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 5 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live, NHL Network Radio
(SYR leads series, 3-1)
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Syracuse can advance to the Calder Cup Finals for the second time in five years with a Game 5 victory over Providence tonight… The Crunch took a 3-1 series lead with an impressive 7-2 win over the Bruins last night, continuing their home dominance this postseason… Syracuse is now 8-0 at the War Memorial Arena during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, outscoring their opponents 39-19… The Crunch are averaging 6.2 goals per game over their last five home contests… Cory Conacher and Yanni Gourde each notched a goal and three assists to lead the offense in Game 4… Conacher (7-11-18) now has back-to-back four-point games and has surged into a tie for the AHL playoff scoring lead… Gourde (5-11-16) has 4-6-10 in his last five games overall and 4-10-14 in seven home games this postseason… Michael Bournival (6-2-8) scored twice in last night’s win, and defensemen Matt Taormina (4-11-15) and Ben Thomas (3-5-8) each notched a goal and an assist… Thomas has three goals in his last eight games, matching his total from his first 78 outings this season… With 33 saves for Syracuse in Game 4, Mike McKenna (10-5, 2.61, .909) has stopped at least 33 shots in all four games this series… Jordan Szwarz and Danton Heinen scored the Bruins’ goals last night… Szwarz (6-5-11) now has five goals in his last five games… Heinen (9-9-18) is tied for the AHL lead in both goals and points and has 5-4-9 during his current six-game scoring streak… Zane McIntyre (8-7, 2.57, .906) allowed six goals on 30 shots in two periods before getting the hook for the second straight game; Malcolm Subban (0-1, 2.21, .938) stopped nine of 10 shots in the third… McIntyre has been touched for 14 goals on 98 shots in the series (4.37, .857)… Providence is already 4-0 when facing elimination this postseason, with all four wins coming on the road… Eighteen teams have come back to win a series after trailing 3-1; the Bruins have never accomplished it, but the Crunch have been on the losing end twice (2004 vs. Rochester, 2008 vs. Toronto).
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 – SYRACUSE 5, Providence 4 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – SYRACUSE 7, Providence 2 | Recap
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
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Game 5 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(GR leads series, 3-1)
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Grand Rapids can advance to the Calder Cup Finals for the second time in five years with a Game 5 victory over San Jose tonight… The Griffins took a 3-1 series lead with an impressive 6-2 win over the Barracuda last night, continuing their home dominance this postseason… Grand Rapids is now 6-0 at Van Andel Arena during the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, outscoring their opponents 29-14… Eric Tangradi (2-13-15) tallied a goal and two assists during a four-goal Griffins second period last night… Grand Rapids outshot San Jose 19-5 in the middle frame while turning a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead… Ben Street (4-11-15) and Tomas Nosek (7-5-12) each notched a goal and an assist in Game 4… Street now has a point in all four games of the series (2-5-7)… Tyler Bertuzzi (6-6-12), Martin Frk (3-5-8) and Evgeny Svechnikov (4-6-10) also scored last night… Jared Coreau (10-2, 2.44, .918) made 18 saves and earned his eighth consecutive home victory, going back to the regular season… Colin Blackwell (3-0-3) and Adam Helewka (3-0-3) scored for the Barracuda in Game 4… Blackwell’s goal came on a penalty shot in the first period and was the first successful penalty-shot goal in the Calder Cup Playoffs since May 10, 2013 (Chad Kolarik for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton); goaltenders had stopped 15 consecutive postseason attempts since then… Defensemen Joakim Ryan (4-7-11) and Tim Heed (3-7-10) each recorded an assist last night, and each now has a three-game scoring streak… Troy Grosenick (8-6, 2.59, .914) stopped 30 shots on the night, but allowed six goals for the first time since Nov. 5, 2016, vs. San Antonio… San Jose has lost consecutive games for the first time all postseason… Grand Rapids has scored at least four goals in eight of its first 12 playoff games, and has also allowed two goals or fewer in eight of 12.
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 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, San Jose 2 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – GRAND RAPIDS 6, San Jose 2 | Recap
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
Ninety-four percent of the players heading to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final are graduates of the American Hockey League (infographic)… Only three players combined on the rosters of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators did not come through the AHL (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mike Fisher).
On This Date
May 27, 2015 – Manchester completes a four-game sweep and advances to the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-1 win at Hartford.
May 27, 2005 – Brad Boyes snaps a tie with 1:10 left in regulation as Providence defeats Philadelphia, 6-4, to stave off elimination in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
May 27, 1999 – Jose Theodore’s 49-save shutout extends Fredericton’s season one more day, as the Canadiens take Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals from Providence, 4-0.
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.
