Following their game against the Utica Comets, three members of the Syracuse Crunch hopped on a big ol’ jetairliner back to the Sunshine State. Phil Myers, Max Crozier, and Waltteri Merelä were recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. For Crozier and Myers it was a quick trip to Syracuse as they had been reassigned on Sunday. Merelä had spent a little more time with the Crunch having been assigned in the middle of November.
In 23 games with the Crunch Merelä has 6 goals and 10 assists. It will be the 25-year-olds second stint with the Lightning this season as he appeared in 14 games without a point at the beginning of the season. He’ll slot into the rotation on the bottom-six with Tanner Jeannot out of the line-up.
The recall of Crozier and Myers are an indication that Mikhail Sergachev, Haydn Fleury, and Erik Cernak might not be ready for return when the Bolts are back in action this week. In his midseason report, general manager Julien BriseBois indicated that Sergachev and Fleury might be out until the All-Star Break.
It’s been awhile since the Lightning have leaned on the Crunch this much for roster reinforcements. Kudos to Syracuse for keeping things together despite all of the roster churn over the last month.
