AHL Morning Skate: April 24, 2007


AHL Quick Hits is now the Morning Skate… Every morning, take a spin around the AHL ice with recaps and previews, news and notes, facts and figures, and the top headlines from around the American Hockey League.


MONDAY’S SCORES:
Game 4 – Hershey 3, ALBANY 1 (HER leads, 3-1)
Game 3 – GRAND RAPIDS 2, Manitoba 1 (OT) (GRA leads, 2-1)
Game 3 – W-B/Scranton 3, NORFOLK 2 (OT) (WBS leads, 2-1)
Game 3 – IOWA 2, Omaha 1 (IOW leads, 2-1)


MONDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. Matt Ellis follows his Game 2 hat trick with a shorthanded OT goal in Game 3 for Grand Rapids.

2. Jonathan Filewich gives the Penguins an OT win with his second straight game-winning goal.

3. Alexandre Giroux‘s first two points of the series lead Hershey to a Game 4 win over Albany.


TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Game 4 – Hartford at Providence (HFD leads, 2-1)
Game 4 – Rochester at Hamilton, 7:30 (HAM leads, 2-1)
Game 3 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00 (CHI leads, 2-0)


2007 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:

Atlantic Division Semifinal — Series "A" (best-of-7)
A1-Manchester Monarchs vs. A4-Worcester Sharks || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 18 – MANCHESTER 5, Worcester 2
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 20 – MANCHESTER 4, Worcester 3 (2OT)
Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Manchester 5, WORCESTER 0
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Manchester at Worcester, 7:00
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Worcester at Manchester, 7:35
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Manchester at Worcester, 7:00
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 30 – Worcester at Manchester, 7:05

 

Atlantic Division Semifinal — Series "B" (best-of-7)
A2-Hartford Wolf Pack vs. A3-Providence Bruins || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 18 – HARTFORD 5, Providence 1
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Providence 4, HARTFORD 2
Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Hartford 5, PROVIDENCE 2
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 24 – Hartford at Providence, 7:05
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Hartford at Providence, 7:05
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Providence at Hartford, 7:00
*Game 7 – Sun., Apr. 29 – Providence at Hartford, 7:00

East Division Semifinal — Series "C" (best-of-7)
E1-Hershey Bears vs. E4-Albany River Rats || Preview
Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 18 – HERSHEY 3, Albany 2
Game 2 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Albany 3, HERSHEY 2 (OT)
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Hershey 6, ALBANY 5 (GF)
Game 4 – Mon., Apr. 23 – Hershey 3, ALBANY 1 (GF)
Game 5 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Hershey vs. Albany, 7:00 (GF)
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Albany at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 7 – Sun., Apr. 29 – Albany at Hershey, 5:00

East Division Semifinal — Series "D" (best-of-7)
E2-W-B/Scranton Penguins vs. E3-Norfolk Admirals || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Norfolk 5, W-B/SCRANTON 2
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – W-B/SCRANTON 5, Norfolk 2
Game 3 – Mon., Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton 3, NORFOLK 2 (OT)
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – W-B/Scranton at Norfolk, 7:15
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – W-B/Scranton at Norfolk, 7:15
*Game 6 – Sun., Apr. 29 – Norfolk at W-B/Scranton, 5:05
*Game 7 – Tue., May 1 – Norfolk at W-B/Scranton, 7:05

North Division Semifinal — Series "E" (best-of-7)
N1-Manitoba Moose vs. N4-Grand Rapids Griffins || Preview
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – MANITOBA 1, Grand Rapids 0
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Grand Rapids 4, MANITOBA 1
Game 3 – Mon., Apr. 23 – GRAND RAPIDS 2, Manitoba 1 (OT)
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sun., Apr. 29 – Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30
*Game 7 – Tue., May 1 – Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30

 

North Division Semifinal — Series "F" (best-of-7)
N2-Rochester Americans vs. N3-Hamilton Bulldogs || Preview
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Hamilton 2, ROCHESTER 0
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – ROCHESTER 3, Hamilton 1
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 22 – HAMILTON 5, Rochester 4 (2OT)
Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 24 – Rochester at Hamilton, 7:30
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Hamilton at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Rochester at Hamilton, 7:00
*Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 30 – Hamilton at Rochester, 7:05

 

West Division Semifinal — Series "G" (best-of-7)
W1-Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights vs. W4-Iowa Stars || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – OMAHA 4, Iowa 2
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Iowa 2, OMAHA 1 (OT)
Game 3 – Mon., Apr. 23 – IOWA 2, Omaha 1
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Omaha at Iowa, 8:05
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Iowa at Omaha, 8:00
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Omaha at Iowa, 8:05
*Game 7 – Tue., May 1 – Iowa at Omaha, 8:00

West Division Semifinal — Series "H" (best-of-7)
W2-Chicago Wolves vs. W3-Milwaukee Admirals || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – CHICAGO 3, Milwaukee 2
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 22 – CHICAGO 4, Milwaukee 1
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 24 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:30
*Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:30
*Game 7 – Tue., May 1 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:00

*if necessary… All times Eastern


GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 4 – Hartford at Providence (HFD leads, 2-1)

Hartford linemates Nigel Dawes (3g, 5a) and Alex Bourret (2g, 6a) are tied for the AHL’s playoff scoring lead with eight points each in their first three games… The Wolf Pack have won four straight games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, by a combined score of 13-5… Levi Nelson, a sixth-round draft pick by Boston in 2006 who turns 19 later this week, scored his first professional goal for Providence in Game 3… Since joining the P-Bruins from Niagara University on Mar. 14, Sean Bentivoglio has points in 13 of his first 18 professional games (5g, 12a), including two goals and an assist in this series.

Game 4 – Rochester at Hamilton, 7:30 (HAM leads, 2-1)
Mikhail Grabovski gave Hamilton a 2-1 series lead with his goal 17 seconds into the second overtime in Game 3 on Sunday… Corey Locke’s hat trick in Game 3 represented his first three career Calder Cup Playoff points… Craig Anderson made 46 saves for Rochester on Sunday, including a stop on a Duncan Milroy penalty shot in the first OT period… Clarke MacArthur recorded a goal and two assists in Sunday’s loss… Mark Mancari has taken a series-high 16 shots for the Amerks, but is still looking for his first goal… The clubs are a combined 7-for-28 on the power play (25.0 percent) in the series.

Game 3 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00 (CHI leads, 2-0)
Chicago won four of its five visits to the Bradley Center during the regular season, and can take command of this series with a win in Game 3 tonight… Darren Haydar’s three points in the series give him 76 for his AHL playoff career, tied for 14th all-time with current Peoria forward Peter Ferraro… Wolves goalie Michael Garnett is 4-0 (1.51, .951) in four career Calder Cup Playoff appearances… Milwaukee rookie Cal O’Reilly has eight points (3g, 5a) in his last three home games against Chicago… The Admirals have lost five straight postseason games dating back to last year’s Finals vs. Hershey.


MORNING HEADLINES:

BENTIVOGLIO DIDN’T LIKE NU’S FINISH, BUT NOW HE’S GOT SOMETHING BRUIN
Tim Schmitt, Niagara Gazette
Des Moines to Lewiston to Providence. That’s the 24-hour cycle Niagara University men’s hockey captain Sean Bentivoglio went through after the Purple Eagles were dumped from the College Hockey America tournament in early March. Little time to mourn, even less for bruises and bumps to heal. Bentivoglio found out from an agent that he’d been signed by the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. That meant time to pack a few bags and get ready for his next challenge. “It was tough after four years, especially after the great start that we had,” he said. “I didn’t want to go out on that note, and signing with Providence definitely helped me get over the fact. It was a fresh start.”

BOYLE HOPES PLAYOFF RUN EASES DISAPPOINTMENT
Lindsay Kramer, NHL.com
As much as every team could find room for a 6-foot-7, 250-pound scorer who can play both center and defense, Brian Boyle and the Manchester Monarchs are a perfect match for another reason. Disappointment. Boyle’s Boston College team lost in the NCAA championship game in both 2006 and 2007. The Atlantic Division champion Monarchs have reached the AHL playoffs every year since joining the league in 2001-02, but have never won a playoff series. So what do you do? You keep playing with the hopes of escaping the shadow of losses. There are obviously no guarantees, but, in Boyle’s case, it’s better than sitting around and dwelling on the Eagles’ title game loss to Michigan State on April 7.

STARS NETMINDER CAN STOMACH THE PRESSURE
Sean Keeler, Des Moines Register
Dan Ellis is only 26. His gut says he’s 48. The guy’s waged so many internal battles in recent years, his stomach feels like a miniature Persian Gulf. "You’re constantly trying to tell yourself: ‘Focus on the next shot,’" Ellis, the Iowa Stars’ No. 1 goaltender, explained Monday after a 2-1 win over Omaha in Game 3 of an American Hockey League West Division semifinal series. "’Don’t look at the stands. Don’t look at the KissCam.’" There’s too much dang time to think. And then, suddenly, there’s none. The man’s work is 70 percent zen, 30 percent complete chaos. It’s a solitary existence. You start to develop bad habits. The Saskatchewan native had started beating himself up, as goalies often do, over the little stuff. He would obsess over, say, rebounds. If Ellis surrendered an early goal, no matter how fluky the circumstances, it had the potential to spin him into a funk.

LAMPMAN UNDAUNTED
Bruce Berlet, Hartford Courant

Bryce Lampman thought he reached the pinnacle of frustration last season. The Wolf Pack defenseman played 12 games before injuring his left shoulder at Portland in November. He resumed skating three weeks later but was out for the season after the shoulder popped out as he made a simple pass in practice. Lampman had surgery Jan. 18 and then experienced "the worst four weeks of my life" while his arm was in an immobilizer at a 90-degree angle. He had difficulty sleeping, couldn’t work out until mid-May, couldn’t resume skating until June and didn’t have contact until the first day of Rangers’ training camp Sept. 15. "It was a lost season and torture having to watch all the time," Lampman said. But that paled in comparison with an injury sustained in Worcester Feb. 16. Lampman thought his career might be over after an errant stick found its way under his shield and grazed his left eye.


FROM CALDER TO STANLEY:
Roberto Luongo won his first postseason series since leading Lowell to the second round of the 2000 Calder Cup Playoffs, making 19 saves in Vancouver’s 4-1 win over Dallas in Game 7 last night.


ON THIS DATE:
April 24, 1993
Olaf Kolzig makes 26 saves as Rochester finishes off a five-game series victory over Martin Brodeur (22 saves) and the Utica Devils, 3-2.

April 24, 1992
Yanic Perreault records a goal and an assist and Felix Potvin makes 21 saves as St. John’s defeats Moncton, 8-4, in Game 1 of their second-round series.

April 24, 1973 – The Nova Scotia Voyageurs run their playoff winning streak to 12 games spanning two postseasons, completing a four-game sweep of the Boston Braves with a 7-1 victory at Boston Garden.


ON THE AIR:
B2 Networks brings AHL action to your computer, web-enabled cell phone or PDA throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs with live video webcasts of nearly every AHL game… Visit caldercup.com for details.