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 6 – HAMILTON 6, Rochester 2 (HAM wins, 4-2)
Game 6 – Providence 5, HARTFORD 2 (Series tied, 3-3)
Game 6 – Manchester 3, WORCESTER 2 (2OT) (MCH wins, 4-2)
Game 6 – IOWA 5, Omaha 2 (IOW wins, 4-2)
SATURDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. Brian Boyle‘s double-overtime goal sends Manchester into the second round for the first time.
2. Junior Lessard‘s three-point night helps Iowa complete first-round upset of Omaha.
3. Martins Karsums scores twice as Providence forces a Game 7 in Hartford.
SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Game 6 – Norfolk at W-B/Scranton, 5:05 (WBS leads, 3-2)
Game 7 – Providence at Hartford, 7:00 (Series tied, 3-3)
Game 6 – Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30 (GRA leads, 3-2)
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 – WORCESTER 3, Manchester 2
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Worcester 4, MANCHESTER 1
Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Manchester 3, WORCESTER 2 (2OT)
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 – PROVIDENCE 5, Hartford 1
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Hartford 1, PROVIDENCE 0
Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Providence 5, HARTFORD 2
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 4, ALBANY 2 (GF)
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 – NORFOLK 4, W-B/Scranton 1
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – W-B/Scranton 8, NORFOLK 1
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 4, GRAND RAPIDS 1
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Manitoba 3 (OT)
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 4, HAMILTON 3
Game 5 – Thu., Apr. 26 – Hamilton 4, ROCHESTER 2
Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – HAMILTON 6, Rochester 2
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 – IOWA 3, Omaha 2
Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – OMAHA 3, Iowa 2 (OT)
Game 6 – Sat., Apr. 28 – IOWA 5, Omaha 2
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 3, MILWAUKEE 2
Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Chicago 3, MILWAUKEE 2 (OT)
*if necessary… All times Eastern
(GF) at Glens Falls, N.Y.
GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 6 – Norfolk at W-B/Scranton, 5:05 (WBS leads, 3-2)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored five power-play goals and got points from 14 different skaters in Friday’s 8-1 win in Game 5, allowing them to take a 3-2 series lead back home to the Wachovia Arena this evening… The Penguins are 11-for-33 (33.3 percent) on the power play in the series… Defensemen Tom Gilbert and Micki DuPont each had a goal and two assists for Wilkes-Barre in Game 5… Norfolk’s Martin St. Pierre, who went without a point in back-to-back games just twice during the regular season, is scoreless since recording an assist in Game 1… The Admirals are 2-6 all-time when facing elimination, and have never won a best-of-seven Calder Cup Playoff series (0-5)… The Pens are 9-5 with a chance to close out a series.
Game 7 – Providence at Hartford, 7:00 (Series tied, 3-3)
Martins Karsums scored two goals and T.J. Trevelyan had a goal and an assist in Providence’s 5-2 win in Game 6 last night, setting up the 66th Game 7 in Calder Cup Playoff history… Home teams are 35-30 in Game 7’s, including 5-0 last spring… The Wolf Pack are playing in their eighth winner-take-all game all-time (5-2); all eight have been played at the Hartford Civic Center… The Bruins are playing their sixth winner-take-all game all-time (4-1); all six have been played on the road… Hartford beat Providence in Game 7 of the 2000 conference finals; the B’s returned the favor in a decisive Game 5 in the first round in 2001… Hartford has won each of the odd-numbered games in the series; the Bruins have won the even games… Providence forward David Krejci leads the AHL with eight postseason assists, including two in Game 6… Hartford linemates Nigel Dawes (4g, 5a) and Alex Bourret (2g, 7a) share the league scoring lead with nine points apiece… Providence is trying to join the 1983 Maine Mariners (vs. Nova Scotia) and the 1996 Portland Pirates (vs. Saint John) as the only teams in league history to win Games 6 and 7 of a series on the road.
Game 6 – Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30 (GRA leads, 3-2)
Grand Rapids grabbed a 3-2 series lead on Tony Voce’s goal 4:20 into overtime on Friday night, sealing a 4-3 win in Game 5… It was Voce’s second goal and third point of the game… Eric Himelfarb forced OT for the Griffins on Friday, scoring with 49 seconds left in regulation… Jimmy Howard ranks second in the AHL with a 1.71 postseason GAA… Drew MacIntyre made 43 saves in Friday’s loss, as Grand Rapids owned a 38-15 edge in shots over the final two periods plus overtime… Moose defenseman Prestin Ryan has a point in three straight games (1g, 2a)… Including the regular season, six of the teams’ 13 meetings this season have been decided past regulation… The Griffins are 4-4 all-time with a chance to win a Calder Cup Playoff series… The Moose are 6-4 when facing AHL postseason elimination… Darryl Bootland will miss tonight’s game due to a one-game AHL suspension after slashing Manitoba’s Jason Jaffray in Game 5.
MORNING HEADLINES:
ONE GAME AT A TIME
Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun
Win or go home. That’s the simple, yet harsh reality the Manitoba Moose face after returning home to Winnipeg trailing the AHL North Division best-of-seven semifinal 3-2. The Grand Rapids Griffins earned a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 5 to take the upper hand and now the Moose have their proverbial backs against the wall heading into today’s 7:35 p.m. start at the MTS Centre (CJOB). "You have to push back," said Moose captain Mike Keane. "Obviously, a lot of guys had sleepless nights (Friday). You think about what shoulda, coulda, woulda if the puck bounced the other way. You can really beat yourself up if you want to analyze everything but just like if we had won, we have to put it behind us. That’s what guys are doing." … Link
NORFOLK BANKING ON DETERMINATION, EVEN DESPERATION, TONIGHT
Paul White, Virginian-Pilot
Norfolk Admirals winger Carl Corazzini stood in the middle of a somber locker room after Friday night’s 8-1 loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and said what athletes tend to say after such a drubbing. "We weren’t ready mentally," Corazzini said. "We thought it was going to be an easy game, that they would just come in and roll over." In fact, even Corazzini later acknowledged that the Admirals did not take Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lightly, and that they spent the time between their Game 4 victory and Friday night braced for a determined Penguins’ effort. It’s the same kind of effort the Penguins now expect from the Admirals tonight in Game 6 at 5:05 at Wilkes-Barre’s Wachovia Arena. "We were the desperate team tonight. Now they’re desperate," Penguins defenseman Micki DuPont said. "And desperate teams are pretty dangerous." … Link
KARSUMS’ TWO GOALS HELP P-BRUINS FORCE GAME SEVEN
Dan Hickling, Providence Journal
One more day. At least. The Providence Bruins assured themselves of that much last night by handing the Hartford Wolf Pack a solid 5-2 thumping in Game Six of their best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinal series, which now stands squared at 3-3. Whether the P-Bruins will live to see the remainder of the week depends on them downing the Pack again, in tonight’s Game Seven, set here at 7:05. The winner of the rubber match will go on the division finals, while the loser will simply call it a year. “We’re excited,” said P-Bruin defenseman Dwayne Zinger. “We’ve got to regroup again, here, and refocus. They’re going to come out with their ‘A’ game and we’ve got to be ready to step up ours to match them.” … Link
PACK, BRUINS GOING THE DISTANCE
Bruce Berlet, Hartford Courant
Break out the cliches, starting with there’s no tomorrow. The Wolf Pack had hoped there would be no tomorrow but now face a Game 7 in the Atlantic Division semifinals with the Providence Bruins. As expected, the Bruins came out pressing after a one-goal loss at home, and the Pack failed to respond, allowing two goals in 14:26 in a 5-2 loss before 3,493 at the Civic Center Saturday night. After the Pack got to 3-2 on defenseman Hannu Pikkarainen‘s goal at 11:06 of the second, two major miscues 37 seconds apart led to Bruins goals that ensured the teams would play tonight at 7 at the Civic Center. … Link
FAHEY STEPS UP IN PLAYOFF PUSH
Lacy J. Banks, Chicago Sun-Times
While it was the scoring of MVP Darren Haydar and Rookie of the Year Brett Sterling that powered the Wolves through their first three playoff victories against the Milwaukee Admirals, it was defenseman Brian Fahey‘s goal in overtime Wednesday that completed the four-game series sweep. “I thought that our third line, especially Brian Fahey, played well and had a fine series,” Wolves coach John Anderson said. “I was also happy to see [rookie walk-on] Matt Anderson score a game-winning goal [in Game 2] and then assist on that winning overtime goal on Wednesday. We’ve had some pleasant surprises like these in the playoffs, and that shows we have some depth on the team. So, yes, our top scorers played well. But you have to have the rest of the team to also play well in order to win.” … Link
BY THE NUMBERS:
14 – Game 7’s in Calder Cup Playoff history that have gone to overtime, including the 2000 Eastern Conference final between Hartford and Providence.
ON THIS DATE:
April 29, 1995 – Garth Snow makes 35 saves, including one on an overtime penalty shot, in the Cornwall Aces’ 5-4 win over the Binghamton Rangers.
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.
