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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Week 24 - Holland Heating Up

March 12, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Peter Holland had a career weekend between March 9 and 11. In the three games, Holland produced eight points (3g, 5a) to help lead the Crunch to back-to-back, two-win weekends. The Toronto native began the weekend with the lone regulation goal in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Albany Devils at the War Memorial. He followed that up with his second four-point (2g, 2a) game of his career with two goals and two assists in the 6-5 losing effort against the Falcons in Springfield. Holland concluded the weekend with three assists in the Crunch's 5-1 win over the Devils back in Syracuse. The former Anaheim first-round draft pick ranks fifth in the AHL among rookies with 50 points (21g, 29a). He is one point back of Kyle Palmieri's rookie point total from a season ago. Holland ranks fifth among rookies in goals and fourth in power-play points with 21. He has registered points in six out of his last seven games.

CRUNCH CLIMB CLOSER TO TOP EIGHT: While Syracuse may still rank 14th in the Eastern Conference they are just five points back of seventh-place Manchester and four points back of eighth-place Albany, whom the Crunch defeated three times in less than a week. The Crunch helped out their cause this weekend with two wins in three games, and four wins out of their last five contests. None of the teams between the Crunch and the final playoff spot did better than win two games this weekend. If the Crunch can win on Wednesday against Adirondack, they will jump ahead of Providence, and be in a three-way tie for 11th place with Portland and Springfield. The Crunch would then be just two points back of eighth place. The Crunch are searching for their first appearance in the Calder Cup Playoffs since the 2007-08 season.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS:

ADIRONDACK (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): The Adirondack Phantoms are tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference with the Worcester Sharks with 63 points. Like the Crunch, Adirondack went 2-1 over the weekend, including back-to-back wins on Saturday and Sunday against Albany and Worcester. The Phantoms have won four out of the first six meetings against the Crunch this season. The Crunch won the first two contests, before Adirondack won the next four. The teams will play a total of 10 games, including four times in the final two and half weeks of March. Goaltender Michael Leighton has been solid of late, winning five out of his last six starts. Rookie Jason Akeson leads the Phantoms with 44 points.

ROCHESTER (BUFFALO SABRES): The Crunch and Americans have already played six times this season, but the last meeting was over a month ago when Rochester won 5-4 in overtime at the War Memorial. Rochester has won four of the six meetings, including two in overtime and one in a shootout. The Americans are currently one point out of the playoffs in ninth place in the Western Conference. They've won four straight games, including two games this past weekend against the Binghamton Senators. Rookie Phil Varone leads the Americans with 33 points, while Derek Whitmore paces the team with 25 goals. David Leggio leads the team with 22 wins.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

NEW ERA CAP CRUNCH VS. CANCER NIGHT TO BENEFIT UPSTATE CANCER CENTER: The Syracuse Crunch announced today that New York Giants Super Bowl XLVI Champion, and cancer survivor, Mark Herzlich will be a special guest at the New Era Cap, Crunch vs. Cancer Game on March 17 vs. Adirondack.

During the summer before his senior year at Boston College, Herzlich was selected as a first-team All-American and named ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Herzlich sat out all of his senior year, after being diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Defying the doctor's prognosis, Herzlich returned to football, starting in all 13 games at Boston College during the 2010-11 season and signing with the Giants in July of 2011. Herzlich has played in 11 games with the Giants this season, recording his first NFL start in the Giants 17-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

A number of charity initiatives, including raffling signed Herzlich Crunch jerseys and footballs, are planned to benefit Upstate Cancer Center.

Fans will have the opportunity to meet Herzlich during an autograph signing in Memorial Hall during the first intermission. Additionally, a limited number of VIP packages are available. VIP package includes tickets to the March 17 game against Adirondack and passes to an exclusive meet and greet with Herzlich prior to the game, with a percentage of each package benefiting Upstate Cancer Center.

CRUNCHABLES: Patrick Maroon is tied for fourth in the AHL with 64 points (28g, 36a) and tied for fourth with 28 goals...Kyle Palmieri still leads the league with 32 goals and his tied for first with seven game-winning goals...Riley Holzapfel leads the league with a 23.4% shooting percentage...Dan Sexton is third in the league with 199 shots...Iiro Tarkki's 2.57 goals-against average is the sixth best among Eastern Conference goaltenders. His .923 save percentage is eighth highest in the AHL.

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