Rob Zettler kept his attention on the task at hand.
The Syracuse Crunch coach, despite hearing his team had clinched a playoff spot with a pair of Eastern Conference teams losing, focused on his team's comeback attempt late in the third period. But the 3-1 deficit turned to 4-1 with an empty-netter, and the Hershey Bears provided the rain for the Crunch clinching party at the Onondaga County War Memorial Friday night.
"We're in, but it didn't feel very good," Zettler said.
Still seeking win one under Zettler.
HER-4
SYR-1
Cedrick Desjardins allowed 3 goals on 26 shots for the loss.
First Period
HER Kane, (14) (Orlov, Wellman), 9:18
SYR Jacques, (6) (Angelidis), 17:08
Second Period
HER Kundratek, (14) (Potulny, Kane), 19:21
Third Period
HER LeBlanc, (10) , 10:06
HER Kundratek, (15) , 19:51 (EN)
Time is slipping away for the Crunch to regain their footing. They will end the night 2 points out of the top spot in the Eastern Conference and tied inside their division. They have a rematch with Hershey in Hershey tomorrow night, which starts a 2 game road trip that will be the final roadie of the regular season.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
As he waits for his first win behind the Syracuse Crunch bench, Rob Zettler has gone through a range of emotions.
He’s excited and energetic, and comfortable yet anxious. Although his tenure has started with three straight losses, he knows it hasn’t stemmed from a lack of trying.
“These guys all want to win as much as I do,” Zettler said of his team. “I'm not worried about their effort. I'm not worried about how they played. We just have to find a way to get the W."
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Dana Tyrell and Brett Connolly from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. Additionally the team has reassigned forwards Mike Angelidis and Ondrej Palat, along with defenseman Andrej Sustr and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the Crunch.
It's all still sinking in for Tanner Richard.
After finishing up his first practice with the Syracuse Crunch Wednesday afternoon, the 2012 third-rounder -- one of two draftees signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday -- was just beginning to take in his new surroundings.
"My phone has been ringing off the hook since Monday,” Richard said. “It just doesn't stop beeping. Every time I look there's 15 or 20 messages from Facebook and Twitter and everything. Honestly, I'm trying to soak it all in and have a good time."
Richard wasn’t the only fresh face getting acquainted to a new team at the Onondaga County War Memorial. Defenseman Luke Witkowski (pictured), a sixth-round pick in 2008 who finished up his senior season at Western Michigan University, also donned a Crunch sweater for the first time.
