AHL Syracuse Crunch

Week Seventeen: Nothing But Nate

Published on February 1, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Crunch defenseman Nate Guenin took a few games to adjust to his new team after he was acquired by Anaheim from Columbus in exchange for Trevor Smith and assigned to Syracuse back on January 4. He is now showing why the Ducks traded for the 6-2, 207-pound defenseman.

Guenin has been living up to his reputation as a solid defensive, shot-blocking blueliner, but has also contributed offensively over the last few games. He scored his first goal, and consequently his first point, as a member of the Crunch last Wednesday vs. Houston, snapping a wrister past Anton Khudobin in an eventual 4-3 overtime loss. Guenin then picked up his first assist with the Crunch, setting up Patrick Maroon with a quick feed in the slot in last Friday night's 5-2 loss to Toronto.

Guenin kept up the scoring on Saturday night in a 6-4 loss to Adirondack, picking up another two helpers while stretching his point streak to three games, giving him four points (1g, 3a) over that span. When Guenin came to the Crunch, he had just five assists in 30 games. Over his last three contests, he nearly doubled his entire point total for the season.

A native of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, Guenin was originally selected by the NY Rangers in the third round, 127th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He has appeared in 17 career NHL games with Philadelphia (2006-09), Pittsburgh (2009-10) and Columbus (2010-11), scoring two points (0g, 2a) with eight penalty minutes.

BONINO BREAKING THROUGH: Rookie center Nick Bonino has been a streaky player since being assigned to the Crunch back on January 4. Since being assigned, he has appeared in 12 games, tying for the club lead in scoring with seven points (3g, 4a) in the month of January. He was held scoreless in his first three games back with Syracuse from January 7 - 14, but finally broke out and registered a three game point streak (2g, 1a) from January 15 - 18. He was named the game's third star in a 5-2 loss to Adirondack on January 16 after scoring a goal to go along with a plus-1 rating.

Bonino was again held scoreless for the next three games from January 19 - 22, but has registered at least one point in each of his last three contests, tallying four points (1g, 3a), during that span. After picking up an assist in back-to-back games on January 26 and 28, Bonino was named the game's third star after recording two points (1g, 1a) in a 6-4 loss to Adirondack on Saturday, January 29.

In 20 total games with the Crunch this season, Bonino has 16 points (5g, 11a) and 22 penalty minutes. A native of Hartford, Connecticut, Bonino was acquired by Anaheim along with Timo Pielmeier from San Jose in exchange for Kent Huskins and Travis Moen on March 4, 2009. He was selected by San Jose in the sixth round, 173rd overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

UPCOMING GAMES:

ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): The Crunch get another crack at their first win of the season against Adirondack on Friday, February 4, as they pay a visit to the Glens Falls Civic Center for the sixth of eight overall meetings and second of four contests in Adirondack. The last-place Phantoms have given the Crunch trouble so far this year, winning all five meetings between the two clubs in 2010-11. Five of Adirondack's 15 wins have come at the expense of the Crunch, with Michael Ryan leading the way for his club with eight points (4g, 4a) and veteran Denis Hamel (2g, 5a) and rookie Erik Gustafsson (1g, 6a) racking up seven points each vs. Syracuse this season. For the Crunch, Kyle Palmieri has picked up four points (2g, 2a), while Nick Bonino (2g, 1a) Nicolas Deschamps (2g, 1a) have all notched three points against Adirondack in the season series.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): The Crunch return home on Saturday night to face the AHL-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the fifth of six overall meetings between the two clubs this season. The Crunch took the first two games of the season series, a 4-3 win in Wilkes-Barre on November 6 and a 3-1 victory on December 18 at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena. The Penguins have defeated the Crunch in each of the last two meetings, outscoring Syracuse by a combined 9-1 margin in those contests. David Laliberte (2g, 0a), Nicolas Deschamps (1g, 1a), Stefan Chaput (0g, 2a) and Maxime Macenauer (0g, 2a) have all recorded two points against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year, with one of Laliberte and Chaput's points each coming while playing for Adirondack and Charlotte, respectively. For the Penguins, Nick Johnson (4g, 0a), Tim Wallace (2g, 2a) and Ryan Craig (2g, 2a) have each recorded four points against the Crunch this year.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

LABATT'S CELEBRITY BARTENDING SERIES CONTINUES:

FEBRUARY 8 AT RUBY TUESDAY: The Labatt's Celebrity Bartending series will continue on Tuesday, February 8 at Ruby Tuesday. Crunch players Joe DiPenta, David Laliberte and Maxime Macenauer will serve as celebrity bartenders at Ruby Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 8. Ruby Tuesday is located at 6405 Yorktown Circle in East Syracuse. For directions call (315) 414-0450. Players are subject to change. All tips generated by the players that night will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

FEBRUARY 9 AT QUAKER STEAK AND LUBE: The Labatt's Celebrity Bartending series will continue on Wednesday, February 9 at Quaker Steak and Lube. Crunch players Nate Guenin, Leigh Salters and MacGregor Sharp will serve as celebrity bartenders at Quaker Steak and Lube from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 9. Quaker Steak and Lube is located at 3535 Walters Rd. in Syracuse. For directions call (315) 701-2337. Players are subject to change. All tips generated by the players that night will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

CRUNCHABLES: Dan Sexton has racked up 18 shots on goal over his last two games.Patrick Maroon had his four-game point streak snapped on Saturday vs. Adirondack.With their loss Saturday, the Crunch dropped to 0-5-0-0 against Adirondack this season.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2011


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