"The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-2, in an exhibition game filled with continuous action and a homecoming for one of Oswego State’s favorite hockey players.
"Oswego State alumnus Derrell Levy, who graduated in 2009 and played on the Lakers hockey team for their NCAA Division III Championship in 2007, signed a tryout contract with the Crunch and stepped back onto the Oswego ice for the fourth annual Shapiro Motor Sales of Oswego Classic.
""Just coming around the corner I started getting the jitters and memories started flying back," Levy said.
"Levy led the Crunch onto the ice at the start of the game and also participated in the ceremonial puck drop with Penguins captain Keven Veilleux, acting as an honorary captain for the Crunch. He won the opening face-off and played a solid game for the Crunch, showing head coach Mark Holick that he was a good asset to the line-up.
""I thought he played pretty good," Holick said. "I thought at times moving the puck quicker is something he would have to do at this level, but for the most part I thought he was good."
"There was a constant feeling of aggression and intensity throughout the game, and much of it was channeled by the players into small scraps and six fights over the course of three periods. The first period saw 10 penalties between the two teams, and lots of power play action for both sides.
"At 7:08 of the first period, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened the scoring with a goal by Veilleux who shot from the top of the right circle after receiving a cross-pass from winger David Marshall. This was the only power-play goal that Syracuse allowed for the night, which was a sizable feat considering the number of times they were shorthanded. Holick was satisfied with his team’s work on the penalty kill.
" "On the penalty kill last night we gave up five goals and tonight we killed 10 for 11, we gave up one, so that was solid," Holick said.
"The Crunch were able to tie the game during the first period with a shot from just inside the left circle by Kyle Palmieri that trickled over the goal line.
"The Crunch started the second period strong with continued pressure in the Penguin’s defensive end. The intensity of the first period boiled over to the second period with a fight between Syracuse’s Josh Brittain and Kyle Bushee of the Penguins less than two minutes into the period.
"Despite several penalties the Penguins drew in the second period, the Crunch were not able to capitalize on any of them and allowed the second Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goal at 6:07 of the period. The Crunch defense was solid from that point on. Syracuse encountered both a five-on-three penalty kill and a four-minute penalty kill after Stu Bickel received a double minor for roughing. The Crunch saved themselves from a two goal deficit by killing off both penalties.
"The third period saw the most action in terms of both fighting and scoring. Only minutes into the period, Palmieri scored his second goal of the game with a slapshot from the point that flew past Penguin goalie Patrick Killeen. The go-ahead goal was scored at 7:47 of the period when Syracuse’s Jake Newton took a pass from the point and shot it from the slot that got passed Killeen. Only a few minutes after falling behind, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took two penalties and gave Syracuse a five-on-three advantage. The Crunch scored their fourth and fifth goals right after another, which sealed up the win. When the referees tried to start up play after a series of fights, Levy and David Marshall of the Penguins began to exchange words. Both were given 10-minute misconducts and sent to their respective locker rooms before either threw a punch.
""I guess the ref didn’t want to see anymore tilts," Levy. "I was gonna scrap him there at the end, have a little fight, but the ref just wasn’t having it."
"This win for the Crunch keeps them undefeated at the Campus Center Ice Arena . Derrell Levy’s contract is only a tryout contract, but he has hopes of playing with the Crunch.
""If there is a spot open I would love to be here and keep my dream alive, if not they will probably send me to another farm team and I will just go through the bases and work my way up," Levy said.
"Levy recalled some of his favorite memories of hockey at Oswego State like winning a national championship and the camaraderie of the team.
""I really miss even the changing room, like just being with the boys, we had a lot of jokes," Levy said. "I just had a blast while I was here… I couldn’t be happier with how everything occurred."
