Calder Cup Finals to air on XM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that the 2010 Calder Cup Finals will be carried live on the all-hockey NHL Home Ice channel on XM Satellite Radio.

The 2010 Calder Cup Finals are pitting the Hershey Bears (top development team of the NHL’s Washington Capitals) against the Texas Stars (top development team of the NHL’s Dallas Stars) for the American Hockey League championship. The two finalists’ rosters feature 19 players who skated in the National Hockey League during the 2009-10 season, including 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs MVP Michal Neuvirth of the Bears and current AHL playoff scoring leader Jamie Benn of the Stars.

2010 Calder Cup Finals on NHL Home Ice:
Thu., June 3 – Texas at Hershey, 7:00 ET (Game 1)
Sat., June 5 – Texas at Hershey, 7:00 ET (Game 2)
Mon., June 7 – Hershey at Texas, 8:30 ET (Game 3)
Wed., June 9 – Hershey at Texas, 8:30 ET (Game 4, if no NHL game)
Fri., June 11 – Hershey at Texas, 8:30 ET (Game 5, if nec., if no NHL game)
Mon., June 14 – Texas at Hershey, 7:00 ET (Game 6, if nec.)
Wed., June 16 – Texas at Hershey, 7:00 ET (Game 7, if nec.)

The Bears are bidding for their second consecutive Calder Cup championship and the 11th in franchise history, after they set an American Hockey League record with 60 victories during the regular season. The Stars are trying to become Calder Cup champions in just their first season in the AHL.

American Hockey League action has been airing on NHL Home Ice since 2006, including the annual AHL All-Star Game, the Calder Cup Finals and other regular-season and playoff games. NHL Home Ice can be found on XM 204 in Canada and the United States and on Sirius 208 on “The Best of XM” package in the U.S. NHL Home Ice provides subscribers with groundbreaking 24/7 hockey talk and is home to live play-by-play coverage of every National Hockey League game during the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 85 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 6 million fans have attended AHL games across North America during each of the past nine seasons.