Crunch Chronicles

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.

On Episode 60 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Doug MacLean. 

MacLean served as the first General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He helped usher the Blue Jackets into the NHL for the inaugural season in 2000-01, and it was his relationship with Crunch Owner Howard Dolgon that led to the affiliation between the two clubs.

MacLean was the Blue Jackets' General Manager through the 2006-07 season. In that span, the Crunch qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs four times and won a division title in 2002.

After his time with Columbus, MacLean transitioned into media, where he spent a decade with Sportsnet as a host for Hockey Central.

Recently, MacLean co-authored a book with Scott Morrison titled "Draft Day" on the history and importance of the NHL Draft. The book became a bestseller and is available here.

On the show, MacLean discusses the origins of the affiliation agreement between Syracuse and Columbus, what he liked about Syracuse and more.

On Episode 59 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Marc Methot. 

Methot spent three seasons playing for the Crunch during the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliation. A sixth-round pick in the 2003 NHL Draft by Columbus, Methot began his pro career with the Crunch in 2005-06. The defenseman skated in 70 games as a rookie, contributing 13 points.

He spent the majority of his second pro season in Syracuse, skating in 59 Crunch games in 2006-07. He also played in 20 games for the Blue Jackets that season. The 2007-08 campaign saw Methot dress in another 66 games for the Crunch and nine for Columbus. That year, he helped the Crunch to their record 23-game point streak to close the season.

After the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, Methot graduated full-time to the NHL starting with the 2008-09 season. He played in 624 career NHL games for Columbus, Ottawa and Dallas through the 2018-19 season. He retired following that season due to injury and now works as an analyst on TSN.

Methot finished with 195 career Crunch games, totaling 42 points (10g, 32a) from 2005 to 2008.

On the show, Methot discusses his time in Syracuse, retiring from the game and more.

On Episode 58 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Robert Dome. 

Dome spent two seasons in Syracuse during the late '90s as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. After being selected in the first round of the 1997 NHL Draft, Dome joined the Crunch as an 18-year-old in the 1997-98 season. He scored 21 goals and added 46 points in 36 games for the Crunch that season, earning a spot in the AHL All-Star Game, hosted by the Crunch, in 1998. Dome also skated in 30 games that season for the Penguins after initially making the NHL roster to start the season.

In his second and final campaign with the Crunch, Dome contributed 18 goals and 35 points over 48 games in 1998-99 before finishing the season in the IHL with the Houston Aeros. 

Dome finished with 81 points in 84 Crunch games over his two seasons in Syracuse.

The Slovak continued his playing career through 2008-09; he totaled 243 career AHL games, 132 IHL games and 53 NHL games during his career. He has been coaching in Europe since 2012-13.

On the show, Dome discusses his time in Syracuse, transitioning to coaching and more.

On Episode 57 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Michael Bournival. 

Bournival spent three seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch between 2016 and 2019. He joined the Lightning organization as a free agent in the summer of 2016 and split his first season between the Lightning and Crunch. He played a big role in the playoffs in 2017, collecting 15 points (8g, 7a) in 22 games to help the Crunch advance to the Calder Cup Finals.

As a veteran in 2017-18, Bournival was a leader on a young team that finished near the top of the AHL standings. He added 34 points in 57 games for the Crunch that season, while also skating in five games for Tampa Bay. His final season came in 2018-19, a year that was cut short do to an early injury. Bournival was limited to just five games before his injury; his rehab brought to to within days of returning, but the Crunch were eliminated from the playoffs. 

Bournival played in 100 career games for the Crunch over his three seasons. He retired following the 2018-19 season and returned to school to earn a degree in kinesiology. He is now pursuing a masters degree.

On the show, Bournival discusses his time in Syracuse, the Calder Cup Finals run, his masters research and much more.

On Episode 56 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Sarah Costello. 

Sarah is currently the Sr. Manager, Lightning Foundation & Community Events for the Tampa Bay Lightning. She's in her ninth season in Tampa, and oversees all things community relations and charitable foundation for the Lightning.

She began her journey as an intern with the Syracuse Crunch - first in public relations, then in community relations. She accepted a full-time role with the Crunch as the team's Community Relations Manager ahead of the 2012-13 season, the Crunch's first season as the Lightning's AHL affiliate. 

After her time with the Crunch, Sarah spent time working in golf before her path took her to Tampa Bay, where she has seen the Lightning win two Stanley Cups while the organization has become a pillar in the Tampa community.

On the show, Sarah discusses her time in Syracuse, boat parades and much more.

On Episode 55 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Nick Holden. 

Holden spent two full seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch during the team's affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He began his pro career by joining the Crunch at the end of the 2007-08 season, and made his pro debut during the Crunch's incredible win streak. He played the next two seasons with the Crunch, contributing 45 points over 130 games between 2008 and 2010. 

After the Crunch's affiliation with Columbus ended, Holden split the next three seasons between Columbus and AHL-Springfield before finally landing a full-time NHL role with Colorado in 2013-14. 

Holden went on to play 654 NHL games for Columbus, Colorado, the New York Rangers, Boston, Vegas and Ottawa. After retiring this summer, Holden accepted a position as a player development coach for the Vegas Golden Knights.

On the show, Holden discusses his time with the Crunch, his welcome to Syracuse moment and more.