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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Forward Tyler Johnson Named American Hockey League MVP

April 19, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY -- The American Hockey League announced today that the Syracuse Crunch's Tyler Johnson has been named the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL's most valuable player for the 2012-13 season, as voted by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league's 30 member cities.

Johnson, 22, is tied for the league lead with 33 goals and has totaled 60 points in 60 games for the Crunch heading into the final weekend of the regular season, one of two skaters among the league's top 10 scorers averaging a point per game. Johnson is tied for the league lead among forwards with a plus-24 rating and is also tied for fifth in power-play goals, scoring 12 times with the man advantage. He took part in the 2013 Dunkin' Donuts AHL All-Star Classic, and was named a 2012-13 First Team AHL All-Star last week. Syracuse, which has clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs and is bidding for the East Division title, is 37-17-2-4 with Johnson in the lineup this season, but has won just four of 13 games (4-4-4-1) without him.

A Calder Cup champion with Norfolk last year, Johnson has put up 64 goals and 64 assists for 128 points in 135 AHL games over his two professional seasons, including 100 points (49-51) and a plus-50 rating in his last 87 regular-season games. Johnson signed with Tampa Bay on Mar. 7, 2011, and made his NHL debut this season, notching three goals and three assists in 14 games with the Lightning.

A native of Spokane, Wash., Johnson is the first Crunch player and the fourth American-born player ever to be named AHL MVP, following Eddie Olson (1953), Eric Boguniecki (2002) and Keith Aucoin (2010). Other previous winners include Carl Liscombe (1948, '49), Johnny Bower (1956, '57, '58), Fred Glover (1960, '62, '64), Mike Nykoluk (1967), Gilles Villemure (1969, '70), Doug Gibson (1975, '77), Pelle Lindbergh (1981), Ross Yates (1983), Paul Gardner (1985, '86), Tim Tookey (1987), Jody Gage (1988), John Anderson (1992), Don Biggs (1993), Derek Armstrong (2001), Jason LaBarbera (2004), Jason Spezza (2005), Darren Haydar (2007), Corey Locke (2011) and Cory Conacher (2012). The AHL's most valuable player award honors the late Les Cunningham, a member of the AHL Hall of Fame who was a five-time league All-Star and three-time Calder Cup champion with the Cleveland Barons.

The Crunch conclude their regular season with a three-in-three at the War Memorial this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Single game tickets for the regular season as well as Game 1 and Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals can be purchased either in person at the Crunch Box Office located at the War Memorial on 800 South State Street in Syracuse, or by calling the office at (315) 473- 4444. For all the latest Crunch information and updates, fans can visit the team's official website at (www.syracusecrunch.com) or follow the club on Facebook at (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch) and on Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch).

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