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 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(SYR leads series, 2-1)
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Syracuse hosts Providence in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight, looking to build on both a 2-1 series lead and a 7-0 postseason record on home ice… Cory Conacher (6-8-14) scored two goals and assisted on two others to lead the Crunch to a 5-4 win in Game 3 on Wednesday night… It was Conacher’s second career four-point playoff game; he had four assists in Norfolk’s Cup-clinching win at Toronto on June 9, 2012… Yanni Gourde (4-8-12) and Matt Taormina (3-10-13) each tallied a goal and an assist in Game 3… Jake Dotchin (0-3-3) recorded two assists and Michael Bournival (4-2-6) also scored for the Crunch, who have outscored their opponents 32-17 in their seven home playoff wins… Mitchell Stephens, a second-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, made his professional playoff debut for the Crunch in Game 3… Mike McKenna (9-5, 2.65, .906) finished with 38 saves to help Syracuse hang on as Providence scored three times in the final 3:11 of the game… Danton Heinen (8-9-17) scored twice for the Bruins, moving into a tie for leading scoring lead with 17 playoff points… Heinen, who has 4-4-8 in his last five games, has set a Providence franchise record for playoff points by a rookie, surpassing David Krejci (16 in 2007) and Brad Marchand (15 in 2009)… Anton Blidh (1-0-1) scored his first career playoff goal for the B’s in Game 3, ending a drought of 24 consecutive games without a point… Ryan Fitzgerald (1-2-3) added the first goal of his professional career… For the second time in the series, Providence scored two quick goals late in the third period to trim a 4-1 deficit to 4-3; the goals were 13 seconds apart in Game 1 and 22 seconds apart in Game 3… Zane McIntyre (8-6, 2.29, .914) allowed three goals on 15 shots before turning the crease over to Malcolm Subban, who stopped 21 of 22 shots the rest of the way; it was Subban’s first game action since Apr. 12… The Bruins are 1-for-10 on the power play in the series and 2-for-33 (6.1 percent) since the start of the second round… Providence, now 0-3 in Game 3’s this postseason, is 5-1 from Game 4 on.
Eastern Conference Finals – Series “M” (best-of-7)
A4-Providence Bruins vs. N1-Syracuse Crunch
Game 1 – Fri., May 19 – Syracuse 6, PROVIDENCE 3 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, Syracuse 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 24 – SYRACUSE 5, Providence 4 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – Providence at Syracuse, 7:00
Game 5 – Sat., May 27 – Providence at Syracuse, 7:00
*Game 6 – Tue., May 30 – Syracuse at Providence, 7:05
*Game 7 – Wed., May 31 – Syracuse at Providence, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
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Game 4 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live, NHL Network Radio
(GR leads series, 2-1)
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Grand Rapids and San Jose are back at it at Van Andel Arena tonight for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals… Mitch Callahan scored with 3:40 left in regulation as the Griffins rallied for a 4-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday… Grand Rapids scored three times in the third period to hand the Barracuda their first regulation loss all season when leading after 40 minutes (39-1-2)… Matt Lorito (5-5-10) scored the tying goal earlier in the third and Tomas Nosek (6-4-10) added an empty-netter as the Griffins erased a 2-1 deficit with less than 14 minutes remaining to improve to 5-0 on home ice this postseason… Nathan Paetsch (1-3-4) scored his first goal since Dec. 15, and his fourth goal in 95 career Calder Cup Playoff contests… Eric Tangradi (1-11-12) and Ben Street (3-10-13) each tallied two assists… Jared Coreau (9-2, 2.48, .917) made 31 saves in Game 3… John McCarthy (2-5-7) and Ryan Carpenter (9-8-17) scored first-period goals for the Barracuda… Carpenter has found the scoresheet in 11 of San Jose’s first 13 playoff games… Troy Grosenick (8-5, 2.33, .921) stopped 38 of 41 shots in the Game 3 loss… Grosenick is 4-0 with a .945 save percentage in four starts following a loss this postseason… Grand Rapids has scored at least four goals in seven of its first 11 playoff games, and has also allowed two goals or fewer in seven of 11.
Western Conference Finals – Series “N” (best-of-7)
P1-San Jose Barracuda vs. C2-Grand Rapids Griffins
Game 1 – Sat., May 20 – Grand Rapids 3, SAN JOSE 1 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 21 – SAN JOSE 4, Grand Rapids 2 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 24 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, San Jose 2 | Recap
Game 4 – Fri., May 26 – San Jose at Grand Rapids, 7:00
Game 5 – Sat., May 27 – San Jose at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 6 – Tue., May 30 – Grand Rapids at San Jose, 10:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 31 – Grand Rapids at San Jose, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
Eastern Conference Finals History
The Richard F. Canning Trophy is presented each season to the playoff champions of the AHL’s Eastern Conference… Here are the results of the Eastern Conference Finals since the league split into two conferences in 1995-96:
2016 – Hershey Bears 4, Toronto Marlies 1
2015 – Manchester Monarchs 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 0
2014 – St. John’s IceCaps 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2
2013 – Syracuse Crunch 4, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 1
2012 – Norfolk Admirals 4, St. John’s IceCaps 0
2011 – Binghamton Senators 4, Charlotte Checkers 0
2010 – Hershey Bears 4, Manchester Monarchs 2
2009 – Hershey Bears 4, Providence Bruins 1
2008 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Portland Pirates 3
2007 – Hershey Bears 4, Manchester Monarchs 0
2006 – Hershey Bears 4, Portland Pirates 3
2005 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Providence Bruins 2
2004 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 3
2003 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Binghamton Senators 1
2002 – Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2001 – Saint John Flames 4, Providence Bruins 1
2000 – Hartford Wolf Pack 4, Providence Bruins 3
1999 – Providence Bruins 4, Fredericton Canadiens 2
1998 – Saint John Flames 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 1
*1997 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Albany River Rats 1
*1996 – Portland Pirates 4, Saint John Flames 3
*known as Northern Conference
Western Conference Finals History
The Robert W. Clarke Trophy is presented each season to the playoff champions of the AHL’s Western Conference… Here are the results of the Western Conference Finals since the league split into two conferences in 1995-96:
2016 – Lake Erie Monsters 4, Ontario Reign 0
2015 – Utica Comets 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 2
2014 – Texas Stars 4, Toronto Marlies 3
2013 – Grand Rapids Griffins 4, Oklahoma City Barons 3
2012 – Toronto Marlies 4, Oklahoma City Barons 1
2011 – Houston Aeros 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2010 – Texas Stars 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3
2009 – Manitoba Moose 4, Houston Aeros 2
2008 – Chicago Wolves 4, Toronto Marlies 1
2007 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Chicago Wolves 1
2006 – Milwaukee Admirals 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 0
2005 – Chicago Wolves 4, Manitoba Moose 0
2004 – Milwaukee Admirals 4, Rochester Americans 1
2003 – Houston Aeros 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 3
2002 – Chicago Wolves 4, Houston Aeros 1
2001 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 4, Hershey Bears 0
2000 – Rochester Americans 4, Hershey Bears 0
1999 – Rochester Americans 4, Philadelphia Phantoms 2
1998 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Albany River Rats 2
*1997 – Hershey Bears 4, Springfield Falcons 3
*1996 – Rochester Americans 4, Syracuse Crunch 1
*known as Southern Conference
Working Overtime
There have been 17 overtime games played in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs so far:
May 21 – PROVIDENCE 2, Syracuse 1 (Jordan Szwarz, 8:28)
May 14 – Hershey 3, PROVIDENCE 2 (Madison Bowey, 1:58)
May 11 – Hershey 2, PROVIDENCE 1 (Chris Bourque, 7:14)
May 10 – San Jose 4, SAN DIEGO 3 (Timo Meier, 17:40)
May 7 – HERSHEY 3, Providence 2 (Travis Boyd, 5:44)
May 5 – San Diego 3, SAN JOSE 2 (Kevin Roy, 0:38)
*May 2 – SAN JOSE 2, Stockton 1 (Ryan Carpenter, 8:52)
*Apr. 28 – TORONTO 2, Albany 1 (Justin Holl, 46:43)
*Apr. 28 – SYRACUSE 2, St. John’s 1 (Gabriel Dumont, 2:18)
*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)
*clinched series
Alumni Watch
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs last night, 2004 AHL All-Star Chris Kunitz scored his second goal of the night at 5:09 of the second overtime to send Pittsburgh into the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 win over Ottawa in Game 7… Justin Schultz, the 2012-13 winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s outstanding defenseman, also scored for the Penguins.
On This Date
May 26, 2016 – Lukas Sedlak‘s goal in double overtime of Game 4 sends Lake Erie into the Calder Cup Finals with a 2-1 win over Ontario.
May 26, 2010 – Texas scores four unanswered goals to win Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals in Hamilton, 4-2.
May 26, 2004 – Vernon Fiddler scores twice as Milwaukee wins the Western Conference championship with a 4-1 win over Rochester in Game 5.
May 26, 1995 – Jose Theodore makes 26 saves in his professional debut, but Mike Dunham records a 29-save shutout and Albany captures the Calder Cup with a 3-0 win at Fredericton.
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.
