Glens Falls, NY – The Adirondack Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, announced that it has signed forward Shane Eiserman to an ECHL contract for the 2018-2019 season.

Eiserman, 22, joins the Thunder after completing his collegiate career at the University of New Hampshire. While at Durham, Eiserman skated in 125 games and registered 51 points (17g-34a). The 6-foot-2 forward tied a career-high with five goals his senior campaign, including three game-winning goals for the Wildcats.

Before playing collegiately, the Newburyport, MA native played a year in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints where he collected 40 points (16g-24a) in 53 regular season games. Eiserman also has national team experience having played for the U.S. National U17 and U18 teams and appearing in the U18 World Junior Championship in 2013.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch and Dunkin’ Donuts have announced a continued partnership for the Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins Hosting Program and Goals for Charity during the 2018-19 season.

The Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins Hosting Program is an initiative that benefits area youth groups and nonprofit organizations. As part of the program, Dunkin’ Donuts will underwrite the cost of 20 tickets to each Crunch home game for these youth groups and charitable organizations. Along with tickets, each member of the Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins Hosting Program group will receive a special offer from Dunkin’ Donuts. During games, the Crunch will welcome each group with a scoreboard announcement, courtesy of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Since the 2008-09 season, the Crunch and Dunkin’ Donuts have teamed up to offer the Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins Hosting Program. Past recipients of the program include the Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, P.E.A.C.E., Inc. Big Brothers Big Sisters and YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County.

Area youth groups and nonprofit organizations may submit their request to be part of the Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins Hosting Program by contacting the Crunch at 315-473-4444 or by visiting the office at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse.

To further serve the Syracuse community, Dunkin’ Donuts is also bringing back Goals for Charity for 2018-19. For every Crunch goal scored during the season, Dunkin’ Donuts will donate one pound of coffee to the Food Bank of Central New York. Last season, Dunkin’ Donuts donated 234 pounds of coffee.

Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 12 years running. The company has more than 12,500 restaurants in 46 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch have jointly announced a five-year affiliation extension, with an option for two additional years, today. The extension ensures Tampa Bay’s top prospects will develop their talents in Syracuse through the 2022-23 season, with a mutual option for 2023-24 and 2024-25. This affiliation extension includes the restructuring of the agreement for the 2018-19 season.

“It is with great pride and excitement that the Syracuse Crunch extend into a long-term affiliation agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Crunch owner Howard Dolgon said. “Time and again, the Lightning have proven – from ownership to business and hockey operations, to coaches and players – to be the finest organization in all of sports. We look forward to continuing a long and successful partnership.”

Since the start of the affiliation in 2012, 49 players have appeared with both the Crunch and the Bolts. The Crunch have a total of seven Calder Cup Playoff series wins, including two Calder Cup Finals berths. Syracuse has qualified for the postseason in four of their six previous seasons affiliated with the Lightning after making the playoffs 10 times in their first 18 seasons. Of the organization’s three division championships, two of them came while affiliated with the Lightning.

“We are very pleased to be extending our affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch today,” Lightning vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois said. “The Crunch and Howard Dolgon, along with the city of Syracuse, continue to offer our players an excellent development environment, which is of paramount importance to sustained success in today’s NHL. We look forward to continue this great partnership for years to come.”

The teams have recently completed their sixth year of the affiliation. In that time, the Crunch own a 231-154-41-30 record and have made four postseason appearances, including the team’s two most successful seasons to date with its first trip to the Calder Cup Finals in 2013 and again in 2017.

The Syracuse Crunch will begin their 25th year of operation in the 2018-19 season and boast the longest independent ownership group, led by Dolgon. The Crunch have the fourth-longest current tenure of any American Hockey League team. The Lightning are the fourth primary NHL affiliate of the Crunch, who previously partnered with Vancouver (1994-2000), Columbus (2000-2010) and Anaheim (2010-2012). Syracuse had a dual affiliation with Vancouver and Pittsburgh from 1997 to 1999. The Crunch have played their home games in the Onondaga County-owned War Memorial Arena since their inaugural season in 1994-95.

The Lightning joined the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1992 and were crowned Stanley Cup Champions in 2004. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in 2011, 2016 and 2018 and to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. From the 2010 to 2018, the Lightning and their AHL affiliate had been run by vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman and assistant general manager Julien BriseBois. The Lightning recently named BriseBois as the seventh vice president, general manager and alternate governor in franchise history beginning with the 2018-19 season, with Yzerman stepping aside to serve as a senior advisor to the general manager.

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Devils announced that the club has signed forward Brian Ward to a one year, American Hockey League contract. The announcement came today from Binghamton’s General Manager, Tom Fitzgerald.

Ward, 26, racked up 102 points (57 goals, 45 assists) and a plus/minus rating of +22 in 108 games played with the Adirondack Thunder. The Haverhill, MA native has lead the team in regular season goals for the past two years. During the 2017-18 playoffs, Ward helped the Thunder reach the Eastern Conference Final with 9 points (five goals, four assists) in 17 games.

The 6-foot-1, 202-pound forward appeared in two AHL games last season with the Providence Bruins, where he picked up an assist. Ward has collected two assists in 12 games throughout his professional career with Providence, Utica, Albany and Charlotte.