FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
  February 6, 2012
 
2011-12 SEASON RECORD: 19-18-4-3, 44 points, (9-10-3-1 home, 10-8-1-2 road)
 
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
 
Tuesday, February 7 – 7:00 pm at Connecticut (21-16-4-5, 51 points, first place (tied, Northeast Division)
 
Friday, February 10 - 7:30 pm vs. Hershey (26-14-4-3, 59 points, second place, East Division)
 
Saturday, February 11– 7:30 pm vs. Albany (19-18-5-3, 46 points, fourth place (tied), Northeast Division)
 
Sunday, February 12 – 3:00 pm at Lake Erie (21-22-2-2, 46 points, fourth place, North Division)
 
 
 
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
 
Friday, February 3 vs. Toronto                                       CRUNCH 2                 Toronto 5
 
Saturday, February 4 vs. Rochester                             CRUNCH 4                 Rochester 5 (OT)
 
 
 
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
 
MAROON ECLIPSES 200 AHL POINTS: Left Patrick Maroon's goal in the Crunch's 5-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies on Friday marked his 200^th career point. With a goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss to Rochester, Maroon now stands at 202 points (82g, 120a) in 257 games. Over the past two seasons with the Crunch, Maroon has registered 96 points (43g, 56a) in 100 games. This season, he leads all Crunch skaters with 48 points. That total places him seventh among all AHL skaters. The St. Louis native was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.

BRITTAIN RECORDS FIRST AHL GOAL: It's been a long time coming, but left wing Josh Brittain finally recorded his first AHL goal on Saturday. Brittain began last season with the Crunch, but split time between the AHL and the ECHL's Elmira Jackals. In 2010-11, Brittain recorded one assist in 13 games with Syracuse and 11 points (3g, 8a) in 38 games with Elmira. This season, Brittain has a goal and an assist in 15 games with the Crunch and five goals in nine games with Elmira.

TRANSACTIONS: Jeff Deslauriers returned from Anaheim to the Crunch. In one start with Anaheim, Deslauriers earned a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on January 10, stopping 26 shots. Conversely, Iiro Tarkki has been recalled by Anaheim. The Finnish native is 10-13-3, with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in his first season with the Crunch.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS:
 
CONNECTICUT (NEW YORK RANGERS): Tuesday marks the first of two meetings between the Crunch and the Connecticut Whale. Last season, the Crunch went 2-0-0-0 against the Wolf Pack/Whale. Connecticut is currently tied with Bridgeport for the Northeast Division lead. The Whale recently snapped an 11-game losing streak (0-6-3-2), winning their last two contests against Albany and Hershey. Connecticut is led up front by veteran Kris Newbury (41 points) and All-Star rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (40 points). Former Crunch defenseman Brendan Bell leads all Connecticut blueliners with 25 points. Chad Johnson leads the Whale with 12 wins.
 
HERSHEY (WASHINGTON CAPITALS): The Crunch and Hershey Bears meet for the fifth time this season. Hershey has taken three out of the four previous meetings in 2011-12. The latest game was a 5-2 win by the Bears on December 21 at the Giant Center. Patrick Maroon leads the Crunch with three goals against Hershey this season. For the Bears, Keith Aucoin, currently on recall to Washington, has registered seven points (1g, 6a) against the Crunch this season. This past weekend, Hershey went 1-2, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday in a shootout.
 
ALBANY (NEW JERSEY DEVILS): Saturday marks the fourth of 10 meetings of the season between the Crunch and the Albany Devils. The Crunch are 2-1-0-0 against Albany this season, winning the last two games in overtime and a shootout. The last meeting was a 3-2 shootout victory for the Crunch in Albany on January 14. Goaltender Marco Cousineau earned his second AHL victory, stopping 33 shots in regulation and overtime. Since then, Albany has gone 3-5-0-0 to drop out of the top eight.
 
LAKE ERIE (COLORADO AVALANCHE): Sunday is the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Crunch and the Lake Erie Monsters. The teams played three times in less than a week in October. In the first three games, the Crunch went 2-0-1-0, including a 7-0 thumping over the Monsters on October 26 in Cleveland. The Monsters are currently five points out of a playoff spot. Defenseman Tyson Barrie, currently on recall to Colorado, is Lake Erie's leading point-getter with 29. Injured goalie Cedrick Desjardins leads Lake Erie with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS:
 
TURNING STONE FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT: The Syracuse Crunch have announced that Friday, February 10 is a Turning Stone Resort and Casino Fan Appreciation Night. Each fan in attendance can redeem their 2/10 ticket stub for five (5) days at the Diamond Card Desk at Turning Stone resort and Casino to receive a $10 free play or $10 meal voucher.
 
DUNKIN' DONUTS RECHARGEABLE CARD NIGHT: The Syracuse Crunch have announced that Friday, February 10 is a Dunkin' Donuts Rechargeable Card Night. Fans can bring their Dunkin' Donuts rechargeable cards to the Box Office for a $5 discount on a regularly priced ticket.
 
RIUNITIE WINE SAMPLING: The Crunch have announced a Riunite Wine Sampling Night, to be held on Friday, February 10, when the Crunch take on the Hershey Bears.  Fans 21 and over will have the opportunity to sample Riunite Lambrusco and Riunite D'Oro, America's all-time favorite wine. Sampling will take place beginning at 6:30 p.m. when doors open through the second intermission, outside of Memorial Hall located on the first floor of The War Memorial Arena. Riunite, America's #1 and best-loved Italian wine for over four decades, is the leading source of classic wines from Central Italy's Emilia Romagna Region, home of Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano and balsamic vinegar.  
Riunite is most closely identified with the Lambrusco grape, a variety native to central Italy. Lambrusco is said to be one of the oldest grapes in history, one that was first verified by the Etruscans, dating back to before the first century, B.C. When you are drinking Riunite, you are drinking history.
 
PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
 
Tuesday, February 7               morning skate                                     XL Center
                                                Game @ Connecticut – 7 p.m.             XL Center
 
Wednesday, February 8         practice  10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.         Cicero Twin Rinks
 
Thursday, February 9              practice 11  a.m. – 1 p.m.                    Cicero Twin Rinks
 
Friday, February 10                 morning skate 10 a.m.                         War Memorial Arena
                                                Game vs. Hershey – 7:30 p.m.                        War Memorial Arena
 
Saturday, February 11             morning skate 10 .m.                           War Memorial Arena
                                                Game vs. Albany – 7:30 p.m.              War Memorial Arena
 
Sunday, February 12               morning skate
                                                Game @ Lake Erie – 3 p.m.                Quicken Loans Arena
 
CRUNCHABLES: Luca Caputi has 13 points in 13 games with Crunch…Patrick Maroon recorded his team-leading 14th multi-point game of the season on Saturday…Kyle Palmieri extended his point streak on Saturday to five games (6g, 3a).