AHL Syracuse Crunch

Van Impe, Traynor Impress

Published on January 13, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Veteran defensemen Darren Van Impe and Paul Traynor both had impressive debuts for the Crunch this weekend, helping the club snap a franchise record 14-game winless streak (0-10-3-1) on Friday night in Grand Rapids. Van Impe needed just 1:17 to record his first Crunch point, assisting on a Kent McDonell goal. Both players appeared in all three Crunch games over the weekend.

Van Impe, 29, appeared in a combined 67 games with the NY Rangers, Florida and NY Islanders last season recording three goals, eight assists and 59 penalty minutes. He also played in seven playoff games as a member of the NY Islanders, recording four assists. A native of Saskatoon, SK, Van Impe has appeared in 397 career NHL games with Anaheim, Boston, NY Rangers, Florida and NY Islanders, tallying 24 goals, 89 assists and 387 penalty minutes. Originally drafted by the NY Islanders with their seventh choice, 170th overall, in the 1993 Entry Draft, Van Impe was traded to Anaheim for an eighth round draft choice on August 31, 1994. He made his NHL debut as a member of the Mighty Ducks on May 3 vs. Toronto, recording his first NHL point. In 1996-97, the 6'1", 205 pound Van Impe ranked fourth amongst NHL rookie defenseman in scoring with 23 points. Van Impe played the majority of the 1995-96 season with Baltimore (AHL), recording 11 goals, 47 assists and 79 penalty minutes.

Traynor, 25, has appeared in a combined 23 games with Trenton and Charlotte (ECHL) this season, recording four goals, six assists and 26 penalty minutes before joining the Crunch. In 161 career AHL games with Albany, Rochester and Syracuse, Traynor has tallied one goal, 18 assists and 82 penalty minutes. He signed his first P.T.O. with Syracuse on February 8, 2002, and appeared in 25 regular season games, recording five assists and 10 penalty minutes. Traynor appeared in 10 games with Syracuse during post-season play, recording one assist and six penalty minutes. A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Traynor was originally selected by the Winnipeg Jets with their seventh choice, 162nd overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

CRUNCH CONTINUE ON SEASON HIGH EIGHT-GAME TRIP: Syracuse travels to Norfolk for games on Wednesday and Friday night before traveling to Hershey on Saturday to wrap up the club's season-long eight-game road trip. The Crunch is 1-4-0-0 to date on the trip.

WALSER TOP OFFENSIVE ROOKIE DEFENSEMAN IN NHL: Derrick Walser enters this week leading all NHL rookie defensemen in scoring with 14 points (4g, 10a). A native of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Walser has appeared in 39 games with the Blue Jackets this season. Walser leads the Crunch in scoring during the 2001-02 season, recording 61 points (23g, 38a).

LABBE EARNS SECOND NHL VICTORY: Former Crunch goaltender J.F. Labbe stopped 28 of 30 Calgary shots on Saturday night, en route to his first victory of the season and second of his NHL career. Labbe has appeared in three games with the Blue Jackets this season, with a 1-1-0 record, a 3.95 goals against average and a .878 save percentage. A native of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Labbe has appeared in 420 career AHL games, with a 202-151-52 record. He tied the AHL mark for most shutouts in a season with nine in 2001-02.

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

NORFOLK ADMIRALS (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS): Syracuse's road trip continues onto Norfolk on Wednesday, January 15 and Friday, January 17 for the third and fourth of four regular season meetings this season. Norfolk leads the series 2-0, after defeating Syracuse at home 3-0 on January 3 in the clubs most recent meeting. Defenseman Burke Henry (1g, 2a) and right wing Garry Valk (1g, 2a) lead all players in head-to-head scoring with three points. Goaltender Craig Andersson and Steve Passmore have split time in the net, each recording a victory. Lifetime, the Crunch is 5-5-0 against the Admirals.

HERSHEY (COLORADO AVALANCHE): The Crunch conclude their eight-game road trip in Hershey on Saturday, January 18 for the fourth of six regular season meetings. Hershey leads the series 2-1, after defeating Syracuse 4-1 on January 8. Center Charlie Stephens (2g, 2a) leads all players with four points in head-to-head scoring. Defenseman Radim Bicanek (1g, 2a), right wings David Ling (3a) and Matt Davidson (2g, 1a) lead the Crunch with three points against the Bears. Crunch goaltender Pascal Leclaire has appeared in two games, with a 1-1-0 mark, a 3.53 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. Goaltender Philippe Sauve also appeared in two games for Hershey with a 1-1-0 mark, a 3.53 goals against average and a .870 save percentage. Lifetime, Syracuse is 19-28-10 against Hershey.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

Friday, January 24

POWERADE CAP NIGHT: On Friday, January 24 one of the Crunch's most popular give-aways returns. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a cap, courtesy of Powerade. The caps are red in color with the Crunch logo in the center and the Powerade logo on the side.

Saturday, January 25

SPONGEBOB NIGHT: On Saturday, January 25 SpongeBob will visit the War Memorial at Oncenter. SpongeBob will be available during the intermissions and post-game to take pictures with fans. (Due to the costume make, SpongeBob will be unable to sign autographs.) During the night one lucky fan will receive a SpongeBob doll, courtesy of Time Warner.

CNS NIGHT: On Saturday, January 25, the Syracuse Crunch will host the second annual North Syracuse School District Spirit Night, in conjunction with the Cicero-North Syracuse High School Collaborative School/Business Partnership program.

The event has become a class project for high school students in Mr. Mike Lucia's Sports & Entertainment Marketing Class, which have been placed in charge of becoming sporting event promoters. The students cover everything from press releases to assisting the Crunch with public appearances, all the way down to ensure ticket sales for an event.

Anyone residing in the North Syracuse School District can receive special rate tickets, by contacting any of the 13 district buildings.

INJURY UPDATE: Defenseman Darrel Scoville is expected to miss four-to-five weeks with a foot injury suffered on January 6 @ Philadelphia... Scoville has missed four games with the injury... Center Blake Bellefeuille is listed as day-to-day with a foot injury. He has missed one game with the injury... Defenseman Trent Cull is expected to miss two weeks with a groin injury that he re-injured on January 5 @ Philadelphia. Cull has missed the last four games and 11 total games with the injury... Center Brad Moran is listed as day-to-day with a abdominal injury that he re-injured on January 10 @ Grand Rapids. Moran has misses the last two games and a total of 22 games with the injury.

INJURIES BY THE NUMBERS: Through 41 games this season, Syracuse has lost 109 man-games due to injuries Darrel Scoville – 35, Brad Moran – 22, Trent Cull – 11, Paul Manning – 9, Pauli Levokari – 8, Ben Knopp – 5, Blake Bellefeuille & Andrej Nedorost – 4, Radim Bicanek & Kent McDonell – 3, Martin Paroulek & Dan Watson – 2, Adam Borzecki & Trevor Ettinger – 1, represent the Crunch's injury list this season.

CRUNCHABLES: The Crunch broke a franchise mark 14-game winless streak (0-10-3-1), after defeating the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-2 on Friday, January 11 at the Van Andel Arena... Matt Davidson's goal on Sunday, January 12 against Chicago broke a personal seven-game scoreless streak... With an assist on Davidson's goal, Mathieu Darche broke a personal four-game pointless streak. .. Dan Watson appeared in his 150th Crunch game Sunday, January 12... Jeremy Reich (384) is two minutes shy of tying Scott Walker for sixth on the Crunch's all-time penalty minute list. David Ling (363) is 15 minutes shy of tying Brian Loney (378) for eighth.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2003


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