Crunch Will Return to Oswego

The Syracuse Crunch will return to Oswego for the second year in a row according to The Post-Standard's Lindsey Kramer. The Crunch will face I-81 rival Binghamton in a pre-season exhibiton on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Campus Center Ice Arena.

Last year, the Crunch defeated Rochester 5-3 in Oswego in their final pre-season contest prior to the 2007-08 regular season. Syracuse went on to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs for the ninth time in the franchise's 14-year history.

This season the Crunch face a Binghamton team that has been absent from the post-season for the past three seasons. No announcement has been made by SUNY Oswego concerning ticket sales. Last year, tickets were $10 general admission and went on sale about two weeks before the game.

Ryan Maloney

The Search Is On...

Marushka Eddy has left SUNY Oswego, leaving the college without a coach for their women's lacrosse and field hockey programs. The athletic department is now accepting applications. Candidates must possess strong organizational, interpersonal, and leadership skills. An indifference toward winning would also be a plus.

Z, KG Bid Bon Voyage

Two key components of the Syracuse Crunch hockey club's successful 2007-08 campaign have signed on with new teams. Goaltender Karl Goehring and captain Zenon Konopka will not don Al the Gorilla on their sweaters next season.

The Manitoba Moose signed Goehring to an AHL deal this week effectively ending the backstop's second stint in the Salt City. Goehring had a 7-6 record during the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, earning four of those victories against the Moose. During the regular season, Goehring went 15-8-2 with a 2.12 goals against average while stopping 93% of the shots he faced.


Konopka signed a two-year contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lighting on Thursday. He had been offered $265,000 by Columbus to remain the Crunch captain for the 2008-09 season. However, Konopka told The Post-Standard's Lindsey Kramer that, after speaking with new Lightning coach Barry Melrose, he feels he has a batter chance at making the NHL with his new club.


Konopka will earn $100,000 if he spends the entire first year of the deal with Tampa's AHL-afiliate Norfolk. The second year of the deal is one-way, meaning he'll make the same amount of money no matter which level he plays at. Kramer reports the salary of the second year of the deal to be in the $450,000-$500,000 range.


Ryan Maloney

Oswego Native Cole Dealt to Edmonton

Oswego native Erik Cole was traded to the Edmonton Oilers today in exchange for defenseman Joni Pitkanen. Cole, 29, had spent his first six NHL seasons with Carolina after the Hurricanes drafted him in the third round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He helped lead Carolina to a seven-game Stanley Cup Finals victory over Edmonton in 2006.

Edmonton also acquired former Syracuse Crunch forward Gilbert Brule from Columbus in exchange for Raffi Torres. Brule scored three goals and had two assists for Syracuse in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs.