AHL Morning Skate: 5.24.17

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



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

It’s Game 3 between Syracuse and Providence tonight as the Eastern Conference Finals shift to central New York, where the Crunch are 6-0 on home ice in these playoffs and have outscored their opponents 27-13… The Bruins evened the series at one game apiece with a 2-1 win over Syracuse on Sunday night as Jordan Szwarz scored both Providence goals, including the winner 8:28 into overtime… Szwarz (5-3-8) has four goals in his last three games after scoring once in his previous 11 to start the postseason… Bruins rookie Danton Heinen (6-9-15) picked up two assists in Game 2 and now has a four-game scoring streak (2-4-6)… Wayne Simpson (4-6-10) has 1-4-5 in his last three outings for Providence… Zane McIntyre (8-6, 2.14, .919) made 29 saves in Game 2, shutting out the Crunch over the final 67:02 of the contest… Ben Thomas (2-3-5) netted Syracuse’s only goal on Sunday, his second goal of the playoffs after scoring three times in 71 regular-season games… Mike McKenna (8-5, 2.55, .906) stopped 34 shots for the Crunch; three of McKenna’s five losses this postseason have been by 2-1 scores… Syracuse is 7-1 this postseason when scoring at least three goals, and 1-4 when scoring two or fewer… Sunday’s victory was the Bruins’ first playoff OT win since Apr. 26, 2015, vs. Hartford; they had lost their previous eight postseason trips to overtime, one shy of the AHL record set by Manitoba between 2003 and 2011… Providence was also tied 1-1 in each of the first two rounds this postseason; in both, they lost Game 3 before rallying to win the series.

Eastern Conference Finals – Series “M” (best-of-7)
A4-Providence Bruins vs. N1-Syracuse Crunch
Game 1 – Fri., May 19 – Syracuse 6, PROVIDENCE 3 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, Syracuse 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 24 – Providence at Syracuse, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – Providence at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., May 27 – Providence at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 6 – Tue., May 30 – Syracuse at Providence, 7:05
*Game 7 – Wed., May 31 – Syracuse at Providence, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern



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

The Western Conference Finals head to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 between Grand Rapids and San Jose tonight… The Barracuda scored three power-play goals and evened the series with a 4-2 win in Game 2 on Sunday…  San Jose’s Ryan Carpenter (8-8-16) had another goal and an assist in Game 2 and continues to lead the AHL in playoff scoring… Carpenter, along with defensemen Julius Bergman (1-7-8) and Joakim Ryan (4-5-9), scored with the man advantage as the Barracuda went 3-for-5 in Game 2 after an 0-for-6 showing in the series opener… San Jose has gotten 39 points (9-30-39) from its blueliners this postseason… Troy Grosenick (8-4, 2.27, .920) finished with 33 saves in Game 2 as the Barracuda improved to 4-0 this postseason following a loss… Tomas Nosek (5-4-9) and Matthew Ford (6-2-8) scored for Grand Rapids, which was held under three goals for the first time this postseason… Jared Coreau (8-2, 2.53, .915) suffered just his second loss in 10 playoff starts despite a 36-save effort… The Griffins are 4-0 at home in these playoffs, scoring 19 goals in those four games; the Barracuda are 4-1 on the road, including three consecutive wins in San Diego last round.

Western Conference Finals – Series “N” (best-of-7)
P1-San Jose Barracuda vs. C2-Grand Rapids Griffins
Game 1 – Sat., May 20 – Grand Rapids 3, SAN JOSE 1 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 21 – SAN JOSE 4, Grand Rapids 2 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 24 – San Jose at Grand Rapids, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – San Jose at Grand Rapids, 7:00
Game 5 – Sat., May 27 – San Jose at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 6 – Tue., May 30 – Grand Rapids at San Jose, 10:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 31 – Grand Rapids at San Jose, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


Eastern Conference Finals History
The Richard F. Canning Trophy is presented each season to the playoff champions of the AHL’s Eastern Conference… Here are the results of the Eastern Conference Finals since the league split into two conferences in 1995-96:

2016 – Hershey Bears 4, Toronto Marlies 1
2015 – Manchester Monarchs 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 0
2014 – St. John’s IceCaps 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2
2013 – Syracuse Crunch 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 1
2012 – Norfolk Admirals 4, St. John’s IceCaps 0
2011 – Binghamton Senators 4, Charlotte Checkers 0
2010 – Hershey Bears 4, Manchester Monarchs 2
2009 – Hershey Bears 4, Providence Bruins 1
2008 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Portland Pirates 3
2007 – Hershey Bears 4, Manchester Monarchs 0
2006 – Hershey Bears 4, Portland Pirates 3
2005 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Providence Bruins 2
2004 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 3
2003 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Binghamton Senators 1
2002 – Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2001 – Saint John Flames 4, Providence Bruins 1
2000 – Hartford Wolf Pack 4, Providence Bruins 3
1999 – Providence Bruins 4, Fredericton Canadiens 2
1998 – Saint John Flames 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 1
*1997 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Albany River Rats 1
*1996 – Portland Pirates 4, Saint John Flames 3
*known as Northern Conference


Western Conference Finals History
The Robert W. Clarke Trophy is presented each season to the playoff champions of the AHL’s Western Conference… Here are the results of the Western Conference Finals since the league split into two conferences in 1995-96:

2016 – Lake Erie Monsters 4, Ontario Reign 0
2015 – Utica Comets 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 2
2014 – Texas Stars 4, Toronto Marlies 3
2013 – Grand Rapids Griffins 4, Oklahoma City Barons 3
2012 – Toronto Marlies 4, Oklahoma City Barons 1
2011 – Houston Aeros 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2010 – Texas Stars 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2009 – Manitoba Moose 4, Houston Aeros 2
2008 – Chicago Wolves 4, Toronto Marlies 1
2007 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Chicago Wolves 1
2006 – Milwaukee Admirals 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 0
2005 – Chicago Wolves 4, Manitoba Moose 0
2004 – Milwaukee Admirals 4, Rochester Americans 1
2003 – Houston Aeros 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 3
2002 – Chicago Wolves 4, Houston Aeros 1
2001 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Hershey Bears 0
2000 – Rochester Americans 4, Hershey Bears 0
1999 – Rochester Americans 4, Philadelphia Phantoms 2
1998 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Albany River Rats 2
*1997 – Hershey Bears 4, Springfield Falcons 3
*1996 – Rochester Americans 4, Syracuse Crunch 1
*known as Southern Conference


Working Overtime
There have been 17 overtime games played in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:

May 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, Syracuse 1 (Jordan Szwarz, 8:28)
May 14 – Hershey 3, PROVIDENCE 2 (Madison Bowey, 1:58)
May 11 – Hershey 2, PROVIDENCE 1 (Chris Bourque, 7:14)
May 10 – San Jose 4, SAN DIEGO 3 (Timo Meier, 17:40)
May 7 – HERSHEY 3, Providence 2 (Travis Boyd, 5:44)
May 5 – San Diego 3, SAN JOSE 2 (Kevin Roy, 0:38)
*May 2 – SAN JOSE 2, Stockton 1 (Ryan Carpenter, 8:52)
*Apr. 28 – TORONTO 2, Albany 1 (Justin Holl, 46:43)
*Apr. 28 – SYRACUSE 2, St. John’s 1 (Gabriel Dumont, 2:18)
*Apr. 26 – Grand Rapids 3, MILWAUKEE 2 (Kyle Criscuolo, 10:03)
Apr. 26 – TORONTO 3, Albany 2 (Colin Greening, 0:45)
Apr. 26 – Lehigh Valley 2, HERSHEY 1 (Chris Conner, 1:49)
Apr. 23 – Charlotte 4, CHICAGO 3 (Connor Brickley, 9:28)
Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton 6, PROVIDENCE 5 (Derrick Pouliot, 7:49)
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)
*clinched series


Alumni Watch
In the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs last night, former AHL All-Stars Bobby Ryan (2008) and Mike Hoffman (2014) scored and Craig Anderson made 45 saves as Ottawa staved off elimination with a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.


On This Date
May 24, 2011 – Houston advances to the Calder Cup Finals when Jon DiSalvatore scores with 1:13 left in regulation of Game 7 for a 4-3 victory over Hamilton.

May 24, 2008Tim Brent’s goal with 30.7 seconds remaining in the third period of Game 7 snaps a tie and sends Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-2 win over Portland.

May 24, 1998 – Martin St. Louis picks up a goal and an assist as the Saint John Flames win the Eastern Conference championship with a 7-3 decision over Hartford.

May 24, 1991 – Michel Picard’s goal six minutes into the third period stands up as the game-winner as Springfield defeats Rochester, 5-3, to capture its second straight Calder Cup.

May 24, 1985 – The Sherbrooke Canadiens, led by 19-year-old goaltender Patrick Roy, win the Calder Cup with a 3-1 win over the Baltimore Skipjacks.


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