Take a game-day spin around the AHL ice with latest news and notes from the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs in today’s AHL Morning Skate.
Playoff Brackets | Today’s Scoreboard | League Stats | Series Infographics
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Game 3 – Tonight, 7:05 ET, AHL Live
TV: TSN2, NBC Sports Philadelphia+, Leafs Nation Network, Service Electric TV2
(TOR leads series, 2-0)
Follow @TorontoMarlies Follow @LVPhantoms Tweet #TORvsLV
The Eastern Conference Finals resume in Lehigh Valley tonight as the Phantoms host Toronto in Game 3… The Marlies extended their winning streak to seven games with a 3-2 overtime victory on Sunday evening, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series… Miro Aaltonen (4-4-8) netted the winning goal in Game 2, his third goal of the series for Toronto… Andreas Johnsson (3-8-11) has three assists in the series and 2-5-7 during a four-game scoring streak… Chris Mueller (2-7-9) also has points in four straight for the Marlies (1-4-5)… Garret Sparks (8-2, 2.24, .921) Lehigh Valley is home tonight for the first time since May 5, a 6-0 loss to Charlotte in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals… Chris Conner (5-4-9) leads the Phantoms in goals and points this postseason… Alex Lyon (6-3, 1.84, .949) has lost back-to-back decisions for the first time since an 0-2-1 slide from Dec. 30 to Jan. 12… With a goal and an assist both in Game 1, defenseman Philippe Myers (3-4-7) is the only Phantoms skater with more than one point in the series… Lehigh Valley has held three separate one-goal leads in the series, but only for a total of 5 minutes, 30 seconds… Toronto has led for 30:33, while the teams have played tied for 94:56… Lehigh Valley is 20-2-1-1 in its last 24 games at PPL Center since Jan. 13… Toronto is now 41-9-2-2 overall since Dec. 31… The Phantoms led the AHL in home wins during the regular season (27); the Marlies set a league record for road wins (30)… Toronto is 5-0 in one-goal games this postseason… Teams leading a best-of-seven Calder Cup Playoff series 2-0 have won the series 90.1 percent of the time (219-24).
Eastern Conference Finals – Series “M” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. A1-Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Game 1 – Sat., May 19 – TORONTO 4, Lehigh Valley 3 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Sun., May 20 – TORONTO 3, Lehigh Valley 2 (OT) | Recap/Highlights
Game 3 – Wed., May 23 – Toronto at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
Game 4 – Fri., May 25 – Toronto at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sat., May 26 – Toronto at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*Game 6 – Mon., May 28 – Lehigh Valley at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 30 – Lehigh Valley at Toronto, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
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Game 4 – Thursday, 8:00 ET, AHL Live
(TEX leads series, 3-0)
Follow @TexasStars Follow @goicehogs Tweet #TEXvsRFD
Western Conference Finals – Series “N” (best-of-7)
P2-Texas Stars vs. C4-Rockford IceHogs
Game 1 – Fri., May 18 – TEXAS 4, Rockford 2 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Sun., May 20 – TEXAS 3, Rockford 2 (OT) | Recap/Highlights
Game 3 – Tue., May 22 – Texas 6, ROCKFORD 5 (OT) | Recap/Highlights
Game 4 – Thu., May 24 – Texas at Rockford, 8:00
*Game 5 – Fri., May 25 – Texas at Rockford, 8:00
*Game 6 – Mon., May 28 – Rockford at Texas, 8:00
*Game 7 – Tue., May 29 – Rockford at Texas, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
Alumni Watch
The third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concludes tonight as Tampa Bay hosts Washington in Game 7 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Final… Notable AHL alumni in the series include former Calder Cup champions Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat with the Lightning and Braden Holtby, John Carlson and Jay Beagle with the Capitals.
Working Overtime
There have been 14 overtime games played in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:
| Date | Result | GWG | Time |
| May 22 | Texas 6, ROCKFORD 5 | Curtis McKenzie | 5:12 |
| May 20 | TEXAS 3, Rockford 2 | Curtis McKenzie | 10:46 |
| May 20 | TORONTO 3, Lehigh Valley 2 | Miro Aaltonen | 10:59 |
| May 11 | TEXAS 3, Tucson 2 | Joel L’Esperance | 8:43 |
| May 9 | Lehigh Valley 2, CHARLOTTE 1 | Alex Krushelnyski | 86:48 |
| May 7 | TEXAS 5, Tucson 4 | Sheldon Dries | 13:36 |
| May 5 | TORONTO 2, Syracuse 1 | Frederik Gauthier | 35:10 |
| May 2 | TUCSON 2, Texas 1 | Michael Bunting | 8:53 |
| Apr. 28 | LEHIGH VALLEY 4, Providence 3 | Maxim Lamarche | 18:36 |
| Apr. 26 | Rockford 4, CHICAGO 3 | Victor Ejdsell | 57:22 |
| Apr. 22 | Texas 5, ONTARIO 4 | Samuel Laberge | 37:38 |
| Apr. 21 | TORONTO 3, Utica 2 | Chris Mueller | 17:48 |
| Apr. 20 | CHARLOTTE 3, W-B/Scranton 2 | Lucas Wallmark | 3:18 |
| Apr. 19 | TEXAS 4, Ontario 3 | Brian Flynn | 1:55 |
On This Date
May 23, 2015 – Michael Mersch records a hat trick in Manchester’s 7-4 win over Hartford, giving the Monarchs a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
May 23, 2008 – Down 3-2 in the series and 3-0 in the final minute of the second period, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton rallies for a 4-3 victory over Portland in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Connor James‘ goal 20 seconds into overtime.
May 23, 1997 – Chad Kilger caps Springfield’s comeback from a three-goal deficit and sends the Falcons to a 4-3 win over Hershey and a 3-1 conference final series lead.
May 23, 1994 – Behind Olaf Kolzig’s 37 saves, Portland defeats the Moncton Hawks, 4-3, to take a 2-1 series lead in the Calder Cup Finals.
May 23, 1987 – Rochester wins its fifth Calder Cup championship with a 4-2 victory at Sherbrooke in Game 7.
AHL Live
Don’t miss a second on the road to the 2018 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.
