FINAL FOUR SET, CRUNCH LOOKING TO REPEAT!

 






        The Crunch are back in the MASL2 playoffs and are looking to repeat as league champs. With the semi-finals being set, the Crunch are ready to not only defend their cup from last season, but also add to the trophy case. Last season, the Crunch went through the gauntlet and defeated Wichita and brought home the cup in their first year back from a 20 year hiatus. This year the road is a little different as they are now the overall number 1 seed and finished the regular season 12-0. Which is also the first undefeated season in franchise history.


This weekend the Crunch will see a familiar opponent in the Muskegon Risers in the marquee  game of the Semi-finals. Muskegon made it to the final four by defeating fellow division rival Chicago to get to see the Crunch. The old saying goes " It's hard to beat the same team multiple times in the same season.", but this is a challenge the Crunch are up for. The Risers finished the regular season 6-6, finished second to the Crunch in the Great Lakes Division, and beat the Chicago Mustangs to make it to the semi-finals. The Risers will come into the game with the Crunch averaging 8 goals a game with a +6 goal differential and are 25% on power plays. 


The test for the Risers will be the fact that the Crunch swept the Risers and won each game by a average of 5 goals in each game. The Crunch finished the regular season 12-0 and first in the Great Lakes Division. The Crunch averaged 12.6 goals a game and have a whopping +98 differential. The Crunch are also 27% on power plays which combined with the way they attack the opponents net is scary. The Crunch have the ability to score off of rebound shots and quick shots off the pass. That was a problem for the Risers against the Crunch all season long as the Crunch scored off rebounds, quick shots, and restart kicks. If you're a goal keeper going against an offense like that you'd hope to have multiple hands to try and stop every shot coming at you.


We spoke with Crunch head coach Lou Kastelic to hear what he expects out of his team.


   " I expect our team to do what they do best, Win at all costs! No matter what type of adversity we face, I am confident our guys can handle it and come out victorious."


We also spoke with one of the Crunch owners Eric Davis and got his thoughts as well.


   " It's going to be an historic weekend with four really good teams that all deserve to be here. I'm especially excited for our players, our coaching staff, and the organization as whole as they have been outstanding all year long. We have and opportunity to go out there and complete the perfect season polished off with a second cup to complete the 2peat."


The Crunch have also played fantastically in Mercy Health Arena and are very comfortable there as they average 13 goals a game dating back to last season. The Crunch have been out for blood all season and don't expect it to change when the first whistle blows Friday night. The way this team has been focused and been playing all season long expect The Crunch to be the first team to bring home back-to-back titles for the first time since the Browns won four straight in the All-American Football Conference. The winners of Friday's matches will see each other Sunday April 10th in the finals.


Kickoff for the Crunch/Risers match-up will be at 7pm. 


~IT'S CRUNCH TIME!!~

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