AHL Syracuse Crunch

Week Ten: Green Is Money--Power Play Producing--Crunch in the Community this Week

Published on December 13, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


2010-11 RECORD: 9-14-1-3, 22 points, (4-6-1-2 home, 5-8-0-1 road), seventh place, East Division

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Friday, December 17 @ Binghamton (12-12-2-2, 28 points), fifth place, East Division

Saturday, December 18 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21-6-0-0, 42 points), first place, East Division

Sunday, December 19 vs. Connecticut (12-11-2-4, 30 points), fourth place, Atlantic Division

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Monday, December 6 @ Charlotte CHARLOTTE 10 Crunch 3

Wednesday, December 8 @ Norfolk Crunch 4 NORFOLK 3 OT

Friday, December 10 vs. Adirondack Adirondack 5 CRUNCH 2

Saturday, December 11 vs. Bridgeport Bridgeport 4 CRUNCH 3

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

GREEN IS MONEY: Crunch left wing Josh Green appeared in all four games for the Crunch this past week, posting three points (2g, 1a). After being kept off the score sheet during Monday's game at Charlotte, Green scored the overtime-winning goal on Wednesday in Norfolk, racing in on a shorthanded breakaway and slipping a backhand by Cedrick Desjardins to lift Syracuse to a 4-3 victory. The Crunch have won two games in overtime this season and Green has scored both winning goals, with his last overtime-winner coming back on October 23 at Hartford (now Connecticut).

He scored to tie the game at 2-2 at the 16:04 mark of the second period in an eventual 5-2 loss to Adirondack on Friday, and contributed the primary assist after setting up Matt Beleskey's power play goal to tie the game at 1-1 in an eventual 4-3 loss to Bridgeport on Saturday. Green has been one of the Crunch's best and most consistent scorers since being assigned to Syracuse by Anaheim back on November 23, tallying eight points (4g, 4a), over his last nine games.

A veteran of 14 professional seasons, the native of Camrose, Alberta has appeared in 16 total games for the Crunch this season, recording 11 points (5g, 6a) and 12 penalty minutes. Green was signed by Anaheim as a free agent on July 12, 2010.

POWER PLAY PRODUCING: Despite the Crunch's recent struggles, one bright spot has been the team's power play. Over the last seven games, the Crunch have gone 6-for-27 (22.2%) with the man-advantage, including tying a season-high with three power play goals in a 3-2 win over Hamilton on November 28. Syracuse has been especially good on the power play at home this season, ranking ninth among the 30 AHL teams with 14 goals on 71 opportunities (19.7%).

Matt Beleskey (5g, 1a) and Trevor Smith (0g, 6a) co-lead the club in power play scoring. All five of Beleskey's goals this season have come with the man-advantage. In addition, Brett Festerling (1g, 4a), Kyle Palmieri (2g, 3a) and Luca Sbisa (2g, 3a) are all tied for second on the club in man-advantage scoring with five points each.

UPCOMING GAMES:

BINGHAMTON SENATORS (OTTAWA SENATORS): The Crunch make the short trek down I-81 on Friday to take on the Binghamton Senators for the fourth of eight meetings between these two teams this season. The Crunch are 1-2-0-0 against Binghamton so far this year, with their lone win coming back in the first meeting of the year between the two clubs back on October 16. The Crunch have lost the last two games to the Senators by a combined score of 9-0. Nicolas Deschamps and Brandon McMillan have scored the Crunch's only two goals against Binghamton this season. Binghamton's Corey Locke has tallied seven (1g, 6a) of his AHL-leading 34 points this season against the Crunch, while AHL rookie leading goal scorer Bobby Butler has tallied five of his 15 goals against the Crunch, including a hat trick on November 7 at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): The Crunch welcome the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to The Oncenter War Memorial Arena for the first time this season and second of eight overall games between these two clubs this year. The Crunch won the only other contest between the two teams this year back on November 6 on the strength of a three-point effort (1g, 2a) from Brandon McMillan (currently on recall with Anaheim), and a goal each from Nicolas Deschamps, Brett Festerling and Trevor Smith. Smith's tally was the game-winner and capped off a comeback for the Crunch, who trailed 3-1 going into the third period and scored three goals in the game's final 20 minutes to steal a 4-3 victory, handing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton its first loss of the season. J.P. Levasseur was the winner in goal, picking up one of his three wins this season. For the Penguins, Brett Sterling notched two goals while Tim Wallace added a goal and an assist in the losing effort.

CONNECTICUT WHALE (NEW YORK RANGERS): The Crunch finish up a three games in three nights stretch on Sunday, December 19 with a 3 p.m. matinee match-up against the Connecticut Whale. The Crunch won the only other meeting between these two teams in overtime by a 2-1 score back on October 23 when Connecticut was known as the Hartford Wolf Pack. Kyle Palmieri scored in regulation, and Josh Green's first of the season won it in overtime. Timo Pielmeier stopped 26 of 27 shots and picked up the win. Jeremy Williams scored Connecticut's only goal in the contest.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:

CRUNCH PLAYERS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AT TULLY'S GOOD TIMES ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14: The Syracuse Crunch announced that Crunch players Josh Green, Matt Kennedy and Maxime Macenauer are scheduled to sign autographs at Tully's Good Times in North Syracuse on Tuesday, December 14. Green, Kennedy and Macenauer are scheduled to sign autographs from 5 - 7 p.m. Tully's Good Times is located at 7838 Brewerton Rd. in North Syracuse. For directions, please call 315-452-5656. Players are subject to change.

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 are available for pick-up at the Crunch offices at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena. Limited quantities will be available; subject to availability. To order the Syracuse Crunch Holiday Pack, call (315) 473-4444.

CRUNCH IN THE COMMUNITY:

CRUNCH AND AMERICAN RED CROSS TO HOLD BLOOD DRIVE THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17: The Syracuse Crunch and the Crunch Foundation, the club's charitable arm, are partnering with the American Red Cross to hold a blood drive on Friday, December 17 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Memorial Hall at The Oncenter War Memorial Arena. Anyone that donates blood will receive one (1) free ticket to the Crunch's game on December 18 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, an autographed t-shirt, and will be entered into a raffle to win a Crunch prize pack. Donors will also have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets to the December 18 game at a discounted rate of just $12.

CRUNCH DECK THE HALLS WITH TOYS FOR TOTS: From now through the Crunch's home game on Sunday, December 19 vs. Connecticut, fans that donate a new and unwrapped toy, will receive a coupon for a $2 discount on Crunch merchandise or a $2 discount on a regularly-priced adult ticket for an upcoming home game. In addition, fans that make a donation will be entered into a raffle for a Crunch prize pack featuring an autographed holiday puck. Fans may drop off their toy donations at the Guest Services Table on the 2nd floor and at either the South State Street or Montgomery Street merchandise stand during the games. Fans may also bring toy donations to the Crunch offices during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Crunch's weekly schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, December 14 10:30 a.m. practice @ The Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Wednesday, December 15 10:30 a.m. practice @ The Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Thursday, December 16 10:30 a.m. practice @ The Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Friday, December 17 10:00 a.m. skate @ The Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Game @ Binghamton - 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, December 18 10:00 a.m. skate @ The Oncenter War Memorial Arena

Game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 19 Game vs. Connecticut - 3:00 p.m.

CRUNCHABLES: Mat Clark and John Mitchell both scored their first professional goals within 1:23 of each other on Saturday vs. Bridgeport.The Crunch have been outshot in 22 of 27 games this season.The Crunch were one of four AHL teams that had yet to give up a shorthanded goal prior to Friday night's game vs. Adirondack.

Check out the Syracuse Crunch Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2010


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