AHL Morning Skate: 4.28.18

Take a game-day spin around the AHL ice with latest news and notes from the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs in today’s AHL Morning Skate.

Playoff Brackets | Today’s Scoreboard | League Stats | Series Infographics


 @  
Game 4 – Tonight, 7:05 ET, AHL Live
(LV leads series, 2-1)

Lehigh Valley is home again tonight for Game 4 of the Atlantic Division semifinals, one win away from the second round after a 4-1 victory over Providence last night… In his first game back from the parent Philadelphia Flyers, Oskar Lindblom (2-0-2) scored twice for the Phantoms in Game 3 — once shorthanded and once on a power play… Philippe Myers (1-2-3) and Mike Vecchione (2-2-4) also scored for Lehigh Valley last night… Dustin Tokarski (1-0, 1.00, .970) made his first appearance of this postseason and stopped 32 shots, earning his first Calder Cup Playoff win since the Cup-clinching Game 4 of the 2012 Finals with Norfolk… Austin Czarnik (1-4-5) scored the only Bruins goal in Game 3; he has a point on five of Providence’s eight goals in the series… Jordan Binnington (1-1, 3.60, .883) finished with 30 saves… Last night marked the first-ever postseason victory at PPL Center for Lehigh Valley, which is now 18-1-1-1 in its last 21 home games… Providence set an AHL record last year by winning four road games when facing playoff elimination… The Bruins were behind 2-1 in their first-round series in 2013 (vs. Hershey), 2014 (vs. Springfield) and 2017 (vs. W-B/Scranton), and won all three series… The Phantoms are 4-for-10 (40.0 percent) on the power play in the series, while the Bruins are 3-for-15 (20.0 percent).

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “A” (best-of-5)
A1-Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. A4-Providence Bruins
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Lehigh Valley 3, PROVIDENCE 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – PROVIDENCE 5, Lehigh Valley 3 | Recap
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 27 – LEHIGH VALLEY 4, Providence 1 | Recap
Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Providence at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*Game 5 – Mon., Apr. 30 – Providence at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern


vs. button_cha200 
(CHA wins series, 3-0)

Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “B” (best-of-5)
A2-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. A3-Charlotte Checkers
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – CHARLOTTE 3, W-B/Scranton 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – CHARLOTTE 4, W-B/Scranton 1 | Recap
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Charlotte 7, W-B/SCRANTON 3 | Recap


 @  
Game 5 – Sunday, 4:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 2-2)

North Division Semifinals – Series “C” (best-of-5)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. N4-Utica Comets
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 21 – TORONTO 3, Utica 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 22 – TORONTO 5, Utica 2 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – UTICA 5, Toronto 2 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – UTICA 5, Toronto 2 | Recap
Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 29 – Utica at Toronto, 4:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


vs.  
(SYR wins series, 3-0)

North Division Semifinals – Series “D” (best-of-5)
N2-Syracuse Crunch vs. N3-Rochester Americans
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – SYRACUSE 6, Rochester 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – SYRACUSE 6, Rochester 5 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Syracuse 6, ROCHESTER 3 | Recap


vs. button_chi200 
(RFD wins series, 3-0)

Central Division Semifinals – Series “E” (best-of-5)
C1-Chicago Wolves vs. C4-Rockford IceHogs
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Rockford 2, CHICAGO 1 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 22 – ROCKFORD 5, Chicago 2 | Recap
Game 3 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Rockford 4, CHICAGO 3 (3OT) | Recap


 @  
Game 5 – Monday, 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(Series tied, 2-2)

Central Division Semifinals – Series “F” (best-of-5)
C2-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. C3-Manitoba Moose
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 21 – MANITOBA 3, Grand Rapids 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Grand Rapids 5, MANITOBA 1 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Manitoba 6, GRAND RAPIDS 3 | Recap
Game 4 – Thu., Apr. 26 – GRAND RAPIDS 3, Manitoba 0 | Recap
Game 5 – Mon., Apr. 30 – Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern


 vs.  
(TUC wins series, 3-1)

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “G” (best-of-5)
P1-Tucson Roadrunners vs. P4-San Jose Barracuda
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Tucson 4, SAN JOSE 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – SAN JOSE 6, Tucson 3 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – TUCSON 6, San Jose 0 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – TUCSON 3 San Jose 0 | Recap


 vs.  
(TEX wins series, 3-1)

Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “H” (best-of-5)
P2-Texas Stars vs. P3-Ontario Reign
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – TEXAS 4, Ontario 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Ontario 5, TEXAS 1 | Recap
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Texas 5, ONTARIO 4 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 24 – Texas 1, ONTARIO 0 | Recap


Alumni Watch
In last night’s Stanley Cup Playoff action, 2015 AHL All-Star Connor Hellebuyck made 47 saves to backstop Winnipeg to a 4-1 win at Nashville in Game 1 of their second-round series.


Working Overtime
There have been 5 overtime games played in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:

Date Result GWG Time
Apr. 26 Rockford 4, CHICAGO 3 Victor Ejdsell 57:22
Apr. 22 Texas 5, ONTARIO 4 Samuel Laberge 37:38
Apr. 21 TORONTO 3, Utica 2 Chris Mueller 17:48
Apr. 20 CHARLOTTE 3, W-B/Scranton 2 Lucas Wallmark 3:18
Apr. 19 TEXAS 4, Ontario 3 Brian Flynn 1:55

On This Date
April 28, 2016 – Rob Flick scores 3:10 into the third overtime period and Mike McKenna finishes with 41 saves in Portland’s 2-1 win at Hershey.

April 28, 2007 – Brian 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 2018 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.