AHL Morning Skate: 4.23.17

Take a game-day spin around the AHL ice with latest news and notes from the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs in today’s AHL Morning Skate.

Playoff Brackets | Today’s Scoreboard | League Stats | Series Infographics


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Game 2 – 3:05 ET, AHL Live
(PRO leads series, 1-0)

Providence hosts Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Game 2 this afternoon on the heels of Friday’s 2-1 victory in the series opener… Danton Heinen scored the game-winning goal 6:12 into the third period for the Bruins, who are looking to avenge playoff ousters by the Penguins in 2013, 2014 and 2016… Fellow rookie Jake DeBrusk also scored for Providence, and Zane McIntyre made 30 saves to earn the win in net… The Bruins were 2-for-6 on the power play in Game 1 and are now 8-for-30 (26.7%) in seven games this season against the Penguins, who were the AHL’s top-ranked penalty killing team… Jean-Sebastien Dea scored the only goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, his first point in 15 career playoff games… Casey DeSmith turned aside 31 of 33 shots in defeat.

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “A” (best-of-5)
A1-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. A4-Providence Bruins
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, W-B/Scranton 1
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton at Providence, 3:05
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 27 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 30 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 3:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 
Game 3 – Wednesday, 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(HER leads series, 2-0)

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “B” (best-of-5)
A2-Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. A3-Hershey Bears
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Hershey 1, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Hershey 5, LEHIGH VALLEY 4
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Lehigh Valley at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 29 – Lehigh Valley at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 30 – Hershey at Lehigh Valley, 5:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 
Game 3 – Wednesday, 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

North Division Semifinals – Series “C” (best-of-5)
N1-Syracuse Crunch vs. N4-St. John’s IceCaps
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – ST. JOHN’S 2, Syracuse 1
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Syracuse 4, ST. JOHN’S 3 (2OT)
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 29 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 3 – Wednesday, 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

North Division Semifinals – Series “D” (best-of-5)
N2-Toronto Marlies vs. N3-Albany Devils
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 20 – ALBANY 3, Toronto 0
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Toronto 6, ALBANY 2
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Albany at Toronto, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Albany at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 29 – Albany at Toronto, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 3 – 3:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

After earning a split of the first two games in Charlotte, division champion Chicago heads home for the final three games of the series, beginning with Game 3 this afternoon… The Wolves tied the series with a 3-2 win on Friday night as Adam Musil scored his first professional goal with 5:11 to play in regulation… Musil, a 2015 draft pick by the St. Louis Blues who joined the Wolves after completing his junior season with Red Deer (WHL), was scoreless in two regular-season games and in the opener of this series before notching the winning goal along with an assist in Game 2… Rookie Samuel Blais had a goal and two assists for Chicago… Alex Friesen, who had just three goals in 76 games during the regular season, scored in Game 2 as well… Ville Husso (1-1) stopped 37 of 39 shots for the victory… Andrew Miller and Dennis Robertson scored for the Checkers, who erased a pair of one-goal deficits before finally falling… Tom McCollum (1-1) finished with 32 saves… Checkers rookie Lucas Wallmark had an assist in Game 2 and leads the league with four points (2-2-4) this postseason.

Central Division Semifinals – Series “E” (best-of-5)
C1-Chicago Wolves vs. C4-Charlotte Checkers
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 20 – CHARLOTTE 4, Chicago 0
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Chicago 3, CHARLOTTE 2
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 23 – Charlotte at Chicago, 3:00
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 25 – Charlotte at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 5 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Charlotte at Chicago, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 2 – 4:00 ET, AHL Live
(GR leads series, 1-0)

Grand Rapids takes a 1-0 lead into Game 2 of the Central Division Semifinals this afternoon after a 4-3 overtime win in Friday night’s opener… Tomas Nosek scored 9:32 into OT to give the Griffins the Game 1 victory… Nosek, who had just one goal in the second half of the regular season, banked a shot from a sharp angle off Admirals goaltender Marek Mazanec for the game-winner… Milwaukee held a 3-2 lead until Matt Lorito‘s goal with 9:15 left in regulation tied things up for Grand Rapids… Matthew Ford and Evgeny Svechnikov also scored for the Griffins, and Robbie Russo tallied a pair of assists… Frederick Gaudreau led Milwaukee with two goals and an assist, but the Admirals still lost for the 14th time in their last 15 postseason games… Petter Granberg, with four goals in 201 previous career AHL games (regular season plus playoffs), also scored in Game 1 for Milwaukee… Jared Coreau made 32 saves to pick up the win for Grand Rapids… Mazanec finished with 38 stops for Milwaukee, but is still looking for his first career playoff win (0-5).

Central Division Semifinals – Series “F” (best-of-5)
C2-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. C3-Milwaukee Admirals
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Milwaukee 3 (OT)
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 4:00
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 5 – Mon., May 1 – Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 2 – 6:00 ET, AHL Live
(SJ leads series, 1-0)

San Jose hosts Stockton in Game 2 of the Pacific Division semifinal series this afternoon holding a 1-0 lead after a 4-0 win on Friday night… Troy Grosenick, whose 10 shutouts in the 2016-17 regular season were twice as many as any other goaltender in the league, made 28 saves for his first career playoff whitewash… Grosenick has now allowed seven goals on 157 shots in seven appearances vs. Stockton this season (4-1, 1.10, .955)… Ryan Carpenter scored two goals for the Barracuda in Game 1, and now has 4-3-7 in nine career playoff contests… Tim Heed and Kevin Labanc added goals and Rourke Chartier picked up a pair of assists for San Jose on Friday night… Stockton was shut out by the Barracuda for the third time this season… Jon Gillies stopped 32 of 35 shots in his first pro playoff outing.

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “G” (best-of-5)
P1-San Jose Barracuda vs. P4-Stockton Heat
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – SAN JOSE 4, Stockton 0
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – Stockton at San Jose, 6:00
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 28 – San Jose at Stockton, 10:00
*Game 4 – Sun., Apr. 30 – San Jose at Stockton, 7:00
*Game 5 – Tue., May 2 – Stockton at San Jose, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 3 – Friday, 10:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “H” (best-of-5)
P2-San Diego Gulls vs. P3-Ontario Reign
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Ontario 3, SAN DIEGO 2
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – San Diego 2, ONTARIO 1
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Ontario at San Diego, 10:00
Game 4 – Mon., May 1 – San Diego at Ontario, 10:00
*Game 5 – Tue., May 2 – Ontario at San Diego, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


Saturday’s Recaps
Eastern Conference
Western Conference


Mighty Pens
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins entered the Calder Cup Playoffs with the best record in the league for the second time in franchise history. Here is how previous Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners have fared in the postseason:

2016, Toronto Marlies — Lost third round
2015, Manchester Monarchs — Won Calder Cup
2014, Texas Stars — Won Calder Cup
2013, Providence Bruins — Lost second round
2012, Norfolk Admirals — Won Calder Cup
2011, W-B/Scranton Penguins — Lost second round
2010, Hershey Bears — Won Calder Cup
2009, Manitoba Moose — Lost Calder Cup Finals
2008, Providence Bruins — Lost second round
2007, Hershey Bears — Lost Calder Cup Finals
2006, Grand Rapids Griffins — Lost third round
2005, Rochester Americans — Lost second round
2004, Milwaukee Admirals — Won Calder Cup
2003, Hamilton Bulldogs — Lost Calder Cup Finals
2002, Bridgeport Sound Tigers — Lost Calder Cup Finals
2001, Worcester IceCats — Lost second round
2000, Hartford Wolf Pack — Won Calder Cup
1999, Providence Bruins — Won Calder Cup
1998, Philadelphia Phantoms — Won Calder Cup


Working Overtime
There have been 3 overtime games played in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:

Apr. 22 – Syracuse 4, ST. JOHN’S 3 (Tye McGinn, 30:37)
Apr. 21 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Milwaukee 3 (Tomas Nosek, 9:32)
Apr. 21 – Hershey 1, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 (Nathan Walker, 7:38)


Alumni Watch
In Stanley Cup Playoffs action yesterday, Magnus Paajarvi scored 9:42 into overtime as St. Louis eliminated Minnesota with a 4-3 win… Paajarvi is the fifth player to score an OT goal in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs after skating in the AHL during the 2016-17 regular season (Jake Guentzel, Kasperi Kapanen, Kevin Fiala, Sean Kuraly)… 2012 AHL All-Star Mats Zuccarello scored a pair of goals in the New York Rangers’ series-clinching 3-1 win over Montreal… Anton Slepyshev, who had 10 points in nine AHL games with Bakersfield earlier this season, scored the winning goal as Edmonton eliminated San Jose with a 3-1 victory in Game 6.


On This Date
April 23, 1994 – Mike Boback ties a Calder Cup Playoff record with seven points, recording three goals and four assists in Portland’s 9-2 win at Albany.

April 23, 1974 – Rick Middleton’s goal 16:07 into overtime gives the Providence Reds a series-clinching 4-3 win in Game 4 at New Haven, sending them to the Calder Cup Finals.


AHL Live
Don’t miss a second on the road to the 2017 Calder Cup championship. AHL Live brings AHL action to your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet all season long with live video webcasts and free highlights of every AHL game… Visit ahllive.com for details.

AHL Live