AHL Morning Skate: 4.28.17

Photo: Vince Rappleyea

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 4 – 7:05 ET, AHL Live
(WBS leads series, 2-1)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is one win away from the second round after last night’s 2-1 victory over Providence, setting up a potential clincher in Game 4 tonight… David Warsofsky‘s goal 1:32 into the third period of Game 3 stood up as the game-winner… For Warsofsky, a member of the Bruins organization from 2011-15, it was his third goal and sixth point of the series… With Tim Erixon also scoring for the Penguins last night, five of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s nine goals in the series have come from defensemen… Kevin Porter set up both Wilkes-Barre goals in Game 3, giving him six assists in the series… Jordan Szwarz got Providence on the board with 6:35 left in regulation, his first point of the playoffs after leading the Bruins with 54 points in the regular season… Casey DeSmith (2-1, 2.57, .919) made 15 of his 32 saves in Game 3 during the third period… Zane McIntyre (1-2, 2.90, .916) stopped 30 shots for the Bruins… Zach Senyshyn, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, made his NHL debut for Providence last night… After all three goals in Game 3 came via the power play, Providence (4-for-14) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (3-for-11) are a combined 7-for-25 (28.0 percent) in the series; the Penguins and Bruins were the top two teams in the AHL on the penalty kill in the regular season… Ten of the last 12 meetings between these teams have been decided by a single goal, including all six of their playoff matchups over the last two postseasons… Providence is 25-18 all-time when facing elimination.

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “A” (best-of-5)
A1-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. A4-Providence Bruins
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, W-B/Scranton 1
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton 6, PROVIDENCE 5 (OT)
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 27 – W-B/SCRANTON 2, Providence 1
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 30 – Providence at W-B/Scranton, 3:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 
Game 4 – Saturday, 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(HER leads series, 2-1)

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “B” (best-of-5)
A2-Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. A3-Hershey Bears
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Hershey 1, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Hershey 5, LEHIGH VALLEY 4
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Lehigh Valley 2, HERSHEY 1 (OT)
Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 29 – Lehigh Valley at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 30 – Hershey at Lehigh Valley, 5:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 
Game 4 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(SYR leads series, 2-1)

Syracuse can secure its first series victory since 2013 as it takes a 2-1 lead into Game 4 against St. John’s tonight… Byron Froese (1-0-1) scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period on Wednesday, sending the Crunch to a 3-2 win… It was the first goal of the series for Froese, who tied for seventh in the AHL during the regular season with 27 tallies… Joel Vermin (1-0-1) and Erik Condra (1-2-3) scored less than two minutes apart to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead in the opening period of Game 3… Tye McGinn (2-1-3) picked up an assist and is the only Crunch skater with a point in all three games to date… Mike McKenna (2-1, 2.02, .922) made 26 saves for Syracuse in Game 3, and is looking for his first career victory in a potential series-clinching game (0-4, 4.09, .856)… St. John’s got goals from Zach Redmond (1-1-2) and Stefan Matteau (2-1-3) in a 28-second span during the second period to tie Game 3 at 2-2… With an assist in Game 3, Charles Hudon (1-3-4) has points in 11 of his last 12 games for the IceCaps (5-9-14)… Charlie Lindgren (1-2, 2.29, .923) registered 22 saves for the IceCaps… Noah Juulsen, Montreal’s first-round pick (26th overall) in the 2015 draft, made his pro debut for St. John’s in Game 3… St. John’s is 1-2 all-time when facing elimination, but will be doing so in a road game for the first time tonight.

North Division Semifinals – Series “C” (best-of-5)
N1-Syracuse Crunch vs. N4-St. John’s IceCaps
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – ST. JOHN’S 2, Syracuse 1
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Syracuse 4, ST. JOHN’S 3 (2OT)
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – SYRACUSE 3, St. John’s 2
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 29 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


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Game 4 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(TOR leads series, 2-1)

Toronto looks to close out Albany in Game 4 at Ricoh Coliseum tonight… Colin Greening scored 45 seconds into overtime to give the Marlies a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead on Wednesday… Greening (2-0-2), who had one goal in 23 playoff games as a rookie with Binghamton during the Senators’ Calder Cup championship run in 2011, has scored in back-to-back games for Toronto… Brendan Leipsic (2-0-2) scored twice in regulation for the Marlies while Kasperi Kapanen (0-2-2) recorded two assists in his return from the Maple Leafs… Travis Dermott (0-3-3) also had two assists in Game 3, and Justin Holl (0-4-4) set up Greening’s game-winner for his team-best fourth point of the series… Fifteen different Marlies have earned points on the team’s nine goals in the series… After playing the third period of Game 2, Kasimir Kaskisuo (1-0, 1.49, .938) made his first career postseason start in the AHL and earned the win with 27 saves on Wednesday… John Quenneville (3-0-3) and Carter Camper (1-0-1) scored for the Devils in Game 3… Quenneville has scored three of Albany’s seven goals in the series, and has points in all eight of his games (5-5-10) since rejoining the team from New Jersey on Apr. 2… The Devils are 1-3 all-time when facing elimination, with the only win coming at Ricoh Coliseum in Game 6 of last year’s second-round meeting with the Marlies.

North Division Semifinals – Series “D” (best-of-5)
N2-Toronto Marlies vs. N3-Albany Devils
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 20 – ALBANY 3, Toronto 0
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Toronto 6, ALBANY 2
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – TORONTO 3, Albany 2 (OT)
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Albany at Toronto, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 29 – Albany at Toronto, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


button_chi200 vs.  
(CHI wins series, 3-2)

Central Division Semifinals – Series “E” (best-of-5)
C1-Chicago Wolves vs. C4-Charlotte Checkers
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 20 – CHARLOTTE 4, Chicago 0
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Chicago 3, CHARLOTTE 2
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 23 – Charlotte 4, CHICAGO 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 25 – CHICAGO 5, Charlotte 1
Game 5 – Wed., Apr. 26 – CHICAGO 3, Charlotte 2


 vs.  
(GR wins series, 3-0)

Central Division Semifinals – Series “F” (best-of-5)
C2-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. C3-Milwaukee Admirals
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Milwaukee 3 (OT)
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – GRAND RAPIDS 5, Milwaukee 2
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Grand Rapids 3, MILWAUKEE 2 (OT)


 
Game 3 – 10:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

San Jose and Stockton resume their Pacific Division semifinal tonight with Game 3 at Stockton Arena… The series has been idle since a 6-4 Heat win on Sunday afternoon which knotted things up at one game apiece… Stockton scored four goals in the first period of Game 2 after having been shut out in the opener… Mark Jankowski scored 90 seconds into the contest, his first of three points on the day… Jankowski (1-2-3) now has 8-9-17 in 14 games against San Jose this season… Austin Carroll, Linden Vey and Garnet Hathaway also scored in the opening frame as the Heat opened up a 4-0 lead on the Barracuda and Baz Bastien Award winner Troy Grosenick… San Jose chipped away at the deficit with three goals in a span of 4:50 midway through the second period, including two by defenseman Joakim Ryan… Hunter Shinkaruk put Stockton back up by two late in the second period with his fifth career playoff goal… Buddy Robinson scored shorthanded to pull San Jose back within 5-4 late in regulation before the Heat held on… David Rittich (1-0, 2.08, .917) stopped 11 of 12 shots in relief of Jon Gillies and was credited with the win in his postseason debut… Grosenick (1-1, 2.53, .894), entered the game with a .955 save percentage in seven appearances vs. Stockton this season, but finished Game 2 with 14 saves on 19 shots… The Barracuda are 10-1-0 this season in games following one in which they allowed at least five goals.

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “G” (best-of-5)
P1-San Jose Barracuda vs. P4-Stockton Heat
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – SAN JOSE 4, Stockton 0
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 23 – Stockton 6, SAN JOSE 4 
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 28 – San Jose at Stockton, 10:00
Game 4 – Sun., Apr. 30 – San Jose at Stockton, 7:00
*Game 5 – Tue., May 2 – Stockton at San Jose, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 
Game 3 – 10:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 1-1)

San Diego and Ontario are back at it tonight for Game 3 of their Pacific Division semifinal series… The SoCal rivals split the first two games last weekend, with the Gulls drawing even on the strength of a 2-1 victory in Game 2 on Saturday… Nick Sorensen (2-0-2) scored both San Diego goals in a 31-second span before the contest was five minutes old… Mike Amadio got one back for the Reign early in the second period with his second career playoff goal… Jhonas Enroth (1-1, 2.00, .926) made nine of his 23 stops in the third period to preserve the win, his first victory in the postseason since 2011 with Portland (AHL)… Jack Campbell (1-1, 2.02, .931) made 22 saves in the loss for the Reign, but still has a .935 save percentage in 12 appearances against San Diego this season… Jonny Brodzinski, who scored twice back in Game 1, has four goals in his last three contests… The road team has now won 10 of 14 meetings between the teams this season.

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “H” (best-of-5)
P2-San Diego Gulls vs. P3-Ontario Reign
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Ontario 3, SAN DIEGO 2
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – San Diego 2, ONTARIO 1
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Ontario at San Diego, 10:00
Game 4 – Mon., May 1 – San Diego at Ontario, 10:00
*Game 5 – Tue., May 2 – Ontario at San Diego, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


Yesterday’s Recaps
#WBSvsPRO: Penguins edge Bruins in Game 3


Working Overtime
There have been 8 overtime games played in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:

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)


Alumni Watch
In Stanley Cup Playoff action last night, Erik Karlsson scored with 4:11 to go in regulation as Ottawa defeated the N.Y. Rangers, 2-1… Karlsson, the two-time Norris Trophy winner, was one of 10 former Binghamton Senators in Ottawa’s lineup… Nick Bonino scored the winning goal with 7:24 left in the third period to lift Pittsburgh over Washington, 3-2.


On This Date
April 28, 2007Brian Boyle’s goal at 9:37 of the second overtime gives Manchester its first-ever series victory with a 3-2 decision in Game 6 at Worcester.

April 28, 1976 – Paul Woods’ goal at 2:20 of overtime gives Nova Scotia a 5-4 win over Hershey and its second Calder Cup championship in five years.


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