www.syracusecrunch.com/News Syracuse Crunch RSS News Feed Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:19:52 -0400 Syracuse Crunch News info@syracusecrunch.com www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2711 Syracuse, NY (February 19, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the 174th Fighter Wing New York Air National Guard will perform a fly-by during the pre-game ceremonies at the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the AHL’s first-ever outdoor game, featuring the host Crunch against the Binghamton Senators at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20, 2010 at 1 p.m. The 174th Fighter Wing New York Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcons are the same F-16’s that were used for the fly-by for the Opening Day Ceremonies at the New Yankee Stadium. In addition, this is the last fly-by these F-16s will ever participate in, as they will be retired the first week in March. "Thank You" to all the people who've supported us all these years. It's been a privilege to fly the F-16 here in Syracuse”, said Lt. Col. Sean McQuaid one of the pilots who will perform the unit’s last scheduled F-16 fly-by. Tickets for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic are priced at $30 for end grandstand and $40 for center grandstand seating. Group pricing begins at 20 tickets and range as low as $26. In addition, tickets 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. 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. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2711 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2693 The first-ever outdoor rink in AHL history is nearly complete as logos and paint went down on the surface Thursday. A little after 11:00 p.m. EST the surface officially had all in-ice logos in place and the final flooding stages began. Syracuse... are you ready to be a part of history?!?!Stay tuned to SyracuseCrunch.com for a complete gallery of Thursday's process. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2693 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2714 Syracuse, NY (February 20, 2010) – The game was exciting and the atmosphere was electric, as a record-breaking crowd of 21,508 saw the Syracuse Crunch edge the Binghamton Senators by a 2-1 count in the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the AHL’s first-ever outdoor game, played this afternoon at the New York State Fairgrounds. A booming rendition of the national anthem by Mercury recording artist Jessie James, complete with a fly-by from the 174th Fighter Wing New York Air National Guard and introductions of Crunch all-time greats J.F. Labbe and Dan Smith and NHL legends Danny Gare, Bobby Nystrom and Rob Ray set the tone for a memorable afternoon. If that wasn’t enough, skydiver Ray Maynard proceeded to float down from above to deliver a puck to Governor David Paterson and Senator Chuck Schumer from the first-ever NHL outdoor exhibition game, that featured Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers facing off in 88-degree weather in Las Vegas on September 27, 1991. It was only fitting that in a game of this magnitude, fan favorite and longest-tenured member of the Crunch, Alexandre Picard, scored the game’s first goal. Picard took a pass from Mike Blunden while racing in down the left side, then shot the disk quickly and found daylight on the short side of Binghamton starter Mike Brodeur at the 6:47 mark of the opening frame, sending the packed house into a frenzy.d Fans had plenty of attractions to keep themselves busy with VIP and fan zone tents, a live band and an ice sculpting contest, until Binghamton knotted the scored at 1-1 just over five minutes into the second stanza when Josh Hennessy buried a Martin St. Pierre feed from the right post past Kevin Lalande. The game continued to ebb and flow back and forth until the Crunch re-took the lead with just 12 seconds left in the second period, when David Liffiton corralled a nice touch pass from Dan Fritsche and rifled a wrister from the slot to the top right corner past Brodeur to make it 2-1. Liffiton’s marker stood up as the game-winner, while Mike Blunden notched two assists and Lalande shut the door on a flurried Binghamton power play attack in the final minutes, finishing with 36 saves and first star of the game honors. CRUNCHABLES: The previous attendance record at an American Hockey League game was 20,672, set by the Carolina Monarchs at the Greensboro Coliseum in 1997…Picard has six goals over his last nine games…Lalande has allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances. Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2714 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2726 Syracuse, NY (February 26, 2009) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that their mascot, Al the Ice Gorilla, will be appearing at the Fitness Forum Coaches vs. Cancer Spin-A-Thon on Sunday, February 28 at the Carousel Center. The Spin-A-Thon will consist of teams of six or more people in a non-stop fitness event where the participants take turns pedaling on a stationary bike over a six-hour time period. Al will be appearing from 10 – 11 a.m.  Each year during the winter months, Fitness Forum supports Coaches vs. Cancer with a variety of fitness-focused fundraising events that include yoga, pilates, zumba and hip hop parties, high school basketball challenges and Spin-A-Thons. Last year, Fitness Forum was able to raise $20,000 for Coaches vs. Cancer through their fundraising activities and efforts. To register for the 2010 Fitness Forum Spin-A-Thon, stop in at any area Fitness Forum location or contact Theresa Eppolito at (315) 477-0888. The Crunch travel to Cleveland to take on the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday, February 26 before returning home on Saturday, February 27 to battle Springfield at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at 315-473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling Ticketmaster at 315-472-0700. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2726 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2704 Syracuse, NY (February 16, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that local ESPN Radio 1260 personality Brent Axe will join Bob McElligott and Buffalo Sabres great Danny Gare for the broadcast of the Mirabito Outdoor Classic on Time Warner Cable Sports and the NHL Network. “I am absolutely honored to be on the broadcast team for this game,” said Axe. “As a Central New York native, to be part of this historic event in my hometown will be one of the great thrills of my broadcast career.” Axe is the host of ‘On the Block’ with Brent Axe, which airs Monday through Friday from 3 – 6 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1260. In addition, ‘On the Block’ with Brent Axe is simulcast live on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 13. Tickets for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic are priced at $30 for end grandstand and $40 for center grandstand seating. Group pricing begins at 20 tickets and range as low as $26. In addition, tickets 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. The Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the American Hockey League’s first-ever outdoor game, is scheduled to be played on February 20, 2010 at 1 p.m. at the New York State Fairgrounds against the Binghamton Senators. 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. Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2704 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2701 Syracuse, NY (February 15, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that Buffalo Sabres great Danny Gare will take part in the pre-game ceremonies at the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the AHL’s first-ever outdoor game, featuring the host Crunch and the Binghamton Senators at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20 at 1 p.m. Gare, 55, appeared in 827 combined National Hockey League games with Buffalo, Detroit and Edmonton from 1974 – 87, tallying 354 goals, 331 assists and 1,285 penalty minutes. Gare ranks among the Sabres all-time leaders in a number of categories, including goals (267 – fourth), points (500 – ninth), power play goals (66 – seventh) and game-winning goals (35 – fifth). Gare served as Buffalo’s captain from 1977-82 and was selected to the club’s Hall of Fame in 1994. His number 18 was retired by the Sabres on November 22, 2005. A native of Nelson, British Columbia, Gare was selected by Buffalo in the second round, 29th overall, in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft. In addition, the former NHL All-Star will provide color commentary for the live broadcast of the Mirabito Outdoor Classic on Time Warner Cable Sports and the NHL Network. Former Crunch broadcaster and current Columbus Blue Jackets radio color analyst Bob McElligott will provide the lead play-by-play. Tickets for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic are priced at $30 for end grandstand and $40 for center grandstand seating. Group pricing begins at 20 tickets and range as low as $26. In addition, tickets 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. 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. Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2701 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2702 Syracuse, NY (February 16, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that Buffalo Sabres great Rob Ray will take part in the pre-game ceremonies at the Mirabito Outdoor Classic, the AHL’s first-ever outdoor game, featuring the host Crunch and Binghamton Senators at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20 at 1 p.m. Ray, 41, appeared in 900 combined National Hockey League games with Buffalo and Ottawa from 1989 - 2004, tallying 41 goals and 50 assists. The right wing became a fan favorite with his physical play during his 14-year tenure with the Sabres, leading Buffalo in penalty minutes nine times. Over the course of his career, Ray racked up 3,207 career penalty minutes, good for sixth on the NHL’s all-time list. Ray was recognized by being awarded the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1998-99, given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. In addition, Ray was a member of the Buffalo Sabres team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998-99. A native of Stirling, Ontario, Ray was selected by Buffalo in the fifth round, 97th overall, in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. Tickets for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic are priced at $30 for end grandstand and $40 for center grandstand seating. Group pricing begins at 20 tickets and range as low as $26. In addition, tickets 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. 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. Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2702 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2749 Syracuse, NY (March 9, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that center Evan McGrath has been reassigned to the club by the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. McGrath, 24, has appeared in 57 games this season with Detroit’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, collecting eight goals, 11 assists and 25 penalty minutes. In four professional seasons, McGrath has appeared in 262 AHL games, all with Grand Rapids, tallying 49 goals, 66 assists and 116 penalty minutes. A native of Oakville, Ontario, McGrath was selected by Detroit in the fourth round, 128th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The Crunch’s next home game is Friday, March 12 vs. Lowell at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at 315-473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling Ticketmaster at 315-472-0700.Photo Credit: Mark Newman Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2749 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2732 Syracuse, NY (March 1, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired center Greg Moore from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Dylan Reese and assigned him to the Crunch. The trade is pending the completion of player physicals. Moore, 25, has appeared in 62 games with New York’s AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, this season, tallying 14 goals, 17 assists and 28 penalty minutes. In all, Moore has appeared in 286 combined AHL games with Bridgeport and Hartford, accumulating 72 goals, 91 assists and 163 penalty minutes. In addition, Moore skated in six NHL games with the New York Rangers during the 2007-08 season. A native of Lisbon, Maine, Moore spent four seasons at the University of Maine from 2002-06, appearing in 154 games, notching 66 goals, 41 assists and 117 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by Calgary in the fifth round, 143rd overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The Crunch’s next game is Friday, March 5 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at 315-473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling Ticketmaster at 315-472-0700. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2732 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2738  Syracuse, NY (March 3, 2010) – The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired right wing Chad Kolarik from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for left wing Alexandre Picard and assigned him to the Crunch. In addition, Columbus has acquired the rights to center Matt Rust from Florida in exchange for defenseman Mathieu Roy. Kolarik, 24, has appeared in a combined 135 games for San Antonio over the past two seasons, tallying 37 goals, 58 assists and 88 penalty minutes. In addition, he contributed six points (4g, 2a) in seven Calder Cup Playoff games for the Rampage during the 2007-08 campaign. A native of Abington, Pennsylvania, Kolarik was selected by Phoenix in the seventh round, 199th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Rust, 20, has appeared in 37 games for Michigan (CCHA) this season, notching 11 goals, 21 assists and 20 penalty minutes. Over the past three years with the Wolverines, Rust has recorded 34 goals, 43 assists and 128 penalty minutes. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, he was selected by Florida in the fourth round, 101st overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Picard, 24, has appeared in 42 games with the Crunch this season and ranks second on the club in scoring with 35 points (17g, 18a). He has spent the last five seasons in the Columbus organization and ranks among the all-time leaders in a number of categories for the Crunch, including games played (234 – 6th), goals (72 – 7th) and power play goals (32 – t-5th). A native of Les Saules, Quebec, Picard was selected by Columbus in the first round, eighth overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Roy, 26, has appeared in 14 games with the Crunch this season, notching four assists. In addition, he has skated in 31 games for Columbus this year, recording 10 penalty minutes. A native of St. Georges, Quebec, Roy was originally selected by Edmonton in the seventh round, 213th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft The Crunch’s next game is Friday, March 5 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at 315-473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling Ticketmaster at 315-472-0700. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 www.syracusecrunch.com/News/Detail/2738