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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Power Play Breaks Out

March 22, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse enters this week once again in first place on the power play (17.8%) after scoring four goals in their last eight opportunities on Saturday and Sunday. The Crunch broke an eight-game power play drought (0-for26) on Saturday night, scoring three times in seven opportunities before scoring once in two opportunities Sunday night in Toronto. Center Donald MacLean (9g, 13a) and defenseman Darrel Scoville (3g, 19a) lead the Crunch with 22 power play points this season.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Syracuse (68 games – 80 points) enters this week six points behind Hamilton (72 games – 86 points) for first place in the North Division. The Crunch are three points ahead of Rochester (71 games – 77 points), five points ahead of Toronto (70 games – 75 points) and Cleveland (69 games – 75 points), 12 points ahead of Manitoba (73 games – 68 points) and 16 points ahead of St. John's (69 games – 64 points). Ten of the Crunch's 12 remaining games will be against the North Division rivals.

GOERTZEN MAKES PRO DEBUT: Right wing Steven Goertzen, 19, made his professional debut Sunday night in Toronto after signing an A.T.O. with the Crunch on March 19. Goertzen appeared in 69 games with Seattle (WHL) prior to joing Syracuse this season, recording 15 goals, 18 assists and 115 penalty minutes. A native of Stony Plain, Alberta, Goertzen was selected by Columbus with their 11th pick, 225th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Friday, March 26:

Empire Vision Centers Poster Night II: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that Friday, March 26 will be Empire Vision Centers Poster Night II. All fans in attendance at the game against Binghamton will receive a Crunch team poster, courtesy of Empire Vision Centers. This years' poster depicts the team in tuxedos and Empire Vision Centers sunglasses at Clinton Square at night.

Saturday, March 27:

Bob Evans Team Photo Night: The Syracuse Crunch announced that their Saturday, March 27 game against St. John's will be Bob Evans Night at the Crunch. All fans in attendance will receive a Crunch team photo, courtesy of Bob Evans, Eastwood Litho and WSEN.

Reggie Savage Returns to Syracuse: The Syracuse Crunch announced that former Crunch player Reggie Savage will be at the Crunch's game on Saturday, March 27 against St. John's to participate in a special ceremony in honor of the Crunch's 10th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Savage is one of only two players (Zenith Komarniski) to have played for Syracuse as a member of the Vancouver (1995-96 and 1999-00) and Columbus (2000-01) organizations. In his 166 career games with Syracuse, Savage tallied 82 goals (second all-time), 63 assists and 253 penalty minutes. On April 12, 1996, Savage scored the game-winning goal against Rochester to put the Crunch in their first-ever Calder Cup playoff series. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Savage was originally selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round, 15th overall, in the 1988 Entry Draft.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

ST. JOHN'S (TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS): Syracuse hosts St. John's on Wednesdsay, March 24 and Saturday, March 27 for the fifth and sixth of eight regular season meetings between the clubs. Syracuse leads the series 3-1, after defeating St. John's 5-3 in their last meeting on March 13 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Center Brad Moran (1g, 4a) and defenseman Darrel Scoville (1g, 4a) pace all players in head-to-head scoring with five points. Several Maple Leaf players lead St. John's in head-to-head scoring with two points. Karl Goehring has appeared in three games, posting a 3-0-0 record, with a 2.00 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. Sebastien Centomo has appeared in three games, posting a 1-2-0 record, a 3.69 goals against average and a .884 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 16-8-0 against the Maple Leafs.

BINGHAMTON (OTTAWA SENATORS): Binghamton visits Syracuse on Friday, March 26 for the eighth and final regular season meetings between the clubs. Syracuse leads the series 4-2-1, after the teams' tied 0-0 at the War Memorial at Oncenter in their last meeting on February 18. In head-to-head scoring, right wing Tim Jackman paces both teams with six points each (2g, 4a). Left wing Denis Hamel leads the Senators with five points (2g, 3a). Karl Goehring appeared in four games for the Crunch, posting a 2-2-0 record, a 2.00 goals against average and a .940 save percentage. Ray Emery has appeared in six games for Binghamton, posting a 2-3-1 record, a 2.63 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 6-7-2 against the Senators.

CLEVELAND (SAN JOSE SHARKS): Syracuse travels to Cleveland on Sunday, March 28 for the sixth of eight regular season meetings between the clubs. Syracuse leads the series 3-2, after Cleveland defeated Syracuse 3-2 in their last meeting on January 17 at the War Memorial at Oncenter. Defenseman Garrett Stafford paces all players in head-to-head scoring with nine points (4g, 5a). Center Donald MacLean leads Syracuse in head-to-head scoring with seven points (4g, 3a). Karl Goehring has appeared in three games, posting a 1-2-0 record, with a 2.69 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. Dimitri Patzold has appeared in four games, posting a 1-2-0 record, a 2.22 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. Lifetime, the Crunch are 12-8-1 against the Barons.

NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COLUMBUS UPDATE: The Blue Jackets (21-42-8-4, 54 points) enter this week in fifth place in the Central Division, two points behind Chicago (56 points) for fourth place. Left wing Rick Nash is tied for second (Jarome Iginla) in the NHL with 38 goals and paces Columbus with 52 points (38g, 14a). There are currently six players on the Columbus roster that have appeared in a Crunch jersey (Fred Brathwaite, Aaron Johnson, David Ling, Jody Shelley, Duvie Westcott and Anders Eriksson).

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

Tuesday, March 23 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Wednesday, March 24 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:00 p.m. game vs. St. John's

Thursday, March 25 10:30 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

Friday, March 26 10:00 a.m. skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. Binghamton

Saturday, March 27 10:00 a.m. practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter

7:30 p.m. game vs. St. John's

Sunday, March 28 5:00 p.m. game @ Cleveland

*All practice times and locations subject to change

CRUNCHABLES: Syracuse was whistled for only one penalty Sunday night (Derrick Walser), for a season low two penalty minutes. The six combined penalty minutes for the two teams is also a season low for the Crunch.

2003-04 RECORD: 32-20-10-6, 80 points (18-7-6-4 home, 14-13-4-2 road), second place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Wednesday, March 24 vs. St. John's (27-32-7-3), 64 points, seventh place, North Division

Friday, March 26 vs. Binghamton (32-30-7-2), 73 points, tied-fourth place, East Division

Saturday, March 27 vs. St. John's (27-32-7-3), 64 points, seventh place, North Division

Sunday, March 28 @ Cleveland (31-25-6-7), 75 points, tied-fourth place, North Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Friday, March 19 Manitoba 5 OT CRUNCH 4

Saturday, March 20 CRUNCH 3 Rochester 1

Sunday, March 21 TORONTO 4 Crunch 1

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

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