AHL Morning Skate: May 6, 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.


SATURDAY’S SCORES:
Game 3 – Hershey 2, W-B/SCRANTON 0 (HER leads, 3-0)
Game 1 – Hamilton 2, MANITOBA 1 (HAM leads, 1-0)


SATURDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. Carey Price makes 24 saves as Hamilton shuts down Manitoba in Game 1.

2. Frederic Cassivi notches his sixth career Calder Cup Playoff shutout as the Bears take a 3-0 series lead.

3. Hershey’s Matt Hendricks scores for the third straight game, his second game-winner of the series.


SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Game 3 – Chicago at Iowa, 6:05 (Series tied, 1-1)
Game 2 – Hamilton at Manitoba, 8:30 (HAM leads, 1-0)


2007 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:
Atlantic Division Final – Series "I" (best-of-7)
A1-Manchester Monarchs vs. A3-Providence Bruins || Preview

Game 1 – Tue., May 1 – Providence 6, MANCHESTER 3
Game 2 – Wed., May 2 – MANCHESTER 4, Providence 1
Game 3 – Tue., May 8 – Manchester at Providence, 7:05
Game 4 – Wed., May 9 – Manchester at Providence, 7:05
Game 5 – Sat., May 12 – Providence at Manchester, 7:35
*Game 6 – Mon., May 14 – Manchester at Providence, 7:05
*Game 7 – Wed., May 16 – Providence at Manchester, 7:05

East Division Final – Series "J" (best-of-7)
E1-Hershey Bears vs. E2-W-B/Scranton Penguins || Preview

Game 1 – Wed., May 2 – HERSHEY 4, W-B/Scranton 3
Game 2 – Fri., May 4 – HERSHEY 4, W-B/Scranton 3 (2OT)
Game 3 – Sat., May 5 – Hershey 2, W-B/SCRANTON 0
Game 4 – Wed., May 9 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Fri., May 11 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sat., May 12 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Mon., May 14 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00

North Division Final – Series "K" (best-of-7)
N1-Manitoba Moose vs. N3-Hamilton Bulldogs || Preview
Game 1 – Sat., May 5 – Hamilton 2, MANITOBA 1
Game 2 – Sun., May 6 – Hamilton at Manitoba, 8:30
Game 3 – Tue., May 8 – Manitoba at Hamilton, 7:30
Game 4 – Sat., May 12 – Manitoba at Hamilton, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 13 – Manitoba at Hamilton, 3:00
*Game 6 – Mon., May 14 – Hamilton at Manitoba, 8:30
*Game 7 – Wed., May 16 – Hamilton at Manitoba, 8:30

West Division Final – Series "L" (best-of-7)
W2-Chicago Wolves vs. W4-Iowa Stars || Preview

Game 1 – Wed., May 2 – CHICAGO 7, Iowa 0
Game 2 – Fri., May 4 – Iowa 5, CHICAGO 4
Game 3 – Sun., May 6 – Chicago at Iowa, 6:05
Game 4 – Tue., May 8 – Chicago at Iowa, 8:05
Game 5 – Thu., May 10 – Chicago at Iowa, 8:05
*Game 6 – Sat., May 12 – Iowa at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 7 – Mon., May 14 – Iowa at Chicago, 8:00

*if necessary… All times Eastern


GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 3 – Chicago at Iowa, 6:05 (Series tied, 1-1)
Chicago, which tied an AHL record with 27 road wins in the regular season, visits Iowa for Game 3 of the West Division Finals this evening… The Stars got in the win column with a 5-4 victory on Friday, squaring the series after their 7-0 loss in Game 1… Paul Szczechura scored twice and Matt Niskanen and Chris Conner recorded a goal and two assists each in Game 2 for Iowa… Jason Krog (1g, 3a) and Darren Haydar (4a) each picked up four points in the loss for the Wolves, who have scored 59 goals in 12 games vs. the Stars this year (4.92 avg.)… Haydar is now 10th all-time with 84 career Calder Cup Playoff points in 62 games… Iowa’s .438 points percentage on home ice (16-21-2-1) during the regular season was the lowest among the AHL’s 16 playoff teams, but the Stars were 3-0 at Wells Fargo Arena in the first round vs. Omaha… Iowa goaltender Dan Ellis answers fans’ questions in the AHL Chat Room at caldercup.com on Monday.

Game 2 – Hamilton at Manitoba, 8:30 (HAM leads, 1-0)
Hamilton broke out to an early series lead with a 2-1 win in Winnipeg last night… Carey Price made 24 saves and Ajay Baines and Andre Benoit provided the offense for the Bulldogs, who won their second straight Game 1 on the road… Lee Goren had the lone goal for the Moose, spoiling Price’s shutout bid with 24.2 seconds remaining in the game… Manitoba’s Drew MacIntyre allowed two goals or fewer for the sixth time in eight starts this postseason… The Moose are 2-9 in Game 2’s of Calder Cup Playoff series… Hamilton has lost four straight Game 2’s since its quadruple-overtime win in the second game of the 2003 Calder Cup Final vs. Houston.


MORNING HEADLINES:

B’S TAKING BABY STEPS
Stephen Harris, Boston Herald
Many close to the Boston Bruins believe Dave Lewis could face the axe pretty quickly next season if the B’s don’t start well — and many believe the next coach will be Providence Bruins coach Scott Gordon. The 44-year-old Gordon, in his fourth year as the Baby B’s head coach (166-123-13-25 overall record), is delivering a typically fine job in this year’s AHL playoffs. Underdog Providence rallied with wins in Games 6 and 7 to win its first-round series against Hartford, and split the first two games of the division finals vs. the Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs. Game 3 is at Providence’s Dunkin’ Donuts center Tuesday night at 7:05. This despite a rash of injuries on defense — notably to Matt Lashoff, Mark Stuart and Jonathan Sigalet — and a very young crew of forwards, many in their first or second pro seasons. … Link

BRUST READY WHEN CALLED UPON
Jim Fennell, New Hampshire Sunday News
Barry Brust said he entered the Verizon Wireless Arena prepared to start in goal Wednesday when the Manchester Monarchs played the Providence Bruins in the second game of the best-of-seven Atlantic Division finals. Jason LaBarbera — the best goalie in the AHL and the single biggest reason the Monarchs finished first in their division during the regular season — had to come out of the series opener, a 6-3, loss, and now the Monarchs were facing the ugly possibility of going down two games with the next two on the road. This wasn’t the time most teams would want to turn to their backup — especially one who played just 18 games for them during the regular season. The Monarchs aren’t one of those teams. … Link

KITTY BUILT WELL ON WINNIPEG FOUNDATION
Gary Lawless, Winnipeg Free Press
Randy Carlyle
, as they say in gangland, made his bones in Winnipeg. Carlyle, now in just his second year as a head coach in the NHL, arrived in the show ready to win. The ups and downs he’d lived as head coach of the Manitoba Moose, both as an independent in the IHL and as an affiliate in the AHL, had taught him invaluable lessons. "Those years in Winnipeg. That’s the foundation of what I’ve learned as a coach," said Carlyle, relaxing at his California home a day after his Anaheim Ducks had polished off the Vancouver Canucks to advance to the Western Conference Final. "There’s no substitute for being involved in a playoff series." … Link


ALUMNI WATCH:
Former AHL MVP Jason Spezza recorded a goal and an assist and former AHL All-Rookie forward Antoine Vermette added a goal as Ottawa eliminated New Jersey with a 3-2 win in Game 5 last night.

Mikael Samuelsson scored his first North American postseason goal since the 2001 Calder Cup Playoffs, helping Detroit to a 4-1 win over San Jose yesterday.

Kaspars Daugavins, who made his professional debut with the Binghamton Senators late in the 2006-07 season, picked up a goal and an assist in Latvia’s 5-1 win over Austria today at the 2007 World Championships in Russia.


BY THE NUMBERS:
4
– Head coaches remaining in the 2007 postseason who have already won a Calder Cup championship… Hamilton’s Don Lever was a player/assistant coach in Rochester in 1987; John Anderson coached Chicago to the title in 2002; Wilkes-Barre’s Todd Richards was a defenseman in Springfield in 1991 and an assistant coach in Milwaukee in 2004; and Hershey’s Bruce Boudreau won as a player with Adirondack in 1992 and as head coach of the Bears in 2006.


ON THIS DATE:
May 6, 2006 Jordin Tootoo nets a natural hat trick in Milwaukee’s 7-0 win over Houston in Game 2 of their West Division final.

May 6, 1980Darryl Sutter scores 6:01 into overtime, giving New Brunswick a 3-2 win over Maine in Game 6 and sending the Hawks into the Calder Cup Finals.


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.