Two more postseason tickets were punched on Friday night as the Manchester Monarchs and Grand Rapids Griffins clinched berths in the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Manchester secured a spot in the postseason for the fifth year in a row and the 12th time in 13 seasons overall with a 5-1 win over the Worcester Sharks on Friday.
The Monarchs (43-17-2-6, 94 points) own the best record in the AHL and are closing in on their first division title since 2007. Brian O’Neill scored twice and Jean-Francois Berube made 27 saves in Friday’s victory.
The Griffins (41-20-2-4, 88 points), the defending Calder Cup champions, are heading to the playoffs for the eighth time in 13 years as members of the AHL.
Despite a 5-4 loss in Rockford on Friday, Grand Rapids clinched a playoff spot thanks to Rochester’s loss to Toronto and Utica’s overtime defeat to Abbotsford earlier in the evening.