Crunch Chronicles

On Episode 70 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Ross Yates.Yates spent a decade in Syracuse, spanning the entire Columbus Blue Jackets era, from 2000 to 2010. His first six seasons (2000-06) were spent as an assistant coach to Gary Agnew. He then took over as head coach and continued in that role for four seasons from 2006 to 2010.Yates led the team to a pair of 40-win seasons, including a 46-26-2-6 record in 2007-08. The 100-point campaign remains one of the best regular seasons in Crunch history.Over his four seasons, Yates compiled a 154-131-15-20 record for a 0.536 points percentage. The team only qualified for the playoffs once (2007-08), but the team was in the hunt every season. His time in Syracuse ended when the Blue Jackets changed their AHL affiliate.

On Episode 69 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Jon Mirasty. Mirasty spent four seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch during both the Columbus and Anaheim affiliations. Mirasty signed with the Crunch for the 2007-08 season and contributed to one of the toughest teams in hockey. A member of the 'Nasty Boys', Mirasty racked up 181 penalty minutes in 55 games as the Crunch had one of their best regular seasons in team history. Mirasty remained with the Crunch into the 2010-11 campaign, bridging the gap between the Crunch's NHL affiliates. In 182 Crunch games, Mirasty accumulated 751 penalty minutes, which ranks third in team history.

On Episode 68 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Brett Connolly. Connolly played for the Crunch for two seasons beginning in 2012-13. A first-round pick (6th overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, Connolly started the 2012-13 season with the Crunch while the NHL was in a lockout. The second-year pro produced 31 goals and 63 points, ranking fourth and ninth in the AHL respectively, to help fuel the AHL's top offense. Syracuse captured the East Division title that season and advanced to its first Calder Cup Finals. Connolly added 11 points (6g, 5a) during the playoffs. Connolly returned for a second season in 2013-14 and led the Crunch with 57 points (21g, 36a). In 137 career Crunch regular season games for the Crunch, Connolly collected 52 goals and 68 assists for 120 points. He has played 536 career NHL games for the Lightning, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks. He won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.

On Episode 67 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Ryan Lohin. Lohin played parts of two seasons for the Crunch during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. A seventh round draft pick in 2016, Lohin went to UMass-Lowell from 2016 to 2019. At the end of his 2018-19 campaign, Lohin signed his entry-level contract and joined the Crunch for the remainder of the season. Lohin skated in three games with the Crunch that season as the Crunch won the North Division title. He began the 2019-20 season with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears before suffering an injury and having season-ending ACL surgery after only 15 games. He returned to Syracuse for the 2020-21 season, playing in 25 games and adding 15 points. He played two additional seasons between the AHL and ECHL from 2021 to 2023 before suffering a back injury and stepping away from the game.

On Episode 66 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by JF Labbe. Labbe spent parts of three seasons with the Crunch during the first few seasons of their affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Acquired by Columbus in a November 2000 trade, Labbe helped turn the Crunch's 2000-01 season around. The former AHL MVP goaltender posted a 15-15-5 record with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage to help the Crunch earn a berth in the playoffs. The Sherbrooke, Quebec native put together one of the finest goaltending seasons in 2001-02. He went 27-16-7 in 51 appearances, recording a 2.18 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. He logged nine shutouts to help the Crunch top the Western Conference standings with 96 points. Labbe made four more appearances for the Crunch in 2002-03, but spent most of that season in Columbus. In 92 total appearances with the Crunch, Labbe was 43-33-13 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. His 11 shutouts are tied for the most in team history. Labbe’s AHL Hall of Fame career featured two Calder Cups – one with Hershey and one with Hartford. He was a multi-time All-Star, a Baz Bastien Memorial Award winner for the AHL’s best goaltender, an AHL MVP and an AHL Playoff MVP. He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2016.

On Episode 65 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Jeff Halpern. Halpern joined the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in 2015-16, serving first as a player development coach and then as a full-time assistant. After one season in a player development role, Halpern was hired as an assistant coach for the Crunch ahead of the 2016-17 season, joining incoming head coach Ben Groulx's staff. The Crunch went on to finish with a 38-24-7-7 record to capture their third division championship. The Crunch advanced to their second Calder Cup Finals in 2017, falling in six games to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Halpern returned as an assistant coach in 2017-18, when a new wave of rookies joined the organization. After a 4-9-1-2 start to the season, the Crunch rallied to go 46-22-3-5 and finished fourth overall in the AHL. They would lose to the Toronto Marlies in the North Division Finals. Following the season, Halpern was promoted to become an assistant coach with the Lightning. He has remained with Tampa Bay ever since, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, and advancing to a third final in 2022.

On Episode 64 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Nick Riopel.  Riopel signed an AHL contract with the Crunch during the 2015-16 season and remained part of the organization until the 2017-18 campaign. The goaltender split time between the Crunch and the ECHL during his seasons with the organization. He dressed as the backup goaltender multiple times over the years, but he only appeared in one game - a relief outing on Jan. 20, 2018. Riopel was later involved in a duo of trades at the end of that month that led to Eddie Pasquale joining the Crunch. Riopel finished his playing career that season with the ECHL's Wichita Thunder. In total, Riopel appeared in 22 career AHL games with the Adirondack Phantoms and the Crunch. He also played 167 ECHL games for six different teams. Additionally he played one season in England and another in France. On the show, Riopel discusses his time with the organization and how he transitioned into becoming a player agent.

On Episode 63 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Jeremy Reich.  Reich spent five seasons playing for the Crunch, beginning in 2000 at the start of the team's affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That was Reich's rookie season, and he skated in 56 games and compiled 15 points and 108 penalty minutes. His role continued to evolve during his tenure with the Crunch. He peaked at 195 penalty minutes in 2002-03, while posting 51 points the following season in 2003-04. In total, Reich appeared in 315 career games for the Crunch, a mark that currently ranks third in team history. He holds the franchise record for career penalty minutes (820); he also tallied 118 points for the Crunch from 2000 to 2005. Reich made his NHL debut and skated in nine games for the Blue Jackets during the 2003-04 season. After his time in Syracuse, Reich saw AHL action with Houston, Providence and Bridgeport. He also played parts of two seasons with the Boston Bruins before finishing his playing career in Germany. On the show, Reich discusses his time in Syracuse, finding a role on the Crunch and his career since retiring from the game.

On Episode 62 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Ken Klee.  Klee spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Crunch beginning with the 2017-18 season after he was hired in July 2017. A veteran of over 900 NHL games played, Klee was responsible for the team’s defensemen and penalty kill and he helped the team to two of their best regular seasons ever in 2017-18 and 2018-19. In 2017-18, the Crunch finished fourth overall in the AHL with 100 points and then they topped that with 102 points and a franchise record 0.671 points percentage as they finished second overall in the league and won the North Division in 2018-19. Under Klee, the Crunch finished top five in goals against per game and in penalty kill in both seasons. Under his tutelage, players like Erik Cernak graduated to the NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Klee continues to coach today and he is currently the head coach of PWHL Minnesota. On the show, Klee discusses the new PWHL, his two seasons in Syracuse and more.

On Episode 61 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Lauren Kochian.  Kochian spent time working in the Crunch's front office, first as a public relations intern in the late 90's, before continuing her career in public relations with the new Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. After spending some time working in sports, Kochian parlayed what she learned to move into marketing and development for Arc of Onondaga and Syracuse Stage, before taking a role with the MOST - the Museum of Science and Technology located in Armory Square. After serving as the executive vice president, she became the MOST’s president in 2018. Under her leadership, the museum has seen significant growth and investment, dramatic increases in attendance, and new strategic partnerships, positioning the museum to flourish well into the future. On the show, Kochian discusses her start with the Crunch, the success of the MOST, how working in sports helped get her to where she is today and more.