 4/4 in Cleveland. Lifetime, the Crunch are 9-6-1 against the Barons.

BINGHAMTON (OTTAWA SENATORS): Binghamton travels to the War Memorial at Oncenter on Saturday, October 25 for the first of eight regular season meetings. The remaining game schedule includes: 2/13, 2/18 and 2/26 at Syracuse and 11/10, 11/29, 1/14 and 2/11 in Binghamton. Lifetime, the Crunch are 2-5-1 against Binghamton.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): The Crunch visit the Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial on Sunday, October 26 for the second of 12 regular season meetings. Syracuse leads the series 1-0-0, after shutting out the Amerks 2-0 at home on Saturday, October 18. Defenseman Darrel Scoville (2a) and left wing Jeremy Reich (2a) lead all players with two points. Pascal Leclaire appeared in net for Syracuse, recording his first professional shutout, stopping all 39 Rochester shots. Rochester goaltender Ryan Miller (1-1-0) recorded his first loss of the season, posting a 2.00 goals against average and .882 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 38-50-13 against Rochester.

INJURY UPDATE: There are no injuries to report.

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

Tuesday, October 21 10:30 a.m. game @ Cleveland

Wednesday, October 22 Travel Day

Thursday, October 23 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Friday, October 24 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Saturday, October 25 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Binghamton

Sunday, October 26 10:00 a.m. skate @ TBD

6:05 p.m. game @ Rochester

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Center Brad Moran has tallied points in three of Syracuse's four games (3g, 3a)... Syracuse had six players record a multiple point game this weekend - Aaron Johnson (1g, 1a), Kent McDonell (2g), Brad Moran (1g, 1a), Jeremy Reich (2a), Todd Rohloff (2a) and Darrel Scoville (2a)... The Crunch's 3-0-1 start is their best since the club began the 2001-02 season with a 4-0-3 mark.

2003-04 RECORD: 3-0-1-0, 7 points (2-0-1-0 home, 1-0-0-0 road), first place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Tuesday, October 21 @ Cleveland (1-1-0-0), 2 points, seventh place, North Division

Saturday, October 25 vs. Binghamton (5-1-0-0), 10 points, first place, East Division

Sunday, October 26 @ Rochester (2-1-0-1), five points, third place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Friday, October 17 CRUNCH 3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3

Saturday, October 18 CRUNCH 2 Rochester 0

Sunday, October 19 Crunch 2 OT PHILADELPHIA 1

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2003


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