RDTBay4
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Syracuse, N.Y -- Just because defensman Luke Witkowski doesn't play for the Syracuse Crunch anymore doesn't mean he can't take the ice to help his team.
Witkowski made a special, surprise guest appearance at the Crunch's game against Binghamton on Friday night in the War Memorial. He took the ice as a member of the shoveling crew during three timeouts in the first period and skated around the boards clearing away the loose chips and snow.
Witkowski was Syracuse's captain at the start of the season and was expected to be a regular on the blueline. But he was recalled to Tampa Bay in January and was never returned.
"I'm always trying to get a laugh out of somebody. I got an OK from coach (Ben Groulx) to do it,'' Witkowski said. "I'm just glad that it turned out well and they played well.''
And how would Witkowski grade his cleanup work?
"Sub-par,'' he said. "I was actually more nervous for that job than playing in the NHL or the AHL. I told the kids that, that I was shoveling with. They all laughed at me.''
While Groulx knew that Witkowski would come out, many of the players didn't. He skated out wearing a baseball cap and neon lime top, looking a lot bigger than the rest of the crew but not tipping himself off as a NHL player.
"The guys were laughing pretty hard the first time they saw me,'' Witkowski said. "Squirting me with water, poking me with their sticks, chirping me.''
Syracuse forward Matthew Peca saw those antics and, not immediately aware that Witkowski was out there, was mortified.
"I was on the bench the first time he came around, and everybody was telling one of the guys (Witkowski) to hustle up. And they were giving him a hard time, just squirting him with water,'' Peca said. "I couldn't believe it. I was, 'You can't do that.' And then I saw that it was Luke. You see his beard coming out of the shadows. It was hilarious.''
Crunch goalie Mike McKenna called the idea a "relic move for the ages,'' meaning it was something only a vet could pull off.
"I loved it,'' McKenna said. "That was great. That's up there, for sure. That's kind of the pleasure of playing here, though. Our guys do a great job with that type of stuff. You can tell it's a fun environment. I've always thought highly of this organization. It was a cool moment.''
Witkowski, who turned 27 Friday, planned on having a lot more such moments with the Crunch this season. Even though he took large and gratifying strides toward earning a regular job in the NHL, it was obvious that part of him will be going along with Syracuse on its playoff ride.
"It's weird, definitely, starting the season being the captain here. Now I'm not even showing up in a suit and a tie,'' he said. "But I'm happy where the guys are at. I wish them nothing but the best in the playoffs. They're playing great and they've got a great team right now. So, they'll be very fun to watch.''
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