SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch are holding an exclusive meet and greet watch party with newly named head coach Benoit Groulx for all 2016-17 ticket holders and corporate partners at the Crowne Plaza Syracuse on Wednesday, May 18 beginning at 6 p.m.
 
The meet and greet watch party will be held in the Library Lounge at the Crowne Plaza Syracuse located at 701 E. Genesee St. in Syracuse. This will be the first opportunity for Crunch fans to meet the team's new head coach. The meet and greet watch party will be exclusive to 2016-17 Crunch season ticket and mini plan holders along with corporate sponsors. Any fan with at least a $50 deposit per seat on their 2016-17 Crunch ticket package by May 18 will be eligible to attend the meet and greet.

Following the meet and greet, season ticket holders and corporate sponsors are encouraged to stay and watch Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final featuring the Crunch's parent club, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
 
Groulx was hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning and named Crunch head coach on May 10. He was previously the head coach and general manager for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during the 2015-16 season, guiding his team to a record of 46-19-2-1. The Olympiques were defeated in the 2016 QMJHL Quarter-Final by the Moncton Wildcats four games to two.
 
Groulx has worked 13 total seasons as a head coach in the QMJHL with the Hull/Gatineau Olympiques, posting a career record of 460-293-18-59. He led his teams to league championships in 2003, 2004 and 2008, earning QMJHL Coach of the Year honors for the 2003-04 season while coaching the Olympiques.
 
The Hull, Quebec native also served on the coaching staffs for Team Canada at the 2004 U18 World Championships as well as the 2014 and 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships. Groulx was an assistant coach for the Gold Medal winning Team Canada at the U18 World Championships in 2004. He was also an assistant coach for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2014 as Canada was defeated in the Bronze Medal game by Russia. The following year, Groulx was the head coach for Team Canada, winning the Gold Medal and earning a perfect 7-0 record during the tournament.
 
Syracuse Crunch ticket packages for the 2016-17 season are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315-473-4444. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch and #BelieveInBlue.