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
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Game 5 – Tonight, 6:00 ET, AHL Live
(LV leads series, 3-1)
Follow @LVPhantoms Follow @CheckersHockey Tweet #LVvsCHA
After a much-needed two-day break, the Atlantic Division Finals continue tonight with Lehigh Valley visiting Charlotte in Game 5… The Phantoms took a 3-1 series lead on Wednesday night with a 2-1 victory in the longest AHL game ever played as Alex Krushelnyski scored 6:48 into the fifth overtime period… It was the second goal of the series for Krushelnyski (2-1-3), who had gone 22 games without a goal previously… Danick Martel (4-3-7) scored his second goal in as many games for Lehigh Valley… After his 94-save effort in the 6-hour, 6-minute Game 4, the Phantoms’ Alex Lyon (5-1, 1.56, .958) has stopped 157 of 160 shots in his three starts this series (3-0, 0.67, .981) and carries a shutout streak of 119:56 into tonight’s contest… Alex Nedeljkovic (4-3, 1.75, .933) made 51 saves in Wednesday’s game for Charlotte… Checkers captain Patrick Brown (1-2-3) scored in Game 4, his first goal in his last 21 games… Charlotte’s Valentin Zykov (4-2-6) and Haydn Fleury (2-2-4) led all skaters with nine shots on goal each in Game 4… The Checkers finished the contest with a 95-53 advantage in shots, including 54-29 in the 86:48 of sudden-death play… The Checkers, who entered the series without a loss on home ice since Mar. 18, have dropped two straight at Bojangles’ Coliseum after splitting the first two games of the series on the road… Lehigh Valley is now 3-1 away from home this postseason… Charlotte has never won a game when facing elimination from the Calder Cup Playoffs (0-3).
Atlantic Division Finals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
A1-Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. A3-Charlotte Checkers
Game 1 – Fri., May 4 – LEHIGH VALLEY 2, Charlotte 1 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., May 5 – Charlotte 6, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 | Recap
Game 3 – Tue., May 8 – Lehigh Valley 5, CHARLOTTE 1 | Recap
Game 4 – Wed., May 9 – Lehigh Valley 2, CHARLOTTE 1 (5OT) | Recap
Game 5 – Sat., May 12 – Lehigh Valley at Charlotte, 6:00
*Game 6 – Mon., May 14 – Charlotte at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*Game 7 – Tue., May 15 – Charlotte at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
vs. 
(TOR wins series, 4-0)
Follow @TorontoMarlies Follow @SyracuseCrunch Tweet #TORvsSYR
North Division Finals – Series “J” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. N2-Syracuse Crunch
Game 1 – Thu., May 3 – TORONTO 6, Syracuse 4 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., May 5 – TORONTO 2, Syracuse 1 (2OT) | Recap
Game 3 – Sun., May 6 – Toronto 7, SYRACUSE 1 | Recap
Game 4 – Tue., May 8 – Toronto 2, SYRACUSE 1 | Recap
vs. 
(RFD wins series, 4-0)
Follow @ManitobaMoose Follow @goicehogs Tweet #MBvsRFD
Central Division Finals – Series “K” (best-of-7)
C3-Manitoba Moose vs. C4-Rockford IceHogs
Game 1 – Fri., May 4 – Rockford 4, MANITOBA 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sat., May 5 – Rockford 4, MANITOBA 1 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 9 – ROCKFORD 4, Manitoba 1 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., May 11 – ROCKFORD 6, Manitoba 3 | Recap
vs. 
(TEX wins series, 4-1)
Follow @RoadrunnersAHL Follow @TexasStars Tweet #TUCvsTEX
Pacific Division Finals – Series “L” (best-of-7)
P1-Tucson Roadrunners vs. P2-Texas Stars
Game 1 – Wed., May 2 – TUCSON 2, Texas 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 2 – Fri., May 4 – Texas 4, TUCSON 1 | Recap
Game 3 – Mon., May 7 – TEXAS 5, Tucson 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 4 – Wed., May 9 – TEXAS 2, Tucson 0 | Recap
Game 5 – Fri., May 11 – TEXAS 3, Tucson 2 (OT)
Alumni Watch
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs last night, two-time Calder Cup champion Jay Beagle scored what would prove to be the winning goal in Washington’s 4-2 victory at Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final… 2010 AHL All-Star Lars Eller also scored for the Capitals… 2012 Calder Cup champion Ondrej Palat picked up a goal for the Lightning.
In yesterday’s action at the IIHF World Championships in Denmark, 2017 AHL All-Star Nicklas Jensen scored twice and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves to lead the host Danes to a 3-0 win over Norway… Among the goal scorers in the United States’ 13-1 win over South Korea were Neal Pionk (Hartford), Sonny Milano (Cleveland) and Tage Thompson (San Antonio), who all spent time in the AHL this season.
Working Overtime
There have been 11 overtime games played in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:
| Date | Result | GWG | Time |
| May 11 | TEXAS 3, Tucson 2 | Joel L’Esperance | 8:43 |
| May 9 | Lehigh Valley 2, CHARLOTTE 1 | Alex Krushelnyski | 86:48 |
| May 7 | TEXAS 5, Tucson 4 | Sheldon Dries | 13:36 |
| May 5 | TORONTO 2, Syracuse 1 | Frederik Gauthier | 35:10 |
| May 2 | TUCSON 2, Texas 1 | Michael Bunting | 8:53 |
| Apr. 28 | LEHIGH VALLEY 4, Providence 3 | Maxim Lamarche | 18:36 |
| 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
May 12, 2009 – Michal Neuvirth becomes the first goaltender in AHL history to record shutouts in Games 6 and 7 of a series, leading the Hershey Bears to the conference finals with a 3-0 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
May 12, 1998 – Dan Cloutier makes 52 saves, Derek Armstrong scores and Marc Savard adds two assists as Hartford keeps its season alive with a 4-1 win at Worcester in Game 6 of their division final series.
May 12, 1988 – Hershey defeats Fredericton, 4-2, to complete a perfect 12-0 postseason and win the Calder Cup.
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.
