Archive for March 2012
Well I have been missing from the blog for a while but have been really tied up with work. Sorry for being a shitty blogger. Anyways on with the post.
The Ducks dreams of the playoffs are gone but the organization still wants a Cup and no it is not Lord Stanleys. Today the Ducks sent down Kyle Palmieri. As Bruce said this was not a demotion, it was to bolster the line up in Syracuse and reward them for their efforts. With the Ducks getting ready to leave town, they have some unfinished business in Syracuse. They want to win, do well in the playoffs, and reward the fans in Syracuse that have stuck by the Crunch through some tough times. KP did a great job in Anaheim. He did have some games that were amazing and had a few that he disappeared in. You know what you are getting back except he is better. I think he picked up a few things playing with Perry, Getzlaf, Ryan and Selanne. Those are four guys that can really help a young rookie. Look for him to be deadly in Syracuse. The addition of Bobkov also should help take some of the load off of Tarkki. Guenin will not be back though after taking a puck to the face and breaking his orbital bone.
Before this season, this team looked really good on paper but had a resolve just as thin. The boys have come together under new leadership and with KP back in town, are ready to make some noise. I cant wait for playoffs, even if it is the Syracuse kind. GO CRUNCH and GO DUCKS.
….Sexton is the hero tonight! The Crunch WIN in the shootout. The only player from both teams to score in the shootout was Dan Sexton. Tarkki was perfect in the extra frames and stopped 38 of 41 shots during regulation. With the win, the Crunch take full control of the 8th and final spot in the East! The Sharks lost tonight, leading the way for the Crunch to take that last spot. We’re also one point behind 7th place Manchester.
The Crunch saw regulation goals from Caputi, Cumiskey, and Holland. The Crunch have won 5 games in a row and 8 out of their last 9. Before this stretch, the team had only come from behind 4 times this ENTIRE SEASON. They’ve done it 4 times just recently. Tenacity, they have, dear readers. Doesn’t matter where it’s been, only matters that they’ve found it now!
According to Igor Bobkov’s Twitter, he has arrived in Syracuse. My best guest would be he’s not here to take in the sights. 
Looks like Tarkki might have some help down the stretch, while Elmira gets their goalie back just in time for their playoffs.
If you remember, Bobkov came in at the end of last season when his OHL year ended and kicked ass, winning both games he started.
I’m not going to lie. I declared our playoff chase over a month ago. I watched these guys find ways to lose night after night, game after game, and called the season done.
I’ve never been more happy to be wrong.
As of right now, the Crunch, OUR Crunch, is tied for 8th place in the Eastern Conference.
Tied for the last playoff spot.
And, according to the standings, the Crunch holds the tie breaker, as the Crunch is ranked 8th by the AHL while Springfield, with the same amount of points (66), is ranked 9th. 7th place Manchester has 67 points. 6th place Bridgeport has 72.
We’re in this thing, kids. If the season ended today, we’d be facing Norfolk round one. That might turn out to be ironic for many reasons, but of course the season didn’t end today. Just because we’re in it now doesn’t mean we’ll still be in it four weeks from now. But for right now, WE’RE IN IT, something that just didn’t seem possible a month ago.
We still have a hike to finish this thing. This team has to keep playing as one, no matter who we do or don’t get back from the Ducks. They have to stay focused on each other, keep sticking up for their teammates, and keep playing the game we know they can play.
The game we’ve always known they can play.
It isn’t over. But at least we have the satisfaction of it actually beginning.
GO CRUNCH!
