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Week Eight: Crunch to Host Mirabito Outdoor Classic February 20--Coca-Cola Autograph Book Giveaway set for November 27
Syracuse, NY, (Wednesday, November 25, 2009)
November 25, 2009
2009-10 RECORD: 6-9-2-2, 16 points, (5-1-1-1 home, 1-8-1-1 road), seventh place, East Division
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Wednesday, November 25 @ Albany (9-10-0-2, 20 points), fifth place, East Division
Friday, November 27 vs. Houston (10-10-1-0, 21 points), fifth place, West Division
Saturday, November 28 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (9-6-1-1, 20 points), fourth place, East Division
Sunday, November 29 vs. Rochester (15-2-1-0, 31 points), first place, North Division
LAST WEEK’S RESULT
Wednesday, November 18 @ Albany ALBANY 5 Crunch 2
Friday, November 20 @ Rochester ROCHESTER 5 Crunch 2
Saturday, November 21 vs. Hartford CRUNCH 2 Hartford 1
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
CRUNCH TO HOST MIRABITO OUTDOOR CLASSIC FEBRUARY 20: The Syracuse Crunch, along with Senator Charles E. Schumer and New York State announced that they will host the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the American Hockey League’s first-ever outdoor game, on February 20, 2010 at the New York State Fairgrounds against the Binghamton Senators. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
“On behalf of our entire organization, we are excited about staging this tremendous event and are extremely appreciative to all those who have supported our efforts”, said Crunch President and CEO Howard Dolgon.
Mirabito Energy Products, the title sponsor of the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, is a New York-based company that has been providing energy needs for families and businesses throughout upstate New York since 1927. Mirabito Energy Products offers a variety of products including heating oil, propane, natural gas, coal, gasoline, diesel fuels, kerosene, and lubricants.
The Mirabito Outdoor Classic is being presented by Time Warner Cable, which will broadcast the game live on Time Warner Cable Sports, Toyota, Dunkin’ Donuts, Labatt Blue, Renaissance Syracuse Hotel, Syracuse Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Coca-Cola and Wynit.
The Mirabito Outdoor Classic will make history as the first minor league outdoor hockey game ever played. Outdoor hockey games, which honor the heritage and roots of the sport being played by children on frozen lakes and ponds growing up, have been a proven success at the collegiate level as well as the National Hockey League level, with the NHL’s Winter Classic now becoming a yearly event every New Year’s Day.
The Mirabito Outdoor Classic will feature the hometown Syracuse Crunch (AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets), the AHL’s sixth-longest tenured franchise (16 years-tied) and longest-running independently owned team, against their Interstate-81 rivals, the Binghamton Senators (AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators).
In addition, the Mirabito Outdoor Classic will be a celebration of hockey in New York State and will recognize all levels of hockey from youth to recreation to professional players.
Tickets for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at (315) 473- 4444, calling TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000 or by stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street Side of the War Memorial.
UPCOMING GAMES:
ALBANY RIVER RATS (CAROLINA HURRICANES): The Crunch travel to Albany Wednesday for the third straight Wednesday meeting and second straight contest at the Times Union Center. This will be the third of eight meetings between the two clubs this year. The Crunch are 1-1-0-0 against Albany this season. Center Trevor Frischmon leads Syracuse and all players in the season series in scoring with four points (1g, 3a). Jerome Samson paces Albany with three points (2g, 1a).
HOUSTON AEROS (MINNESOTA WILD): The Houston Aeros come to town for the first of two meetings between these clubs this season. The Crunch split the season series with Houston last year, going 1-1-0-0. In 10 all-time meetings, the Crunch are 5-4-1 against the Aeros. Rookie netminder Anton Khudobin is 8-4-0 with a 1.61 goals against average and .932 save percentage in 13 games for Houston.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS): The Crunch make their third visit of the year to Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza on Saturday to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the third of eight overall meetings this season. The Crunch are 0-1-0-1 against the Baby Pens this year. Pascal Pelletier and Alexandre Picard each have three points (1g, 2a) in the season series while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Chris Connor paces all Penguins with four points (1g, 3a).
ROCHESTER AMERICANS (FLORIDA PANTHERS): The Crunch welcome in Rochester for the sixth overall meeting and second match-up at the War Memorial at Oncenter against the Americans this season. The Crunch are 0-3-2-0 against Rochester this year. Dan Fristche and Maksim Mayorov each have three points (1g, 2a), while Keaton Ellerby leads all players in scoring in the season series with seven points (3g, 4a). Rookie goaltender Alexander Salak has put up a 5-0-0 record, 1.56 goals against average and .941 save percentage against the Crunch this season.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:
COCA-COLA AUTOGRAPH BOOK GIVEAWAY SET FOR FEBRUARY 27: The Syracuse Crunch announced that the first 2,000 fans in attendance at the Crunch’s Friday, November 27 game vs. Houston will receive a Coca-Cola Autograph Book. The 5 x 7 inch autograph books are spiral bound and feature left wing Alexandre Picard on the cover with a Crunch logo depicted in the background.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Crunch’s weekly schedule is as follows:
Thursday, November 26 11:00 a.m. Practice @ War Memorial at Oncenter
Friday, November 27 10:00 a.m. Skate @ War Memorial at Oncenter
Game vs. Houston 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 28 10:00 a.m. Skate at War Memorial at Oncneter
Game @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, November 29 TBD
CRUNCHABLES: Kevin Harvey returned to the lineup Saturday after missing five games due to a suspension…Saturday’s win over Hartford marked the first time in three games the Crunch have given up less than five goals…Syracuse out-shot its opponent Saturday for the first time in 13 games…The Crunch have two shorthanded goals in the last three games and are second in the AHL in that category (5).