AHL Morning Skate: May 28

Every game day from now until the end of the Calder Cup Playoffs, the AHL Morning Skate takes 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.


2011 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:
Playoff Bracket
|| Scoring Leaders || Goaltending Leaders

2011 Calder Cup Finals – Series “O” (best-of-7)
W2-Houston Aeros vs. E5-Binghamton Senators
Game 1 – Fri., May 27 – HOUSTON 3, Binghamton 1
Game 2 – Sat., May 28 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:35
Game 3 – Wed., June 1 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
Game 4 – Fri., June 3 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sat., June 4 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
*Game 6 – Tue., June 7 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:05
*Game 7 – Thu., June 9 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:05

*if necessary… All times Eastern


FRIDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. Jed Ortmeyer netted the game-tying and game-winning goals in the third period to send Houston to a 3-1 win over Binghamton in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals.

2. Colton Gillies chipped in a pair of assists in the winning effort for Houston.

3. Defenseman Marco Scandella also posted two helpers as the Aeros took a 1-0 series lead.


GAME NOTES (all times ET):

Game 2 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:35 (HOU leads series, 1-0)
TV: Time Warner Cable 23 & HD 813 (Binghamton)
Satellite Radio: NHL Home Ice (Sirius 207, XM 92)
Video Webcast: AHL Live (www.ahllive.com)
Series Preview: https://theahl.com/finals-p171201

Twenty-four hours after coming away with a 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the 2011 Calder Cup Finals, Houston looks to hold serve at home again tonight when the puck drops for Game 2 against Binghamton… The Aeros entered the third period last night down by a goal but scored three times in the third to take the win, improving to 3-5 this postseason when trailing after 40 minutes… Houston has now outscored opponents 22-12 in the third period during these playoffs… The Senators saw their eight-game road winning streak end – one shy of the league record of nine established by the 1998 Philadelphia Phantoms – and Binghamton was limited to just one goal for the first time since its postseason opener, a 2-1 loss at Manchester on Apr. 14… Aeros forward Jed Ortmeyer tied the game up at 1:47 of the third period and then notched the game-winner at 6:09, with former first-round draft pick Colton Gillies (16th overall by Minnesota in 2007) and defenseman Marco Scandella earning assists on both goals… Ortmeyer, who registered his fifth and sixth goals of the postseason, now has four goals in the last four games… Gillies has picked up four helpers over in his last three games and moved up to third place on the Aeros in scoring with 12 points – including a team-high seven goals – in 19 playoff contests… Gillies, however, is without a goal in six straight outings since scoring in Game 2 of the conference finals vs. Hamilton… Scandella, a former second-round draft pick by Minnesota who missed Houston’s first four playoff games this spring due to injury, recorded his first multiple-point effort since picking up three assists vs. Abbotsford on Mar. 6… Aeros rookie goaltender Matt Hackett (13-6, 2.48, .901) earned the victory in Game 1 with 23 saves on 24 shots, including a perfect 16-for-16 showing over the final two periods… It marked the 11th time in 19 appearances during this playoff run that Hackett limited an opponent to two or fewer goals, but he had surrendered three or more goals in each of his previous four outings… Binghamton scored first for the 10th time in 18 playoff games when rookie Bobby Butler got on the board at 16:17 of the opening period off a feed from fellow first-year pro Colin Greening… Butler now leads all AHL rookies – and ranks third overall – with 11 goals (11-3-14) this postseason after combining for 32 markers in a regular season which was split between Binghamton and parent-club Ottawa… The 24-year-old Butler has now scored in four of his last five games (4-1-5) and five of his last seven (5-1-6)… He has registered single goals in 11 of the club’s 18 playoff games overall, yet to record more than one in the same game… Greening’s assist snapped a 10-game points drought which dated back to a two-assist effort in Game 7 of the Senators’ division semifinal series at Manchester on Apr. 23… B-Sens rookie goaltender Robin Lehner stopped 38 of 41 shots in net but was still saddled with just his third loss of the playoffs (10-3, 2.38, .933)… Lehner has made at least 30 saves in four straight appearances and 11 of his 14 outings overall this spring; in two of the three exceptions, the 19-year-old started but was pulled early in favor of Barry Brust… AHL leading playoff scorer Ryan Potulny (14-11-25) was held without a point for just the fourth time in 18 playoff games this spring… The only other time during this playoff run that the Senators dropped a Game 1 – in the first round vs. Manchester – they also played Game 2 the very next day and came away with a 4-3 overtime win on Apr. 15 to even the series.


MORNING HEADLINES:

AEROS RIDE THIRD-PERIOD SURGE TO WIN – Houston Chronicle
Just as Jed Ortmeyer’s two third-period goals delivered a much-needed boost to the Aeros in their 3-1 win Friday night in Game 1 of the Calder Cup finals at Toyota Center, their late surge also delivered a pointed message to the Binghamton Senators. The Senators, winners of their past five playoff games but coming off a nine-day layoff after clinching the Eastern Conference title, led 1-0 entering the final period but were outshot 14-7 down the stretch and consistently outplayed over the final 20 minutes.
http://bit.ly/jBtKNr

B-SENS LACKLUSTER, BEATEN IN FINALS OPENER – Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
The Houston Aeros scored twice early in the third period and added a late empty-netter to snap the Binghamton Senators’ five-game win streak and capture a 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals on Friday night at the Toyota Center. "I have no idea who just played out there," B-Sens coach Kurt Kleinendorst said. "That wasn’t my team. We didn’t win a battle. You don’t win games if you don’t win battles."
http://bit.ly/k1DAb0

BABY SENS COME OUT FLAT, DROP GAME 1 TO AEROS – Canadian Press
Binghamton Senators head coach Kurt Kleinendorst says his team got what it deserved in Game 1 of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup final. Jed Ortmeyer scored twice early in the third and Matt Hackett made 23 saves Friday as the Houston Aeros beat Binghamton 3-1. Warren Peters added an empty-net goal for Houston, which leads the series 1-0 and hosts Game 2 on Saturday. "If we win that game, then we think playing poorly and winning is a good combination, so it might be the best thing that happened to us," Kleinendorst said.
http://bit.ly/lVd5TJ

CALDER CUP FINALS NOTES: YEO LOOKS TO ADD TO LEGACY – Houston Chronicle
Aeros coach Mike Yeo was Aeros captain during the 1999 Turner Cup finals. He was injured during the playoffs, but he led the team to its best regular-season finish, and the Aeros capped that season with a seven-game win over Orlando. Yeo won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, one year after finishing as a runner-up to the Detroit Red Wings. Now, he is just three wins from his third championship. "This is why you do it," Yeo said. "This is why you go through the grind of 80 games during the regular season."
http://bit.ly/l5yMSI

CALDER CUP NOTEBOOK: BRUST, LOCKE ENJOYING REUNION IN HOUSTON – Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
All of the Binghamton Senators are excited to be playing in the Calder Cup Finals. Barry Brust and Corey Locke are a little more excited than most about where they get to play. Brust and Locke each returned to Houston for the first time since playing for the Aeros earlier in their careers. Brust spent three seasons with the Aeros before joining the B-Sens this season. Locke played the 2008-09 season with the current Western Conference champs.
http://bit.ly/jI3z5u

CANUCK TRIO’S SPECIAL BOND STARTED WITH THE AHL’S MOOSE – Vancouver Sun
Ryan Kesler refers to teammates Kevin Bieksa and Alex Burrows as his brothers. "Not like Hank and Danny brothers," he says of the Sedin twins. "We’re like brothers that fight. We get into our arguments." But they always settle them and have been now for about seven years, ever since that day the three of them, all green as grass pros, became teammates with the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose. Bieksa remembers it like it was yesterday.
http://bit.ly/jwhOyr


FROM CALDER TO STANLEY:
Last night in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Nathan Horton snapped a scoreless tie with 12:27 gone in the third period as Boston captured a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals… David Krejci and 2001 AHL All-Star Andrew Ference picked up assists on the goal, and goaltender Tim Thomas posted a 24-save shutout.


BY THE NUMBERS:
52 – Total goals allowed by both Binghamton (in 18 games) and Houston (19 games) so far this postseason.

7-4 – Houston’s playoff record when surrendering the game’s first goal, a mark which was improved on Friday in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals.


ON THIS DATE:
May 28, 2004Jed Ortmeyer scores two goals as Hartford defeats Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 4-1, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, squaring the series at three games apiece.

May 28, 2003 – Houston opens the Calder Cup Finals with a 2-1 win in Hamilton behind goals from Stephane Veilleux and Jean-Guy Trudel.

May 28, 2001 – At a sold-out Harbour Station, the Saint John Flames win the Calder Cup with a 1-0 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

May 28, 2000Brad Smyth scores twice in Hartford’s 3-1 win over Rochester in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals.


AHL LIVE:
Don’t miss a step on the road to the 2011 Calder Cup championship. AHL Live brings AHL action to your computer all season long with live video webcasts and highlights of every AHL game, as well as behind-the-scenes features and interviews in the Video On Demand section… Visit theahl.com or ahllive.com for details.