AHL Morning Skate: April 19, 2008

PROVIDENCE 2, Manchester 0 (PRO leads, 2-0)

PHILADELPHIA 3, Albany 0 (Series tied, 1-1)

SYRACUSE 2, Manitoba 1 (OT) (SYR leads, 1-0)

San Antonio 6, TORONTO 3 (Series tied, 1-1)

ROCKFORD 3, Houston 1 (RFD leads, 1-0)

CHICAGO 2, Milwaukee 1 (Series tied, 1-1)

FRIDAY’S THREE STARS:

1. Chad Kolarik tallied a hat trick in his second professional game as San Antonio evened up its North Division Semifinal series with a 6-3 win at Toronto.

2. Rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask backstopped Providence to 2-0 series lead with a 21-save shutout in the Bruins’ 2-0 victory over Manchester.

3. Joakim Lindstrom‘s goal just 30 seconds into overtime lifted Syracuse to a 2-1 victory over Manitoba in the opener of the teams’ North Division Semifinal series.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):

Game 3 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05 (PRO leads, 2-0)

Game 3 – Hartford at Portland, 7:05 (Series tied, 1-1)

Game 2 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 (WBS leads, 1-0)

Game 2 – Manitoba at Syracuse, 7:30 (SYR leads, 1-0)

Game 2 – Houston at Rockford, 8:05 (RFD leads, 1-0)

2008 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:
Atlantic Division Semifinal – Series “A” (best-of-7)
A1-Providence Bruins vs. A4-Manchester Monarchs || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – PROVIDENCE 3, Manchester 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 18 – PROVIDENCE 2, Manchester 0
Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05
Game 4 – Mon., Apr. 21 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Manchester at Providence, 7:05
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Manchester at Providence, 7:05
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 28 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05

Atlantic Division Semifinal – Series “B” (best-of-7)
A2-Hartford Wolf Pack vs. A3-Portland Pirates || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – HARTFORD 3, Portland 1
Game 2 – Thu., Apr. 17 – Portland 3, HARTFORD 2 (2OT)

Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Hartford at Portland, 7:05
Game 4 – Sun., Apr. 20 – Hartford at Portland, 6:05
Game 5 – Tue., Apr. 22 – Portland at Hartford, 7:00
*Game 6 – Thu., Apr. 24 – Hartford at Portland, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Portland at Hartford, 7:00

East Division Semifinal – Series “C” (best-of-7)
E1-W-B/Scranton Penguins vs. E4-Hershey Bears || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – W-B/Scranton 2, HERSHEY 1 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 20 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 5:05
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 26 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 7 – Sun., Apr. 27 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 5:05

East Division Semifinal – Series “D” (best-of-7)
E2-Philadelphia Phantoms vs. E3-Albany River Rats || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – ALBANY 4, Philadelphia 0
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 18 – PHILADELPHIA 3, Albany 0
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 20 – Albany at Philadelphia, 5:05 (WC)
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 22 – Philadelphia at Albany, 7:00
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 24 – Philadelphia at Albany, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Albany at Philadelphia, 7:05 (WC)
*Game 7 – TBA – Albany at Philadelphia (WC)

 

North Division Semifinal – Series “E” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. W5-San Antonio Rampage || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – TORONTO 4, San Antonio 3
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 18 – San Antonio 6, TORONTO 3
Game 3 – Mon., Apr. 21 – Toronto at San Antonio, 8:00
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 23 – Toronto at San Antonio, 8:00
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Toronto at San Antonio, 8:00
*Game 6 – Sun., Apr. 27 – San Antonio at Toronto, 4:00
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 28 – San Antonio at Toronto, 7:30

North Division Semifinal – Series “F” (best-of-7)
N2-Syracuse Crunch vs. N3-Manitoba Moose || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 18 – SYRACUSE 2, Manitoba 1 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Manitoba at Syracuse, 7:30
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 22 – Syracuse at Manitoba, 8:30
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Syracuse at Manitoba, 8:30
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Syracuse at Manitoba, 8:30
*Game 6 – Mon., Apr. 28 – Manitoba at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 7 – Tue., Apr. 29 – Manitoba at Syracuse, 7:00

West Division Semifinal – Series “G” (best-of-7)
W1-Chicago Wolves vs. W4-Milwaukee Admirals || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 16 – Milwaukee 4, CHICAGO 3 (OT)
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 18 – CHICAGO 2, Milwaukee 1
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 20 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 6:00
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 23 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 24 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:30
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 28 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:00

West Division Semifinal – Series “H” (best-of-7)
W2-Rockford IceHogs vs. W3-Houston Aeros || Preview

Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 18 – ROCKFORD 3, Houston 1
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Houston at Rockford, 8:05
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 22 – Rockford at Houston, 8:05
Game 4 – Thu., Apr. 24 – Rockford at Houston, 8:05
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Rockford at Houston, 8:35
*Game 6 – Sun., Apr. 27 – Houston at Rockford, 5:05
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 28 – Houston at Rockford, 8:05

 

*if necessary… All times Eastern

GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 3 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05 (PRO leads, 2-0)
Manchester will try to reverse its fortunes in this Atlantic Division semifinal as it returns to home ice after dropping a pair of tight affairs in Providence… Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask picked up his first career playoff shutout with 21 saves in last night’s Game 2, helping the B’s to a 2-0 victory… Monarchs netminder Jonathan Quick stopped 38 shots in his playoff debut and allowed only a tiebreaking goal to Providence rookie Jordan Knackstedt with 3:06 let in regulation… Dudley (Red) Garrett Award winner Teddy Purcell has been held to just one assist and a minus-4 rating through the first two games for Manchester… The Monarchs have dropped six straight playoff games since a 2-1 win over Providence to close out last year’s division finals… The P-Bruins went 4-0-0-0 at Verizon Wireless Arena during the regular season and won a league-record 28 road games overall (28-9-2-1).

Game 3 – Hartford at Portland, 7:05 (Series tied, 1-1)
After Thursday’s 3-2 double-overtime victory in Hartford to even their Atlantic Division semifinal, Portland returns home tonight for Game 3 against the Wolf Pack… The Pirates went 27-10-2-1 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in the regular season, breaking a franchise record for most home wins and tying Providence for the most in the Eastern Conference this season… Jason King posted a goal and an assist in Game 2 for Portland, and Michal Birner netted the game-winner at 9:24 of the second overtime… Hartford’s Dane Byers and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau lead all scorers through the first two games of the series, each posting a pair of goals and an assist for three points… The Pirates have killed of 13 of 14 shorthanded situations in the series… 2008 AHL All-Rookie forwad Bobby Ryan was returned to Portland by the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

Game 2 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 (WBS leads, 1-0)
East Division champion Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has home-ice advantage kick in tonight when it hosts Hershey in Game 2 of their East Division semifinal… The series opened in Hershey on Wednesday but the Penguins took a 2-1 win when Chris Minard lit the lamp at 4:52 of overtime… This is the third straight year in which these teams have met in the playoffs, but the first time that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton captured the series opener… Wednesday’s victory snapped the Penguins’ seven-game losing skid in Game 1’s… AHL All-Rookie goaltender John Curry posted a 26-save victory in the first playoff game of his pro career, and Tim Brent also scored in the win… Chris Bourque netted the Bears’ lone goal, giving him 16 points in 10 games against the Penguins this season.

Game 2 – Manitoba at Syracuse, 7:30 (SYR leads, 1-0)
After Syracuse’s 2-1 overtime win in Game 1 last night, the Crunch and Moose go right back it it for Game 2 of their North Division semifinal tonight at the War Memorial at Oncenter… 2008 AHL All-Star Joakim Lindstrom, who was tied for the team lead with 25 regular-season goals, netted the game-winner just 30 seconds into the extra session… David Cullen scored a power-play goal and assisted on the game-winner, and Karl Goehring made 29 saves in the victory… Moose goaltender Cory Schneider stopped 29 of 31 shots in his pro playoff debut, and fellow rookie Juraj Simek notched Manitoba’s lone goal… Zack Smith had an assist in his first pro game for Manitoba… Syracuse won Game 1 in each of its previous three series as well, but went on to lose each one, including a 2006 first-round defeat to the Moose… The home team has now won all five games played between these teams this season.

Game 2 – Houston at Rockford, 8:05 (RFD leads, 1-0)
Houston and Rockford tangle for the second straight night at the MetroCentre, with the Aeros looking for a split of the first two games on the road… The IceHogs took the opener by a 3-1 final last night, as Troy Brouwer broke a 1-1 tie in the third period and Martin St. Pierre added a late empty-netter… Brouwer led Rockford with 35 goals in the regular season, and St. Pierre ranked second in the entire league with 88 points (21-67-88)… Ryan Hamilton, one of two 20-goal scorers for Houston, netted the Aeros’ lone marker… Houston will try to snap a five-game playoff losing skid that stretches back to 2006… Rockford has now won seven of its last eight home contests dating back to the regular season.

MORNING HEADLINES:

CRUNCH FAITHFUL REWARDED

Bud Poliquin, Syracuse Post-Standard

As the anthems were being sung inside the old barn Friday evening, a line of fans, antsy ones, snaked out a door, down the sidewalk and nearly around the corner. This wasn’t just another night in January and those weren’t the Lake Erie Monsters or some such inside the joint. Nah, this was the start of the playoffs. The AHL playoffs, for which the locals had qualified only in alternating years for seven seasons. In… out… in… out… in… out… in. And the Manitoba Moose, a surly bunch with 99 regular-season points in its grip, had arrived in our 70-degree weather from the Canadian frontier with bad intentions. Thus, the angst outside. Folks hadn’t driven in from hither, never mind yon, to miss the first of the flying bodies.

http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1208595361290480.xml&coll=1

 

THIS TIME, WOLVES HOLD ON IN FINAL PERIOD

Matt Lynch, Chicago Tribune

For the second consecutive game Friday night, the Wolves watched a third-period lead evaporate against the Milwaukee Admirals. Unlike in Game 1, this time they took it back for a 2-1 victory in the best-of-seven AHL Western Conference playoff series at Allstate Arena. Two nights after the Wolves suffered a 4-3 overtime loss despite leading 3-1 in the third period, the Wolves managed to shut the Admirals down for the remainder of regulation to even the series. Ondrej Pavelec showed why he is one of the highest-rated prospects in the Atlanta Thrashers organization, shutting down the Admirals attack all game before allowing the third-period goal. “Pekka Rinne, was outstanding, our goalie was outstanding, and it makes for great hockey, very exciting, right down to the wire,” Wolves coach John Anderson said.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/wolves/cs-080418-chicago-wolves-milwaukee-admirals,1,2438679.story

 

POGGE PLAYS IN MARLIES’ LOSS

Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun

Justin Pogge made his professional hockey playoff debut last night and if he is smart, he savoured every minute of it. Labelled as the Maple Leafs’ goalie of the future, Pogge appeared in relief of Scott Clemmensen during a 6-3 loss by the Marlies to the San Antonio Rampage at the Ricoh Coliseum. But coach Greg Gilbert hinted strongly he will go with Clemmensen for Game 3 of the American Hockey League division semi-final on Monday in San Antonio. “Chances are Scott will be going back in,” Gilbert said. “(Pogge) made some good saves, but the second goal (he allowed), I don’t know how he ended up on his back outside the net. It was a good experience for him to get some action.”

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/AHL/2008/04/19/5332006-sun.html

 

WOLF PACK REGROUP FOR GAME 3

Bruce Berlet, Hartford Courant

Having to play four games in five days in playoff pressure is difficult enough. Toss in double overtime in Game 2 and then a 3 1/2 -hour bus ride and matters only get more complicated. And things have gotten even worse for the Wolf Pack, who will be without defenseman Michael Sauer and possibly high-scoring right wing P.A. Parenteau for Game 3 of their Atlantic Division semifinals tonight in Portland, Maine. Both were injured in a 3-2 double-overtime loss to the Pirates Thursday that evened the best-of-seven series.

http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-wolfpack0419.artapr19,0,1345470.story

 

O’BYRNE WALKS TALL AND CARRIES A BIG STICK

Steve Milton, Hamilton Spectator

This series is likely not going to turn on Ryan O’Byrne’s presence. But it’s illuminating to note that, as the style of play began morphing toward the Boston Bruins’ game of choice, the Montreal Canadiens inserted their 23-year-old rookie into the lineup. In a year of firsts for the 6-foot-6 defenseman, he made his NHL playoff debut in Game 4 when coach Guy Carbonneau decided the Bruins were taking far too many liberties in the Montreal zone. He remained there for Game 5 and will probably be in the lineup tonight, too. “The first shift was like the last minute of play in a tied regular season game,” O’Byrne recalls. “All that energy, and the fans. The guys throwing their bodies anywhere, blocking shots, doing anything to make the play. The guys never take a shift off.”

http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/356922

ALUMNI WATCH:
Brandon Dubinsky extended his scoring streak to four games with a goal and an assist as the N.Y. Rangers finished off their first-round series with a 5-3 win over New Jersey on Friday.

2006 AHL All-Star Valtteri Filppula netted his first goal of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday and Detroit went on to a 2-1 overtime win over Nashville to take a 3-2 series lead.

Ryan Getzlaf posted a goal and an assist and Corey Perry scored a goal as Anaheim staved off elimination with a 5-2 win over Dallas in Game 5 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal.

BY THE NUMBERS:
19 – Total goals allowed by Philadelphia during its current 14-game postseason home-ice winning streak… The Phantoms are two shy of the league-record 16-game streak set by Providence over the 1997, 1999 and 2000 postseasons.

ON THIS DATE:

April 19, 2007 – Carey Price pitches a shutout in his pro playoff debut, stopping 34 shots in Hamilton’s 2-0 Game 1 win at Rochester.

April 19, 1996 – Craig Conroy and Darcy Tucker score two goals apiece as Fredericton defeats P.E.I., 7-4, in the opener of their first-round series.

April 19, 1970 – Jim Stanfield scores 1:06 into overtime to send the Springfield Kings to a 5-4 win in Game 7 of their division semifinal vs. Hershey.