AHL Morning Skate: May 6

Complete Schedule || Playoff Brackets || Today’s Scoreboard || League Leaders

   
Game 2 – 7:00 ET, AHL Live
(W-B/Scranton leads series, 1-0)
Follow @WBSPenguins Follow @TheHersheyBears Tweet #HERvsWBS

Casey DeSmith made 33 saves for the first shutout of his professional career, leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 4-0 win over Hershey on Wednesday night and a 1-0 series lead heading into Game 2 this evening at Giant Center… DeSmith, who played all of 13 games in the ECHL and six in the AHL during the regular season, is now 4-0 (1.93, .944) for the Penguins this postseason… Daniel Sprong (5-1-6) scored twice for the Penguins in Game 1… Carter Rowney (2-4-6) had a goal, and Tom Kostopoulos (2-2-4) capped the scoring with an empty-netter… Justin Peters (3-2, 1.23, .953) made 27 saves for the Bears, who were shut out at home in the playoffs for the first time since Game 1 of the 2007 Calder Cup Finals vs. Hamilton (Carey Price)… Wednesday’s victory was the 100th postseason win in Penguins franchise history, and also snapped a 16-game winning streak by the home team in playoff games between Wilkes-Barre and Hershey… The Bears are still 12-2 all-time in the playoffs against the Penguins at Giant Center… Bears forward Chris Bourque skated in his 106th Calder Cup Playoff game on Wednesday, tying Terry Virtue and Dennis Bonvie for 13th place on the career list… Game 1 featured a penalty shot attempt for each team, the first time that has happened in an AHL playoff contest since May 5, 1999 (Rochester vs. Hamilton)… Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has scored in the opening minute of a period four times already this postseason, including the first and second periods of Game 1.

Atlantic Division Finals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
A1-Hershey Bears vs. A3-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Game 1 – Wed., May 4 – W-B/Scranton 4, HERSHEY 0
Game 2 – Fri., May 6 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
Game 3 – Sat., May 7 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 4 – Mon., May 9 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Wed., May 11 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 6 – Fri., May 13 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sun., May 15 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 5:00
   *if necessary… All times Eastern

   
Game 2 – 7:30 ET, AHL Live
(Albany leads series, 1-0)
Follow @AlbanyDevils Follow @TorontoMarlies Tweet #TORvsALB

Toronto hosts Albany in Game 2 of the North Division Finals tonight looking to rebound from Wednesday’s 2-1 loss in the series opener… Scott Wedgewood (4-1, 1.75, .933) made 32 saves for the Devils in Game 1, which saw all of its scoring take place in a span of 2:10 midway through the first period… Brian O’Neill (1-1-2) and Matt Lorito (2-2-4) scored for Albany, the first two goals allowed by Marlies netminder Garret Sparks (2-1, 0.82, .972) this postseason… Sparks made 27 saves in Game 1… Mike Sislo (2-3-5) assisted on both Devils goals… Coming off a hat trick and a five-point effort in the Marlies’ series-clinching win over Bridgeport last week, Connor Carrick (4-4-8) netted Toronto’s lone goal on Wednesday… The Marlies were 0-for-3 on the power play in Game 1 as Albany remained perfect on the penalty kill (17-for-17) this postseason… Game 1 marked the first time since Nov. 29 (vs. St. John’s) that the Marlies were held to one goal in a home game… Toronto has lost back-to-back home games only twice this season (Oct. 18-28, Nov. 28-29).

North Division Finals – Series “J” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. N2-Albany Devils
Game 1 – Wed., May 4 – Albany 2, TORONTO 1
Game 2 – Fri., May 6 – Albany at Toronto, 7:30
Game 3 – Sun., May 8 – Toronto at Albany, 5:00
Game 4 – Tue., May 10 – Toronto at Albany, 7:00
*Game 5 – Thu., May 12 – Toronto at Albany, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sat., May 14 – Albany at Toronto, 3:00
*Game 7 – Mon., May 16 – Albany at Toronto, 7:30
   *if necessary… All times Eastern

#ONTvsSD: Michael Mersch tallied two goals and an assist for Ontario in a 5-3 win over San Diego in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Finals

May 5 – LAKE ERIE 3, Grand Rapids 2 (Oliver Bjorkstrand, 12:23)
Apr. 28 – Portland 2, HERSHEY 1 (Rob Flick, 43:10)
Apr. 26 – UTICA 2, Albany 1 (Alexandre Grenier, 9:13)
Apr. 23 – W-B/Scranton 5, PROVIDENCE 4 (Jake Guentzel, 33:52)
Apr. 21 – W-B/SCRANTON 4, Providence 3 (Daniel Sprong, 5:13)
Apr. 20 – W-B/SCRANTON 3, Providence 2 (Carter Rowney, 1:09)

AHL Live
Don’t miss a second on the road to the 2016 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.