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
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Game 5 – Tonight, 8:00 ET, AHL Live | Series Infographic
TV: TSN2, NHL Network, Leafs Nation Network, Fox Sports Southwest
Satellite Radio: NHL Network Radio (SiriusXM 91)
(Series tied, 2-2)
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It’s a pivotal Game 5 of the 2018 Calder Cup Finals tonight as Texas hosts Toronto with the series square at two games apiece… The Stars scored once in each period of Game 4 on Thursday and came away with a 3-2 victory as the teams continued to alternate wins to begin the series… Justin Dowling (4-11-15) scored the winning goal midway through the third period after Curtis McKenzie (10-9-19) had scored twice earlier in the game… McKenzie has four goals in the Finals and 10 goals in his last 14 games overall… Travis Morin (6-8-14) recorded two assists, and now has 8-8-16 in 15 career Calder Cup Finals contests… Morin’s 84 postseason games played with Texas are the sixth-most in AHL history by a player with a single team… Mike McKenna (13-6, 2.13, .933) turned aside 29 shots in Game 4, improving to 19-3 (2.14, .928) on home ice over the last two postseasons between Texas and Syracuse… Dmytro Timashov (6-6-12) and Andreas Johnsson (7-10-17) scored for the Marlies, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 tie in a span of 40 seconds late in the second period… Timashov’s goal snapped a personal seven-game drought; Johnsson’s goal was his first of the series… Garret Sparks (12-4, 2.16, .918) finished with 15 saves as Toronto owned a 31-18 advantage in shots, holding opponents to 20 shots or fewer for the fifth time this postseason… Texas is 4-for-10 on the power play in the series, and 15-for-60 (25.0 percent) for the entire postseason… Toronto is 1-for-11 with the man advantage in the Finals… Since scoring 11 goals on 71 shots in Game 1, the teams have combined for 11 goals on 139 shots in Games 2-4… The Stars’ top line of Dowling, Morin and McKenzie — all members of Texas’s 2014 championship team — have combined for 8-9-17 in the series; the rest of the Texas roster has 3-11-14… Fourteen of the Stars’ 19 playoff games have been decided by a single goal (10-4); Texas tied for the AHL lead with 23 one-goal victories in the regular season… The Finals are tied at 2-2 for the first time since 2011 (Binghamton vs. Houston) and for the 21st time overall in the best-of-seven format; the Game 5 winner is 19-1 in the previous 20 series… This is just the third time in AHL history that the first four games of a Calder Cup Finals series have all ended in one-goal margins (see below)… Tonight will be the fifth consecutive sellout of the series… Game 5 is airing live this evening on TSN2, NHL Network, Leafs Nation Network and Fox Sports Southwest, and can also be heard on NHL Network Radio (SiriusXM 91).
2018 Calder Cup Finals (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. P2-Texas Stars
Game 1 – Sat., June 2 – TORONTO 6, Texas 5 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Sun., June 3 – Texas 2, TORONTO 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 3 – Tue., June 5 – Toronto 2, TEXAS 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 4 – Thu., June 7 – TEXAS 3, Toronto 2 | Recap/Highlights
Game 5 – Sat., June 9 – Toronto at Texas, 8:00, TSN2, NHLN, LNN, FSSW, FSSW+
Game 6 – Tue., June 12 – Texas at Toronto, 7:00, TSN2, NHLN, LNN
*Game 7 – Thu., June 14 – Texas at Toronto, 7:00, TSN2, NHLN, LNN
*if necessary… All times Eastern
Four-by-One
For just the third time in AHL history, the first four games of the Calder Cup Finals have all ended in one-goal margins:
2018 Game 1 – TORONTO 6, Texas 5
2018 Game 2 – Texas 2, TORONTO 1
2018 Game 3 – Toronto 2, TEXAS 1
2018 Game 4 – TEXAS 3, Toronto 2
1974 Game 1 – HERSHEY 4, Providence 3 (OT)
1974 Game 2 – HERSHEY 3, Providence 2
1974 Game 3 – Hershey 4, PROVIDENCE 3 (OT)
1974 Game 4 – PROVIDENCE 5, Hershey 4 (OT)
1942 Game 1 – INDIANAPOLIS 5, Hershey 4
1942 Game 2 – Hershey 5, INDIANAPOLIS 4 (OT)
1942 Game 3 – Indianapolis 2, HERSHEY 1
1942 Game 4 – HERSHEY 3, Indianapolis 2
About the Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is named for Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL (1917-43) and one of the driving forces behind the formation of the American Hockey League.
While the AHL’s history dates back to the fall of 1936, the Calder Cup trophy was first awarded in 1938 to the Providence Reds for winning the second International-American Hockey League championship. (In 1996, George Parsons of the Syracuse Stars was presented the Calder Cup in a ceremony at the Onondaga County War Memorial; it is believed the Stars never received a trophy for their 1937 championship.)
In 2001, the trophy’s base was changed to include two tiers of plaques, which feature the rosters of each of the last 20 Calder Cup champions; the plaques from the first 61 champions are on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The entire trophy now stands 24 inches tall and weighs 28 pounds. The bowl, made of sterling silver, is 12 inches high and eight inches in diameter; the base is made of Brazilian mahogany.
Calder Cup Finals History
Last 20 Calder Cup Finals results and Jack Butterfield Trophy winners (playoff MVP):
2017 – Grand Rapids Griffins 4, Syracuse Crunch 2 (Tyler Bertuzzi, GR)
2016 – Lake Erie Monsters 4, Hershey Bears 0 (Oliver Bjorkstrand, LE)
2015 – Manchester Monarchs 4, Utica Comets 1 (Jordan Weal, MCH)
2014 – Texas Stars 4, St. John’s IceCaps 1 (Travis Morin, TEX)
2013 – Grand Rapids Griffins 4, Syracuse Crunch 2 (Tomas Tatar, GR)
2012 – Norfolk Admirals 4, Toronto Marlies 0 (Alexandre Picard, NOR)
2011 – Binghamton Senators 4, Houston Aeros 2 (Robin Lehner, BNG)
2010 – Hershey Bears 4, Texas Stars 2 (Chris Bourque, HER)
2009 – Hershey Bears 4, Manitoba Moose 2 (Michal Neuvirth, HER)
2008 – Chicago Wolves 4, W-B/Scranton Penguins 2 (Jason Krog, CHI)
2007 – Hamilton Bulldogs 4, Hershey Bears 1 (Carey Price, HAM)
2006 – Hershey Bears 4, Milwaukee Admirals 2 (Frederic Cassivi, HER)
2005 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Chicago Wolves 0 (Antero Niittymaki, PHI)
2004 – Milwaukee Admirals 4, W-B/Scranton Penguins 0 (Wade Flaherty, MIL)
2003 – Houston Aeros 4, Hamilton Bulldogs 3 (Johan Holmqvist, HOU)
2002 – Chicago Wolves 4, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1 (Pasi Nurminen, CHI)
2001 – Saint John Flames 4, W-B/Scranton Penguins 2 (Steve Begin, SJN)
2000 – Hartford Wolf Pack 4, Rochester Americans 2 (Derek Armstrong, HFD)
1999 – Providence Bruins 4, Rochester Americans 1 (Peter Ferraro, PRO)
1998 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4, Saint John Flames 2 (Mike Maneluk, PHI)
Alumni Watch
The Washington Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup championship with a 4-3 victory over Vegas on Thursday night… Braden Holtby, John Carlson and Jay Beagle became the 123rd, 124th and 125th players ever to win both the Calder Cup and Stanley Cup in their careers… Barry Trotz became just the seventh head coach in history to win both a Stanley Cup and a Calder Cup (Portland Pirates, 1994), joining Fred Shero, Al MacNeil, Mike Keenan, Bob Hartley, John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette.
Working Overtime
There have been 16 overtime games played in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs so far (*indicates series-ending goal):
| Date | Result | GWG | Time |
| May 28 | TEXAS 2, Rockford 1 | Roope Hintz | 19:51* |
| May 24 | ROCKFORD 3, Texas 2 | Victor Ejdsell | 2:32 |
| May 22 | Texas 6, ROCKFORD 5 | Curtis McKenzie | 5:12 |
| May 20 | TEXAS 3, Rockford 2 | Curtis McKenzie | 10:46 |
| May 20 | TORONTO 3, Lehigh Valley 2 | Miro Aaltonen | 10:59 |
| 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
June 9, 2017 – Dan Renouf scores his only two goals of the playoffs to lead Grand Rapids to a 3-2 win over Syracuse and a 3-1 series lead in the Calder Cup Finals.
June 9, 2014 – Michael Hutchinson makes 49 saves and St. John’s evens the Calder Cup Finals with a 2-1 win at Texas in Game 2.
June 9, 2012 – Tyler Johnson records two goals and two assists, Cory Conacher adds four assists and Norfolk wins the Calder Cup with a 6-1 victory over Toronto, the Admirals’ 43rd win in 46 games to close out the season.
June 9, 2010 – John Carlson scores the tiebreaking goal with 2:08 left in regulation as Hershey evens the Calder Cup Finals with a 4-2 win over Texas in Game 4.
June 9, 2009 – Cory Schneider makes 31 saves and Manitoba staves off elimination with a 3-2 win at Hershey in Game 5 of the Finals.
June 9, 2003 – Tomas Plekanec and Jason Ward score first-period goals and Ty Conklin finishes with 36 saves as Hamilton pushes the Calder Cup Finals to the limit with a 2-1 win over Houston in Game 6 at Copps Coliseum.
June 9, 1999 – Steven King scores 55 seconds into the third overtime as Providence takes a 3-0 lead in the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-2 win in Rochester.
June 9, 1997 – Ralph Intranuovo and Jeff Daw score 1:51 apart in the third period as Hamilton downs Hershey, 2-1, in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals.
June 9, 1996 – Scott Nichol’s overtime goal gives Rochester a 5-4 win over Portland and a 3-2 series lead in the Calder Cup Finals.
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.
