by
Jeff Parzych
It's a word that most people in central New York would rather not hear anymore than they already have to, but in this situation it truly fits. Brandon Sugden was just "Huge" Sunday evening against the Cleveland Barons.
It started with his vicious scrum with Yuri Moscevsky minutes into the contest. Gary Agnew had already sent out his three forwards when he noticed that Moscevsky was on the ice. Exercising his right for the last change Agnew called Sugden's number. They lined up next to each other, just waiting for the puck to be dropped, and squared off along the boards.
Moscevsky bull rushed Sugden right away, something Sugden files away for the next time they meet, and the two exchanged some serious punches for a good twenty seconds. At one point Sugden briefly goes down before regaining his balance for a few final blows. Mission accomplished.
Sugden did exactly what he was supposed to do. He delivered Agnew's early message by not losing the bout with Moscevsky. Did he take some shots in the process? Sure, that is part of the job.
A couple of shifts later after a face-off in front of the Baron bench, Sugden corrals a loose puck just outside the blue line. With two teammates streaking into the Cleveland zone, Sugden decides to forgo the pass, puts his head down and lets loose. The shot rang off the inside of the right post and into the net, beating Dmitri Patzold high to the stick side.
"I don't know that I have ever dissuaded a guy from shooting . I yell shoot a lot," stated Head Coach Gary Agnew. "I'm not sure I yelled shoot on that play, but I'm sure I didn't yell pass. If a guy wants to shoot by all means shoot the puck."
In the second period Agnew, in an attempt to shake up the power play and also reward Sugden, inserted Syracuse's sheriff in front of the net on that unit. Agnew is well aware that players like Sugden are anxious to contribute in ways other than patrolling the ice.
"I think you have to give a guy that goes out and battles hard for the team every night some carrots. Brandon's carrot is the fact that he is going to get a more regular shift and he is going to play net front on the power play and if he is capable of handling that he will get more of it, said Agnew. "When you have a warrior type guy like him that fights for his teammates it gets old fast and they want to contribute in other ways. He won't tell you that but I am."
While out on the ice with the man advantage, Sugden, while battling hard in front of the net, was inadvertently pushed into the Cleveland cage by defenseman Jesse Fibiger right on top of Patzold. Unwritten rules dictate that if you are shoved into an opposing netminder you hold nothing back.
Inquiring with Sugden as to whether or not he attempted to avoid the Baron goaltender elicited a smirk from Sugden. Agnew was more diplomatic in his response.
"Strange things happen when you go to the net. The puck can go off the back of your leg and you score," said Agnew. "You also can go to the net and you get tripped up and you run into a goalie, whatever. Those things happen."
Patzold remained in the game, but later he succumbed to the pain and was forced to leave with minutes remaining in the second period. Enter Bujar Amidovski, just recalled from Dayton of the ECHL, for his first AHL action of the season. Ironically Sugden and Amidovski go way back and they have known each other since they were kids.
Amidovski held down the fort for the remainder of the second, but in the third period the floodgates opened. Mark Hartigan lit the lamp just 33 seconds into the period and then just over a minute later it was Don MacLean's turn and the rout was officially on. In all the Crunch beat Amidovski for five goals in the period en route to a 6-4 win.
On MacLean's marker Sugden took advantage of his increased ice time by recording the secondary assist to complete the Gordie Howe Hat Trick. He wasn't exactly a critical component on the play, but that is what extra shifts can do for you.
What makes Sugden's night so special is that it was something that has been building for the last week or so. This wasn't a one and a million, David beating Goliath type feat. Anyone who has watched Sugden develop this last stretch of games will tell you that.
"Over the last two weeks this guy has come leaps and bounds and I think his confidence level is at an all time high," stated Agnew. "He has had some scoring chances in the last three or four games on the road and at home and it is nice to see him get one."
To put things into perspective one must remember that before signing with the Crunch Sugden was basically out of hockey for close to two years. It takes some time to get back into the swing of things as far as the game is concerned.
"It is just experience. Yeah, I am a twenty-five year old guy but I have played just over 100 games as a pro," stated Sugden. "Its like I am a second-year guy coming in and playing forward is also something new to me. Now that I am getting the ice I think it is all starting to come around."
Unfortunately for Sugden he will have to wait a bit to continue his rise. Late in the third period, while receiving a pass, Jesse Fibiger leveled Sugden with a clean hit at center red. He rose from the ice and finished his shift before retiring to the bench in obvious pain.
"It was just one of those things. You take a hit to make a play," said Sugden. "It was a good hit, a clean hit. I give him props for that, but it hurt a little bit."
As it turns out Sugden separated his shoulder, an injury that he has suffered before, and will miss the next few weeks. According to Sugden it will be more like two. "You know me. I am going to try and come back early."
After a game like Sunday's let's hope he does.
Limpright a No-Brainer
Almost lost in Sugden's big night was the continued strong play from newcomer Sean Limpright. Despite not recording a point for the first time in a Crunch uniform, the feisty Limpright still played well and finished the night a +2.
Since combining with the recently departed Mark Hartigan and Joe Motzko, that trio has just took off. In the three games that they played together they accounted for 16 points and were a combined +24. Limpright's personal +7 is already tied for tops on the team with his line mate Motzko.
In the short time that he has been with the club, Head Coach Agnew has been very pleased with his newest player. "He goes hard to the net, he finishes his checks and he is a pretty mean player and that is good," said Agnew. "You like when a guy who comes up and isn't afraid to play the game. He is out there battling, finishing checks, doing things that he needs to do to stay here."
Keeping Limpright around at this point seems to be a no-brainer, especially with the departure of Hartigan and the injury to Sugden, but as of Sunday, nothing had been decided.
"I have to talk to Columbus," stated Agnew. "And see what's going on up there and what they want to do here."