AHL Syracuse Crunch

Week Eight: Beleskey Steps Up

Published on November 29, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Crunch left wing Matt Beleskey appeared in all three games for the Crunch this past week, leading the team in scoring with three points (1g, 2a). Although he was kept off the score sheet in Friday's 5-1 loss to Hershey, Beleskey led the Crunch with four shots on goal and registered an even plus/minus rating. He set up the Crunch's lone tally in a 2-1 loss to Toronto on Saturday, feeding a pass out to Nathan Paetsch at the left point, who sailed a wrister past Ben Scrivens.

Beleskey was crucial in the Crunch's 3-2 win over North Division-leading Hamilton on Sunday, figuring in on two of the teams three goals with two points (1g, 1a), helping his club snap a four-game losing streak and seven-game winless skid. He put the Crunch on the board at the 11:28 mark of the second period, taking a few strides out from along the right half-wall and firing a shot past Robert Mayer to give the Crunch a 1-0 lead. He then set up the game-winning goal, again on the power play, with 7:49 left in regulation when he found Joffrey Lupul camped out on the left side of the crease for the easy one-timer. Since being assigned to the Crunch by Anaheim on November 10, Beleskey has appeared in nine games, tallying eight points (4g, 4a) and 11 penalty minutes. A native of Windsor, Ontario, Beleskey was selected by Anaheim in the fourth round, 112th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

PIELMEIER BOUNCES BACK: Crunch rookie goaltender Timo Pielmeier got his AHL career off to a great start. The Deggendorf, Germany native was among the AHL goaltending leaders in a number of categories through his first seven games, going 4-2-1 with a 2.13 goals against average and .936 save percentage from October 8 - November 5. He then hit the first rough stretch of his AHL career.

Pielmeier appeared in four of the Crunch's eight games from November 7 - 26, going 0-4-0 with a 5.84 goals against average and .837 save percentage. He was pulled from the game on November 7 at Binghamton after allowing three goals on nine shots in 10 minutes of action and again on November 26 vs. Hershey after letting in three goals on 14 shots in 25 minutes of play. After a talk with Crunch head coach Mark Holick, Pielmeier has focused in to find his game again

Pielmeier was very strong in the Crunch's 2-1 loss to Toronto on Saturday, November 27, holding the opposition to just one goal until the game's final minute, when the Marlies scored on the power play with 50 seconds left in regulation. He finished with 36 saves on 38 shots and was named the game's third star for his effort. Pielmeier was brilliant again on Sunday vs. Hamilton, and a huge reason why the Crunch were able to snap the club's seven-game winless streak and four-game losing skid, making a season-high 43 saves on 45 Hamilton shots, earning first star of the game recognition.

UPCOMING GAMES:

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (FLORIDA PANTHERS): The Crunch travel to Rochester on Friday for the second of 10 overall meetings between the two clubs this season. The Crunch dropped the only other game against the Americans this year back on November 21 by a 5-4 score. Nathan Paetsch led the way for the Crunch against his former team, tallying three points (2g, 1a) and a plus-3 rating, including a short-handed marker. Syracuse held a 4-2 lead in the game until Rochester shocked the Crunch with three consecutive power play goals, two with a 5-on-3 advantage, in a 52-second span with just over six minutes left in regulation. Chris Taylor tallied four points (1g, 3a), while Evgeny Dadonov (2g, 1a) and Mike Kostka (1g, 2a) recorded three points each for Rochester.

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS (CAROLINA HURRICANES): The Crunch make their first-ever trip to Charlotte to take on the Checkers at Time Warner Cable Arena on Sunday, December 5 at 3:00 p.m. Charlotte moved from Albany where they were previously known as the River Rats prior to the 2010-11 season. Charlotte's Zach Boychuk (9g, 16a) and Jerome Samson (12g, 12a) have provided a potent one-two punch for the Checkers as they both rank in the AHL's top-10 in scoring. In addition, Zac Dalpe is tied for 10th in scoring among AHL rookies, with 14 points (9g, 5a) in 14 games. Mike Murphy and Justin Pogge have split time in net for Charlotte, with Murphy going 6-4-2 with a 2.64 goals against average and .919 save percentage.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

WSYR-TV NEWS ANCHOR CHRISTIE CASCIANO AND CRUNCH PLAYERS TO SIGN COPIES OF THE PUCK HOG THIS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1: The Syracuse Crunch announced that left wing Matt Beleskey, goaltender J.P. Levasseur and WSYR-TV news anchor Christie Casciano will be signing copies of Casciano's new book, The Puck Hog, at the Syracuse University Bookstore in the Schine Student Center this Wednesday, December 1 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

SYRACUSE CRUNCH HOLIDAY PACKS ON SALE NOW: The Syracuse Crunch Holiday Pack includes two (2) ticket vouchers (valid for any 2010-11 regular season home game), one (1) exclusive autographed Crunch holiday puck and a $5 coupon for Crunch merchandise (expires 4/15/11), for just $36. Syracuse Crunch Holiday Packs are on sale now and will be available for pick-up at the Crunch offices at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena starting on Friday, December 3. Limited quantities will be available; subject to availability. To order the Syracuse Crunch Holiday Pack, call (315) 473-4444.

CRUNCHABLES: The Crunch matched a season-high with three power play goals on Sunday vs. Hamilton.Timo Pielmeier made a season-high 43 saves Sunday vs. Hamilton.Peilmeier's win was his first since October 30, when the Crunch defeated Albany, 3-2.The Crunch had been held without a power play goal in three straight games coming into Sunday, going 0-for-9 over that span.Sunday's game vs. Hamilton was the 100th all-time meeting between the two clubs.Prior to yesterday's contest, the Crunch were 0-3-0-0 on Sundays this season.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2010


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