Crunch Talk

View from above:

2006-09-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Some player observations from Friday's game versus Hamilton:

Tomas Popperle: Popperle looked good in his first AHL action. Moved side to side well, did o.k with rebounds and seemed controlled. If Ty Conklin can clear waivers, how good would a Conklin, Popperle tandem be?

Adam Pineault: Started slow but had a dynamite second period. Made some nifty moves and displayed a nice burst along with a dangerous shot. Showed potential on the penalty kill.

Filip Novak: Easily the best player on the ice all evening long. He will quarterback the Crunch's top power play unit and stabilize the Syracuse blueline. May not be as good offensively as Andy Delmore, but makes up for it with his strong all around play.

Trevor Hendrikx: I am starting to like Hendrikx more and more. Fought once and then in the third during a scrum in front of the Crunch crease he calmly skated by Ajay Baines and casually slashed him in the back of the leg. Only problem was referee Chris Brown saw him do it. He will learn in time to find out where the ref is first.

Andrew Murray: The second best player on the ice to me. Murray was physical and displayed a much improved offensive game. May be jumping the gun, but I believe Murray has a chance to be an AHL All-Star this season.

Kyle Wharton: Not bad for his first AHL action. Got beat to the outside a few times, but liked the fact the he was physical in front.

Phillipe Dupuis: Another player who started slow then picked it up as the game went on. Ignited one of the prettiest goals you will see, Motzko's second of the night, with a gorgeous feed to Jeff Szwez.

Joakim Lindstrom: Could really break out this season for the Crunch. Has a chance to score 30 goals if all goes right for him.

Brent Walton: Never been overly impressed with Walton, but I was definitely impressed with his shot on his second goal of the night. The type of player that sort of grows on you.

One lump or two?

2006-09-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Is Brandon Sugden worth the price of admission or what? He was in mid-season form tonight early on. After getting cross-checked hard in front of the Hamilton net in the opening period, Sugar tried to entice a few Bulldogs to dance by throwing three gloved rights at two different players before Ajay Baines finally agreed to be the sacrificial lamb. Baines got off easy as both players fell in the corner and Sugden ended up with 21 minutes of penalty time.

He spent the entire second period in the box (when asked by one reporter how he does that without getting bored he replied "I am used to it by now"), but that didn't stop him from incititng his opponent. When Hamilton tough guy Zack Stortini got into it with Jeff Szwez in front of the penalty box at the close of the second, Sugar berated Stortini for covering up and protecting himself with both arms (along with calling him a few choice names mainly used to describe a certain part of the female anatomy).

The two chatted often throughout the game with Stortini blowing kisses at Sugden. Late in the third Sugar tried one last time to get to Stortini when the Bulldog center gave Joe Motzko a cheap shot in front of the Crunch bench. Sugden climbed half-way over the boards and pleaded with Motzko to change so he could get a piece of Stortini, but before he could Andrew Murray jumped him. The look of disappointment on Sugden's face was priceless.

What makes Sugden so special is the attitude. Some tough guys have it, some don't. They all like to think they do, but that is not the case. The attitude was on display in the locker room after the game. When one reporter asked Sugden about Stortini, Sugden pursed his lips and gave a wave of his hands as if to say he was as troubling as a gnat buzzing around his head.

Now don't get me wrong, Sugden respects tough guys. Especially guys who deserve it and the ones that follow the code, but that's where it ends, with respect. He still believes no matter who is around that he is the toughest guy in the room. That is all part of the attitude.

Bulldogs at a glance

2006-09-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

The Bulldogs come to town after losing their first preseason tilt 6-5 to the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday. Hamilton received an influx of talent since then as seven players were dispatched from Montreal to the Bulldogs.

Heading that list is former Prince Albert Raider standout Kyle Chipchura. Montreal's first selection, 18th overall in 2004, Chipchura appeared in 8 games for Hamilton at the conclusion of last season, scoring once and adding two assists. Chipchura is a solid center and the type of player who could someday where the "C" for the Canadiens.

Also sent down were talented center Corey Locke and longtime Norfolk Admiral Ajay Baines. Locke potted 19 goals and added 40 assists in 77 games last season while Baines joins the Bulldogs after six seasons spent with the Admirals.

Joining Baines and Locke were forwards Jonathon Ferland, Maxim Lapierre, defenseman Danny Groulx and netminder Yann Danis.

Hamilton will be without one of their top offseason signs, Eric Manlow. One of the major cogs for Grand Rapids last season, Manlow hurt his ankle last weekend and will be out 7-10 days.

The Bulldogs should have a little muscle with them on Friday with the addition of right winger Zach Stortini. Assigned to Hamilton by the Edmonton Oilers, the 6-foot-4, 225 pound Stortini piled up 261 penalty minutes in 57 games last season with Iowa and Milwaukee.

View from above:

2006-09-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Some random thoughts on players from Tuesday's game:

Olivier Labelle: Reviews seem to be mixed on Labelle's first showing. I, personally, thought he looked great. Battles every shift, finishes his checks and plays much bigger than he is. Also, loved the way he stepped right in to challenge Kaleta, forcing him to turtle for the second time. Originally I questioned his 185 pim's last season as more of a fluke. Not the case. He also showed why he scored 50 goals last season. Didn't dominate, but showed me something late in the game when he corralled a pass in the slot. Didn't rush his shot, showed patience, made a move and fired one on net. Can't see him not starting the year with the Crunch.

Wes Rypien: Boy would it be fun to have Rypien hang around for the season. Think he will probably fall victim to a numbers game, but great for depth. Sort of a poor man's Darcy Verot with a real mean streak. Every shift he seems pissed off and looks to hit something. Showed a little offensively too. His line along with Peter Pohl and vet Kris Vernarsky was probably the most consistent all game long.

Petr Pohl: Pohl looked pretty good too. Definite offensive upside. Dangled more than once and didn't seem to shy away from contact.

Trevor Hendrikx: He looked o.k. Laid out a couple of big hits. Didn't really show anything that would lead one to believe he could quarterback the power play this season. If any rookie will see time in that spot it will probably be Kyle Wharton.

Tim Konsorada: Seems to be maturing physical. Stronger on his skates and finished his checks.

Kris Vernarsky: One of Don MacAdam's big signs for Dayton. Didn't stand out, but you could tell he was a vet. Did a lot of little things. Will probably start year with the Bombers, but could be a nice spot fill-in. Kind of reminded me of a Scott Cameron.

Paul Kelly: He played pretty well. Caught my eye right away when I saw that he played at SUNY-Plattsburgh in the SUNYAC. He put up 26 points in 42 games at Dayton last season and could improve on that.

Mauldin off to speedy start

2006-09-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Former Crunch forward Greg Mauldin made quite an impression on his new employer this past Saturday in a 4-2 win for Peoria over Chicago. The talented forward scored a goal and was widely considered the best player on the ice for the Rivermen.

Mauldin also had plenty to say afterwards regarding his time spent in Syracuse and his brief stint with the Houston Aeros.

"I guess I didn't play the way Columbus wanted me to," Mauldin told the Peoria Journal Star. "When I got traded to Houston late last season, I knew I wouldn't be going back to Syracuse. But I was shocked when Houston didn't bring me back. I thought I did a good job for them."

What Mauldin may have been referring to is Columbus' urging that Mauldin play a more physical style, something that the Boston native worked hard on.

Mauldin also revealed that he was headed to Germany to play overseas before the Blues called and offered him a deal.

Tuesday's Matinee

2006-09-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

While Tuesday's exhibition game may be lacking in star power, it won't be without some interesting story lines. For the visiting Amerks, the only names that may ring a bell are Mark Mancari, Stefan Meyer and Brandon Smith, but a number of other players are worthy of some attention.

For starters Rochester sports a trio of talented goaltenders starting with Adam Berkoel. Berkoel ran the gambit last season by appearing in games in the ECHL with Gwinnett, the AHL with Chicago and the NHL with Atlanta.

Former Mississauga Ice Dog David Shantz is also fighting for a spot with the Amerks. Shantz rose to prominence prior to the 2004 Entry Draft after leading the Ice Dogs to the OHL Eastern Division Championship. He was selected by Florida in the second round that year and quickly fell out of favor in Mississauga. The following season he was dealt to Peterborough, where he rebounded nicely with a 31-14-3 record.

Rochester also boasts Adam Dennis, the reigning Goaltender of the Year in the OHL after winning 44 games for London last season. Dennis, however, has yet to come to terms with the Sabres.

Up front look out for center Marek Zagrapan. Selected 13th overall in 2005, Zagrapan is rated as the Sabres second best prospect by The Hockey News and first overall by HockeysFuture.com. A native of Slovakia, Zagrapan is loaded with talent, but also sports a slight temper, which should lend itself quite well to the Syracuse, Rochester rivalry.

For the Crunch be sure to check out the tandem of Petr Pohl and Olivier Labelle. Linemates last season in the "Q" with Acadie-Bathurst, the duo accounted for 77 goals and 93 assists on the season. New Crunch head man Ross Yates is sure to pair them up a some point to see if they can rekindle some of their old chemistry.

Defenseman Trevor Hendrikx also should get a long look in the preseason. Hendrikx rounded out his game quite nicely last season after earning a reputation early on as more of a fighter. Hendrikx will still throw and he could emerge as a decent middleweight to help Brandon Sugden give the Syracuse forwards plenty of room to operate.

Look for a few others to drop the gloves on Tuesday. Fighting is a staple in the preseason with plenty of players literally fighting for jobs. Wes Rypien is a possible candidate along with rookie Kelly Thompson and former Wheeling Nailer Luis Tremblay.

One highlight could be a revenge bout between Jeff Szwez and the recently demoted Stefan Meyer. Meyer, at Rochester head coach Randy Cunneyworth's urging, jumped Szwez at the end of a Crunch blowout win last season. Szwez more than held his own, but was injured during the bout. Round two may be in the works.