It was a simple enough pre-Christmas promotion, a step above the usual request for non-perishable food items for the needy.
In this case, the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch embraced an increasingly popular hockey holiday tradition, the Teddy Bear Toss. Syracuse sponsor Stanley Steemer asked fans to bring new or gently used stuffed toys to Saturday’s game against the Hamilton Bulldogs at the Onondaga Counter War Memorial. As soon as the Crunch scored its first goal of the game, fans would throw the toys onto the ice where they’d be gathered up for delivery to the community’s less-fortunate youngsters.
The Bulldogs had allowed 75 goals in 23 games, and with the Crunch’s 11 wins and nine losses against Hamilton’s eight victories and 13 losses, scoring Saturday should have been no problem.
But even the best-laid plans can go awry.
The first 20-minute period, a well-skated frame from both ends of the rink, concluded with Hamilton ahead 2-0.
The Bulldogs netted another goal in the second against the Crunch’s number-two netminder, Jeff Deslauriers. A minute into the period Hamilton’s Aaron Palushaj jumped out of the penalty box after serving a two-minute roughing minor, scooped up the puck and broke away to beat Deslauriers with a quick wrister putting the Bulldogs up 3-0.
As that period ended, Crunch shooters had thrown 28 hopeful shots at Hamilton’s Czech goalie, Robert Mayer, a struggling stopper who had allowed an average of four goals a game so far this season. But no dice. Mayer denied the Crunch at every turn.
So 2,500 (of the attending 5,400) fans hugged their teddy bears and waited. Surely, the Crunch — a team missing top scorer Kyle Palmieri who had been promoted to Anaheim but still boasting solid shooters like Nick Bonino, Nic Deschamps, Dan Sexton and Patrick Maroon — surely, one of these plucky puck-handlers would pop one in during the third.
As the final period began, the seconds and minutes ticked away faster than ever. Three minutes gone. Five minutes gone. Ten minutes gone…
Crunch forwards took shot after shot. With a lightning-quick right leg, Mayer kicked out a shorthanded Nick Bonino bid. Later, when left winger John Mitchell skated in on a breakaway, Mayer simply stuffed him.
With less than seven minutes left to play, Bulldogs center Gabe Dumont put another one past a despondent DesLauriers, making it 4-0.
And then it happened.
The frustrated fans weren’t going to hold onto their fuzzy friends any longer. A torrent of toys flew onto the ice, even though the Crunch had not yet scored. One teddy bear’s tag caught the screen around the visitors’ goal, and he hung there limply, staring glassy-eyed at the crowd.
Players from both teams used their sticks to help a crew of young fans and Crunch staffers to gather the toys in piles and then into big plastic bags. The animals will be refurbished by Stanley Steemer and donated to the Salvation Army.
With two minutes left to play, the Crunch finally broke Mayer’s shutout when Dan Sexton scored on assists by linemates Bonino and Maroon, final score 4-1. A handful of fans who had retained their teddies tossed them pathetically into the rink.
Crunch play two
The Syracuse Crunch continues its climb up the American Hockey League’s East Division standings with home games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Adirondack Phantoms at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16-17, respectively, at the Onondaga County War Memorial at State and Harrison streets, downtown.
The Crunch is affiliated with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is the top farm club of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Adirondack is affiliated with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Ticket prices range from $14 to $21; 473-4444.
