The Crunch play back to back against the Bulldogs in a home and home to open the week. Syracuse will try to build on any momentum gained from Saturday’s come from behind 6-3 win over the rival Rochester Americans.
Hamilton kicked off their tenth anniversary season by losing a pair before winning two of their last three. They are lead by first year head coach Don Lever, who takes over for the departed Doug Jarvis. In 1987 Lever lead the Rochester Americans to the Calder Cup Championship and then again to the finals in 1991 before losing to Springfield in six games. The Bulldogs are the primary affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, but they also received some players from the Edmonton Oilers.
Players to Watch:
Second year forward and former OHL scoring champ Corey Locke leads the Bulldogs with two goals and four assists in five games. He recorded five points (2g, 3a) in Hamilton’s three games last week. On Friday Locke recorded a goal and an assist against Toronto, then recorded a goal on Saturday versus Cleveland and finished the week with a pair of helpers on Sunday.
Belarus native Andrei Kostitsyn, the Canadiens first selection, tenth overall in 2003 also returns for the Bulldogs. Kostitsyn appeared in 66 games last season for Hamilton, registering 12 goals and 11 assists.
Winger Jonathon Ferland recorded a point in each of the Bulldogs three games this past week. Ferland, Montreal’s fifth choice in 2002, scored goals in both games against the Marlies and added an assist in the Bulldog’s loss to Cleveland.
The Bulldogs also sport rookie center Marc-Andre Pouliot. Edmonton’s top pick, number 22 overall in 2003, Pouliot has recorded one goal and two assists in four games for Hamilton.
Defensively veteran Ron Hainsey (2 assists) returns along with holdovers Mathieu Roy (1g,1a) and Dan Smith (1 assist). Joining them on the blue line is Oiler top prospect Danny Syvret. The rookie was teammates last season with Crunch defenseman Marc Methot in London, where he recorded 23 goals and 46 assists for the Knights.
Olivier Michaud (1-3, 2.78) has been the man between pipes for the Bulldogs with second year man Jeff Deslauriers (1-0, 2.01) serving as back-up. Hamilton received a boost just in time for their pair with the Crunch as Ty Conklin was sent to the Bulldogs on Monday by Edmonton on a conditioning stint. Conklin has appeared in four games this year with the Oilers, earning one win and one loss with a 4.39 goals against average and a .836 save percentage.
The Fight Card:
Hamilton sports a number of willing combatants. 6’4”, 217 pound winger Jean-Francois Jacques leads the Bulldogs with 20 penalty minutes followed by defenseman Mathieu Roy’s 19 minutes. Veteran Peter Vandermeer also returns to the Hamilton lineup after serving a two-game suspension from the league.
Crunch One-Timers :
On Monday the Crunch signed goaltender Michael Ayers to a P.T.O. Ayers has appeared in two games with Dayton posting a 1-1-0 record with a 4.01 goals against average. Ayers was signed to replace Pascal Leclaire, who is expected to miss at least a week after getting hit in the knee with a puck during warm-ups prior to Friday’s game versus Wilkes-Barre……..It appears now that Ayers will be starting Wednesday’s tilt versus Hamilton after Andrew Penner was summoned to Columbus to replace the injured Marc Denis. Denis suffered a bruised clavicle Monday versus Detroit and is listed as day-to-day. No word on who the Crunch will be bringing in to back-up Ayers in Hamilton………….The Dayton Bombers received former Brandon Wheat King forward Tim Konsorada on assignment from the Blue Jackets. Konsorada, the Jackets eighth selection in 2002, signed with Columbus back in June of 2004 but has been hampered by shoulder injuries. Last season he recorded 29 goals and 58 assists with Brandon.