On Episode 40 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Gary Agnew. Agnew, the third head coach in franchise history, spent six seasons in that position with the Crunch, starting in the 2000-01 season. He was the first head coach for the Crunch during their affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets, helping the team get off the ground in their first NHL season. Agnew led the Crunch to at least a 0.500 record in five of his six seasons, and he guided the team to the p...
Oct 31, 2022•33 min
On Episode 39 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Brent Walton. Walton played in just 19 games for the Crunch over the span of two seasons. He joined the Crunch at the end of the 2005-06 season, appearing in six games following his career at Western Michigan. He did not record a point in those six games, but he remained with the organization for the 2006-07 season on an AHL contract with Syracuse. He saw action in 13 Crunch games that year without a point. Walto...
Oct 24, 2022•31 min
On Episode 38 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Mike Blunden. Blunden played four seasons for the Crunch, spanning two different affiliations. Blunden's first stint in Syracuse came when he was acquired by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2008-09 season. He finished that season with the Crunch, producing 21 points in 39 games. After starting the 2009-10 season with the Blue Jackets, Blunden was sent back to the Crunch around Christmas, ultimately playing i...
Oct 17, 2022•30 min
On Episode 37 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Cameron Gaunce. Gaunce spent two seasons with the club, beginning with the 2018-19 campaign. Gaunce joined the organization when he signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018. The defenseman had a prolific season with the Crunch in 2018-19, producing a career high 46 points (10g, 36a) in 59 games. That ranked sixth on the team in scoring and put him tied for seventh overall among defensemen in th...
Oct 10, 2022•35 min
On Episode 36 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Scott "Wild Thing" Walker to kick off Season 2 of the show. Walker spent two seasons with the Crunch from 1994 to 1996. Walker was a member of the original Crunch team in 1994-95. As a defenseman that season, Walker compiled 334 penalty minutes, which still stands as the second-most ever in a single season in franchise history. He also added 52 points that season, leading all Crunch defensemen. At the end of the ...
Oct 03, 2022•28 min
In preparation for Season 2 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale takes the listeners back through some of the best moments from Season 1 of the show. We hear from Pat Maroon, Carter Verhaeghe, Ross Colton, Vance Lederman, John Badduke, Zenon Konopka, Bobby Mac and Yanni Gourde. After that, we get a taste of what's to come on Season 2 of Crunch Chronicles, which kicks off Monday, October 3.
Sep 26, 2022•37 min
On the final episode of Season 1 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Ben Groulx. The focus of this final episode of the season is a reflection on the 2021-22 Crunch season, with the conversation taking place on exit day, less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the Crunch's run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Groulx just completed his sixth season as head coach of the Crunch, and near the end of the season he passed Gary Agnew to become the all-time winningest coach in franchise history...
May 23, 2022•25 min
On Episode 33 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Eric Neilson. Neilson spent three memorable seasons with the Crunch at the start of the team's affiliation with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Neilson was a member of the original team that won a Calder Cup in Norfolk in 2012 before the Lightning's affiliation moved to Syracuse ahead of the 2012-13 season. He was a key part of the group that help the new affiliate immediately connect with the Syracuse community, both on and off the ice. He p...
Apr 18, 2022•39 min
On Episode 32 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Trevor Frischmon. Frischmon spent four seasons with the Crunch at the end of the team's affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Frischmon began his pro career on a two-way AHL contract with the Crunch, and he split his rookie season with the Crunch and ECHL Dayton Bombers. He played in 33 games for the Crunch, adding seven assists in 2006-07. He also dressed in 24 games with the Bombers during the regular season, and then he helped...
Apr 11, 2022•37 min
On Episode 31 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Tampa Bay Lightning Director of Skill Development Mike Ellis. On the show, Ellis discusses the road which led him to his current role with the Lightning, his philosophies on skill development and working with current players, watching players develop into NHL regulars and much more.
Apr 04, 2022•35 min
On Episode 30 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Crunch General Manager Stacy Roest. On the show, Dolgon discusses his path to becoming the Crunch's general manager, his responsibilities within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, what Syracuse means to the Lightning organization, the current push for the playoffs and much more.
Mar 28, 2022•31 min
On Episode 29 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Crunch Owner Howard Dolgon. On the show, Dolgon discusses the process of bringing an AHL team to Syracuse, the multiple teams he engaged to partner with from the start, the challenges of the last two years during the pandemic and much more.
Mar 21, 2022•35 min
On Episode 28 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Rob Zettler. Zettler served as a the Crunch's head coach for parts of four seasons. Zettler joined the Crunch as an assistant coach under Jon Cooper when the Crunch began their affiliation with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2012-13 season. He assumed the position of head coach late that season when Cooper was promoted to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Zettler led the Crunch over the final 11 games of the regular season as the team clinched...
Mar 14, 2022•34 min
On Episode 27 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Corey Hirsch. Hirsch played for the Crunch during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons while the team was affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks. Hirsch was a workhorse in the 1997-98 season, playing in 60 games for the Crunch, which stands as the second-most by a Crunch goaltender in a single season. He finished that season with a 30-22-6 record with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Among AHL goaltenders, Hirsch rank...
Mar 07, 2022•26 min
On Episode 26 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Mike McKenna. McKenna's time in Syracuse was short - lasting just over three months - but it was impactful during the team's run to the 2017 Calder Cup Finals. McKenna was acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade from the Florida Panthers on March 1, 2017. It was the first time in his career he was traded and it brought the journeyman goaltender to the Crunch. He appeared in 14 games for the Crunch down the stretch and posted a 5...
Feb 28, 2022•43 min
On Episode 25 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Matt Taormina. Taormina, played four seasons with the Crunch over two stints and he is the only player to play for the team in both the 2013 and 2017 Calder Cup Finals. Taormina's first stint in Syracuse began in 2012-13 when he signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He produced 24 points in 55 regular season games that year for the Crunch and then added 12 more during the playoffs to help lead the Crunch into the Calder ...
Feb 21, 2022•37 min
On Episode 24 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by J.P. Cote. Cote, who is currently the Director of Player Development for the Tampa Bay Lightning, played three seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch from 2012 to 2015. Cote joined signed a two-year AHL contract with the Crunch ahead of the 2012-13 season after he won the Calder Cup with the Norfolk Admirals in 2012. A veteran presence, Cote was an assistant captain for the Crunch, providing leadership while dressing in 74 games. The stea...
Feb 14, 2022•38 min
On Episode 23 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by David Ling. Ling, a former Crunch captain, played three seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch from 2001 to 2004. Ling joined the organization in 2001-02 in his seventh pro season. He played in 71 games for the Crunch that season and finished the season with 60 points and 240 PIM. He finished second on the team in scoring to help lead the Crunch to their first ever division championship as the team finished first place in the Western Conf...
Feb 07, 2022•31 min
On Episode 22 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Mike Angelidis. Angelidis is one of the most iconic players in franchise history and he served as captain for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. Angelidis joined the Crunch as part of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization when the teams began their affiliation ahead of the 2012-13 season. He was immediately named the team's captain that season, a role he maintained during his entire tenure in Syracuse. On the ice, Angelidis contributed 24 ...
Jan 31, 2022•35 min
On Episode 21 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Alex Picard. Picard spent parts of five seasons in Syracuse and is one of the top scorers in franchise history. Picard, the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NH Entry Draft, began his pro career with the Crunch in the 2005-06 season. He logged 30 points (15g, 15a) in 45 games as a rookie for the Crunch, while he also saw action in his first 17 NHL games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Over the next four seasons, Picard would continue to s...
Jan 24, 2022•37 min
On Episode 20 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Karl Goehring. Goehring is one of the most popular players in Crunch history, spending parts of five seasons in Syracuse. Goehring is the winningest goaltender in Crunch history, earning 78 wins while appearing in 177 games in a Crunch sweater. His career began in Syracuse during the 2001-02 season, playing in 15 games for the Crunch as a rookie; he also played in the ECHL that season and helped the Dayton Bombers advance to the Kelly ...
Jan 17, 2022•39 min
On Episode 19 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Bob McElligott. Bobby Mac is radio play-by-play broadcaster for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. McElligott spent 10 seasons as the voice of the Crunch, joining the team in 1999 and staying with the organization until his promotion to the Blue Jackets broadcast team in 2009. His first season in Syracuse was the team's last campaign as an affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks and the final nine years in the Salt City were spent with the Cr...
Jan 10, 2022•46 min
On Episode 18 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Yanni Gourde. Gourde is one of the great success stories of the Crunch's affiliation with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gourde's time with the organization began late in the 2013-14 season when he contributed eight points in 18 games with the Crunch. His first full season with the organization was in 2014-15 when he skated in all 76 Crunch games and produced a career-high 57 points, helping the Crunch make the playoffs. In 2015-16, Gourde f...
Jan 03, 2022•41 min
On Episode 17 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Brent Sopel. Sopel began his pro career with the Crunch and played three full seasons in Syracuse during the Vancouver Canucks affiliation. Sopel totaled three regular season games for the Crunch during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons before beginning his pro career in earnest as a rookie during the 1997-98 campaign. The defenseman piled up 43 points in 76 games for the Crunch before adding on seven points in five playoff games. He fol...
Dec 27, 2021•32 min
On Episode 16 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Mike Brown. Brown played one season for the Crunch at the end of their affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks. Brown played his rookie season with the Crunch in 1999-00 and appeared in 71 games. He 31 points (13g, 18a) while amassing a team-high 284 penalty minutes over the course of the season, helping the Crunch make the playoffs. He dressed in all four playoff games for the Crunch too to close out his time in Syracuse before Vancouv...
Dec 20, 2021•31 min
On Episode 15 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Joe Motzko. Motzko saw action in five different seasons for the Crunch during their affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets and is one of the most prolific scorers in team history. After playing in two games at the end of the 2002-03 season, Motzko embarked on his rookie campaign in Syracuse during the 2003-04 season, amassing 41 points in 70 games. He added four more points during the playoffs before the Crunch lost a heartbreaking...
Dec 13, 2021•31 min
On Episode 14 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Cedrick Desjardins. Desjardins spent one and a half seasons with the Crunch and backstopped the team to their first Calder Cup Finals appearance in 2013. Acquired in a mid-season trade during 2012-13 campaign, Desjardins stabilized the Crunch's goaltending and provided a strong veteran presence as the team was in a battle for the East Division. In 14 regular season games down the stretch, Desjardins posted an 8-5-1 record with a 2.12 g...
Dec 06, 2021•36 min
On Episode 13 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Reggie Savage. Savage spent three seasons in Syracuse and was tabbed by the Crunch as the player to bridge the organization to a new NHL affiliate, playing for the Crunch during both the Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets eras. Acquired in a trade late in the 1995-96 season, Savage helped the Crunch make the playoffs in their second season in Syracuse. He scored the playoff clinching goal for the Crunch and tallied nine goals ...
Nov 29, 2021•34 min
On Episode 12 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Zenon Konopka. One of the most popular players in Crunch history, Konopka made a lasting impression on the organization despite spending parts of just two seasons in Syracuse from 2006 to 2008. Acquired in a trade during the 2006-07 season, Konopka joined the Crunch and produced 20 points in 20 games. He was instrumental in changing the culture of the team, joining the Crunch when they were seven games below 0.500, but helping the grou...
Nov 22, 2021•36 min
On Episode 11 of Crunch Chronicles Lukas Favale is joined by Tyson Nash. Nash played three seasons for the Syracuse Crunch to begin his pro career from 1995 to 1998. A 10th round pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1994 NHL Draft, Nash dressed in 50 games as a rookie for the Crunch in 1995-96, when he produced 11 points. He also saw action in the playoffs as the Crunch advanced to the Southern Conference Finals. Nash played in over 70 games in each of his final two seasons with the Crunch, culm...
Nov 15, 2021•34 min
