To close out the 2017 CrunchCast series, Brandon and I did something a little different. Instead of our usual summary of a week or two, we extended our gaze back over the last 365 days of Crunch hockey. In doing so, we narrowed down every event we could think of to a solid list of 20 moments we wanted to remember and discuss.
One of the things that such a look back required was research. I realized as we were putting the list together that we pretty much had the makings of an entry already, one that could supplement the work we had done with further informational links and videos. Even better, it could also serve as a (admittedly bare-bones) transcript for those unable to listen to the hour-long podcast itself.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to our discussion and are able to, you can do so here. We’d love any feedback you have for us! Regardless, we hope all of our listeners and readers find the text list below helpful.
Happy New Year, TampaCuse!
Honorable mention (it happened after we recorded): Crunch vs. Utica Comets needs an 11-round shootout before Syracuse comes out on top, January 30th, 2017. [YouTube]
20. Cory Conacher re-signs with the Tampa Bay Lightning, June 28th, 2017. [Raw Charge]
19. Erik Condra’s first professional hat trick in win over Rochester, February 25th, 2017. [YouTube]
18. Crunch captain Luke Witkowski is recalled for the final time, January 6th, 2017. This event would technically leave the Crunch leaderless until mid-March, but it was during this time that many different players on the team learned to step up, lead, and win. The experiences of those on the team during this time period set the Crunch up well for their run to the 2017 Calder Cup final.
17. Yanni Gourde’s meteoric rise, basically all of 2017. [No link required, I think we all understand this one]
16. Crunch take a 2-1 series lead vs. Providence in game 3 of the Eastern Conference final, May 24th, 2017. [YouTube]
15. Goalie Michael Leighton and forward Tye McGinn are traded for goalie Louis Domingue, November 14th, 2017. [Raw Charge]
14. The lip synch series unites the fan base and gives fans a peek at the players true personalities, second half of the 2016-2017 season. [YouTube]
13. Former Crunch goalie and coach Karl Goehring returns to Syracuse, July 12th, 2017. [Raw Charge]
12. Crunch make a statement win against the Charlotte Checkers, November 11th, 2017. [YouTube]
11. Crunch win in double overtime against the St. John’s Ice Caps in game 2 of the North Division semifinals, April 22nd, 2017. [YouTube]
10. Crunch clinch the North Division championship during the final game of the 2016-17 season. [YouTube]
09. Crunch defeat the Grand Rapids Griffins in game 5 of the Calder Cup final, preventing them from claiming the championship in Syracuse for a second time, June 10, 2017. [YouTube]
08. OT victory against St. John’s in game 4 of the North Division semifinal sends the Crunch onto round 2, April 28th, 2017. [YouTube]
07. Matt Taormina wins the Eddie Shore Award for the AHL’s outstanding defenseman of the year, April 8th, 2017. [Raw Charge]
06. Erik Condra is named the Crunch’s replacement captain, March 18th, 2017. [Raw Charge]
05. Former Crunch captain Zenon Konopka returns to Syracuse for a night and officially retires from hockey as a member of the Crunch, April 1st, 2017. [Syracuse.com]
04. The Crunch, the youngest team in the AHL, goes on a 10-game winning streak, November 22nd, 2017-December 15th, 2017. [Syracuse.com]
03. Crunch goalie Adam Wilcox is traded for goalie Mike McKenna, March 1st, 2017. [Raw Charge]
02. Crunch are ultimately victorious in their 7-game series vs. the Toronto Marlies during the North Division final, May 17th, 2017. [YouTube]
01. Crunch win the 2017 Eastern Conference championship, defeating the Providence Bruins to advance to the Calder Cup final, May 27th, 2017. [YouTube]
