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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Rome Conquering; Rookie Defensemen Improving; Details of Tully's Good Times Air Hockey Tournament

January 5, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


2008-09 RECORD: 15-16-2-2, 34 points, (9-5-0-0 home, 6-11-2-2 road), fifth place, North Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Tuesday, January 6 @ Lake Erie (13-15-1-5, 32 points), sixth place, North Division

Wednesday, January 7 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (22-12-1-1, 46 points), third place, East Division

Friday, January 9 @ Rochester (11-22-0-3, 25 points), seventh place, North Division

Saturday, January 10 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (22-12-1-1, 46 points), third place, East Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULT

Tuesday, December 30 Binghamton 5 CRUNCH 2

Friday, January 2 HAMILTON 4 Crunch 3

Saturday, January 3 LAKE ERIE 3 Crunch 2 (OT)

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

ROME CONQUERING: Crunch defenseman Aaron Rome is probably more known for being a physical stay at home defenseman with a mean streak, but over the past month, because of injuries and call-ups, he has tweaked his game to become a more serious offensive threat from the blueline for the Crunch.

Over the last five games, Rome has posted six points (1g, 5a) with a +1 plus-minus rating and 14 shots on goal. Over the last 15 games, he has tallied 11 points (1g, 10a).

In 29 overall games with the Crunch this season, Rome has notched 16 points (3g, 13a), ranking behind only Clay Wilson on the team in scoring among defensemen. He has registered seven assists on the power play and is tied for third on the club with 68 penalty minutes.

A native of Nesbitt, Manitoba, the 6'1, 223 lb. Rome was acquired by Columbus along with Clay Wilson from Anaheim in exchange for Geoff Platt on November 14, 2007.

ROOKIE DEFENSEMEN IMPROVING: When Grant Clitsome and Nick Holden arrived in Syracuse at the end of last season, the wide-eyed rookie defensemen got a brief glimpse of what it was like to play in the professional ranks and see a long playoff run by the Crunch. Each made their AHL debuts, Holden on April 6 at Rochester and Clitsome in the Game Three of the North Division Semifinals at Manitoba on April 22.

After slow starts to the season, both blueliners seem to be adjusting nicely to the American Hockey League game. Clitsome notched his first AHL point, an assist, October 25 vs. Rochester. He has shown real improvement lately, tallying two points (1g, 1a), over the last five games and registering a +3 plus-minus rating. For the season, Clitsome has recorded five points (1g, 4a) in 31 games.

A native of Gloucester, Ontario, Clitsome was drafted by Columbus in the ninth round, 271st overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Holden, on the other hand waited 18 games to register his first professional point, an assist, on December 19 at Binghamton. Over his last seven games, Holden has also come on and registered three assists. Holden has appeared in 24 games for the Crunch this season.

A native of St. Albert, Alberta, Holden was signed by Columbus as a free agent on March 28, 2008.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

LAKE ERIE MONSTERS (COLORADO AVALANCHE): The Crunch make the trek to Cleveland to battle the Lake Erie Monsters for the second of back-to-back games at Quicken Loans Arena and third of eight overall contests between these two clubs this year on Tuesday night. Lake Erie has taken both meetings against the Crunch this season and six Monsters have registered two points against the Crunch this season. Petr Pohl has registered his only two points (1g, 1a) of the season against Lake Erie and leads all Crunch players in scoring against the Monsters this year. Lake Erie goaltenders Tyler Weiman and Jason Bacashihua are a combined 2-0-0 with a 1.04 goals against average and a .965 save percentage.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): The Crunch continue on with their season-high six game road trip and travel to Wilkes-Barre to take on the Penguins Wednesday night and travel back to the Keystone State for a return affair Saturday at Wachovia Arena. The Crunch are 1-2-0-0 against the Penguins this year and Mike York leads all players in the series with five points (1g, 4a). Janne Pesonen (2g, 1a), Jon D'Aversa (1g, 2a) and Ryan Stone (1g, 2a) lead the way for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with three points each. Penguins goaltender Adam Berkhoel is 2-0-0 with a 1.51 goals against average and .947 save percentage against the Crunch this season.

ROCHESTER AMERCIANS (FLORIDA PANTHERS): The Crunch travel to Rochester to battle the Americans on Friday night for the fifth of 12 meetings between these two clubs this year. The Crunch had won the previous 13 regular season games dating back to last season against Rochester until a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Amerks back on December 14. Six different players have notched four points in the series for the Crunch this year while Dan LaCosta has gone 3-0-0 with a 1.88 goals against average and .928 save percentage. Five Rochester players have tallied two points while goaltender Mike Brodeur posted a shutout in his only game against the Crunch this year.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Crunch Announce Details of Tully's Good Times Air Hockey Tournament - January 13: The Syracuse Crunch announced today the details of the Tully's Good Times Air Hockey Tournament to be held on Tuesday, January 13 at the Tully's located on 7th North Street in Liverpool from 6 - 8 p.m.

Fans will have the opportunity to compete against Crunch players Sebastian Dahm, Steve Kelly, Dan LaCosta and Maksim Mayorov, as well as other fans in an elimination air hockey tournament. Anyone interested in competing can email the Crunch at ksimbari@syracusecrunch.com (please include your name, address and phone number).

The randomly selected fans will be notified by phone or email. The winning fan will receive a prize pack, courtesy of Tully's Good Times.

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

Tuesday, January 6 Morning Skate @ Lake Erie

Game @ Lake Erie 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 7 Game @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:05 p.m.

Thursday, January 8 10:30 a.m. Practice @ Tsha'Hon'nonyen'dakhwa

Friday, January 9 10:00 a.m. Skate @ Tsha'Hon'nonyen'dakhwa

Game @ Rochester 7:35 p.m.

Saturday, January 10 Game @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:05 p.m.

Sunday, January 4 TBD

CRUNCHABLES: The Crunch set a season-high by giving up four goals in the second period Friday night...The Crunch has given up at least three goals in a single period eight times this year and did so in three consecutive games from December 27 - January 2...Dan LaCosta has not picked up a win since a 5-1 victory over Toronto on November 28...John Vigilante has three goals in his last four games...Steve Kelly returned to the lineup Friday @ Hamilton after missing the last four games with an injury...Kelly's goal Friday was his second of the year and first in 15 games...Petr Pohl's first period goal Saturday was his first AHL goal and first as a member of the Crunch...The Crunch's last road win came on November 16 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...Lake Erie took just two minutes in penalties Saturday, a season-low against the Crunch...A total of 10 players in Friday night's game have played for the Johnstown Chiefs this season, the ECHL affiliate for both the Crunch and Lake Erie...Craig Valette appeared in his first game as a member of the Crunch Tuesday vs. Binghamton...The Crunch are currently riding a franchise-record 11-game road winless streak.

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