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:
TORONTO 3, Syracuse 2 (TOR wins, 4-3)
MONDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. Brent Aubin netted a pair of first-period goals to send
2. John Mitchell’s goal in the third period held up as the game-winner for the Marlies.
3. Derek MacKenzie tallied a goal and an assist for
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Game 7 –
2008 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:
Complete Results || Scoring Leaders || Goaltending Leaders
Eastern Conference Finals – Series “M” (best-of-7)
E1-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. A3-Portland Pirates
Game 1 – Wed., May 14 – Portland at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 2 – Thu., May 15 – Portland at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 3 – Sun., May 18 – W-B/Scranton at Portland, 4:05
Game 4 – Tue., May 20 – W-B/Scranton at Portland, 7:05
*Game 5 – Wed., May 21 – W-B/Scranton at Portland, 7:05
*Game 6 – Fri., May 23 – Portland at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sat., May 24 – Portland at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Western Conference Finals – Series “N” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. CHI/RFD winner
Atlantic Division Finals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
A1-Providence Bruins vs. A3-Portland Pirates || Preview
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 26 – PROVIDENCE 4, Portland 0
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 27 – PROVIDENCE 7, Portland 1
Game 3 – Fri., May 2 – PORTLAND 4, Providence 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Sun., May 4 – PORTLAND 3, Providence 2 (OT)
Game 5 – Tue., May 6 – PORTLAND 3, Providence 2
Game 6 – Fri., May 9 – Portland 5, PROVIDENCE 4
East Division Finals – Series “J” (best-of-7)
E1-W-B/Scranton Penguins vs. E2-Philadelphia Phantoms || Preview
Game 1 – Thu., May 1 – Philadelphia 5, W-B/SCRANTON 2
Game 2 – Sat., May 3 – W-B/SCRANTON 5, Philadelphia 4 (OT)
Game 3 – Mon., May 5 – W-B/Scranton 3, PHILADELPHIA 2 (WC)
Game 4 – Wed., May 7 – W-B/Scranton 8, PHILADELPHIA 4 (WC)
Game 5 – Fri., May 9 – W-B/SCRANTON 3, Philadelphia 1
North Division Finals – Series “K” (best-of-7)
N1-Toronto Marlies vs. N2-Syracuse Crunch || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., May 2 – Syracuse 5, TORONTO 1
Game 2 – Sun., May 4 – Syracuse 3, TORONTO 1
Game 3 – Tue., May 6 – Toronto 8, SYRACUSE 2
Game 4 – Wed., May 7 – SYRACUSE 5, Toronto 4 (OT)
Game 5 – Fri., May 9 – TORONTO 4, Syracuse 3 (OT)
Game 6 – Sat., May 10 – Toronto 3, SYRACUSE 2
Game 7 – Mon., May 12 – TORONTO 3, Syracuse 2
West Division Finals – Series “L” (best-of-7)
W1-Chicago Wolves vs. W2-Rockford IceHogs || Preview
Game 1 – Thu., May 1 – CHICAGO 4, Rockford 1
Game 2 – Sat., May 3 – CHICAGO 7, Rockford 3
Game 3 – Sun., May 4 – ROCKFORD 3, Chicago 1
Game 4 – Wed., May 7 – ROCKFORD 3, Chicago 2
Game 5 – Fri., May 9 – Rockford 5, CHICAGO 1
Game 6 – Sun., May 11 – Chicago 4, ROCKFORD 3
Game 7 – Tue., May 13 –
*if necessary… All times Eastern… (WC) –
GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 7 –
TV: Comcast Cable
Intra-state rivals
GAME 7 BY THE NUMBERS:
39-31 – Home teams’ record all-time in AHL Game 7’s (.557), including 3-0 this spring and 9-1 since 2006.
14 – Calder Cup Playoff Game 7’s that have gone into overtime, the most recent being in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals between Hershey and
5 – Game 7’s played during the 2006 Calder Cup Playoffs, the most ever in a single postseason… Tonight’s contest is the fourth Game 7 in the AHL so far this spring.
1 – Previous Game 7’s ever hosted by the Wolves at Allstate Arena: the finale of the 1998 International Hockey League championship series on
MORNING HEADLINES:
MARLIES PREVAIL IN GAME 7 CRUNCH
Mark Zwolinski,
On game day, Brent Aubin observes hockey’s pre-game tradition of the afternoon nap. Yesterday, though, the young Toronto Marlie had difficulty getting to sleep – and it wasn’t just the anticipation of last night’s tension-packed showdown with the Syracuse Crunch in Game 7 of the AHL North Division final. “We found out at (
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/424777
MARLIES GET JOB DONE IN CRUNCH TIME AGAIN
Lance Hornby,
Goalie Scott Clemmensen says the Marlies are surviving on adrenaline right now. But they’d better not drain the tank on another seven-game series if they want the Calder Cup. They made it to the American Hockey League’s final four the hard way, winning four facing elimination, including rallying from 3-1 in the series against the Syracuse Crunch. “We must have blocked six shots in the last minute after playing seven in 11 nights,” Clemmensen said in the jubilant dressing room. “Down 3-1 in the series, that says a lot. The building was loud and the people left their empty seat costumes at home. Every little bit helps.” The Marlies are one seven-game round shy of tying the parent Maple Leafs’ memorable run 15 years ago, their longest Calder Cup pursuit since moving from St. John’s.
http://torontosun.com/Sports/Hockey/2008/05/13/5548226-sun.html
PUCK STOPS HERE
Lindsay Kramer,
One way or another, the Syracuse Crunch’s no-brakes joyride the past two months promised to end with a crash into something hard and sturdy. For brief stretches, it looked like that might be the Calder Cup. Turns out it was the unforgiving playoff wall. Toronto’s Brent Aubin dinged Syracuse for two quick goals in the first and John Mitchell scored the game-winner in the third as the Marlies put the Crunch’s season to bed with a 3-2 win in Game 7 of their North Division finals series Monday at Ricoh Coliseum. All the steam built from the Crunch’s 15-game win streak and 23-game points run at the end of the regular season slowly hissed out after one last rush of late-game action couldn’t knock down Marlies goalie Scott Clemmensen. Just like that, possibly the most entertaining stretch of hockey in the 14-year history of the team lay in ruins well short of its goal.
http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1210669016130810.xml&coll=1
MARLIES MAKE PLAYS, GET BREAKS IN GAME 7
Bud Poliquin,
He wound up from out on top, Gilbert Brule did, and let fly with the slapper that blurred past Scott Clemmensen with
http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1210669099130810.xml&coll=1&thispage=1
MOTZKO WON’T STAND STILL
Len Ziehm,
Wolves winger Joe Motzko isn’t one to worry about being moved close to the trade deadline. Last March, Motzko wanted out of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ organization while playing for the Syracuse Crunch, and the Blue Jackets obliged him by sending him to the Anaheim Ducks. He ended the season with a Stanley Cup ring. His hopes for another title, after another deadline deal, remain alive as the Wolves host the Rockford IceHogs tonight in Game 7 of the American Hockey League’s West Division championship series. The winner faces the Toronto Marlies in the Western Conference finals. Motzko came to the Wolves in February after the parent Atlanta Thrashers acquired him from the Washington Capitals’ organization. He has two goals and four assists in 12 postseason games and is happy still to be playing. “Obviously the NHL is where we all aspire to be, but playoff hockey anywhere is great,” he said. “It’s the same environment.”
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/hockey/wolves/945855,CST-SPT-wolves13.article
BEST-OF-ONE
Reed Schreck,
With the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Wolves, the math is easy. “This series has just been a battle, and now we’re just best-of-one,” said Wolves center Jason Krog, who led the American Hockey League in scoring in the regular season. The winner will take all in today’s
http://www.rrstar.com/sports/x1874992075/Best-of-one-Hogs-Wolves-battle-in-Game-7-tonight
PRIME-TIME PROSPECT
Jonathan Bombulie, The Citizen’s Voice
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are cycling the puck in the left-wing corner of the offensive zone. The opponent’s right wing isn’t playing tight on his man. That’s when you’ll hear the sound. Whack. Whack. Whack. It’s defenseman Alex Goligoski, tapping his stick on the ice to call for the puck. Goligoski doesn’t just want the puck when he’s manning the left point, either. He wants it when the Penguins are deep in their own end or trying to come through the neutral zone with speed. In the first 10 games of the playoffs, when pressure has been at its highest, Goligoski has consistently wanted the puck on his stick as much as possible. That attitude, more than any stat or scouting report, reflects the kind of prime-time prospect Goligoski is becoming.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19683850&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=460522&rfi=6
LOTS OF POSITIVES DESPITE EARLY END TO SEASON
Paul Kenyon,
Scott Gordon did not have a pleasant day yesterday, at least not in terms of work he had to do. Gordon’s plan had been to be doing serious preparation for the AHL Eastern Conference finals against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Gordon had every reason to believe, as recently as a week ago, that his Providence Bruins would be hosting the first game of the series. In a surprising and disappointing turn of events for Gordon and his
http://www.projo.com/pbruins/content/sp_hkn_pbruins13_05-13-08_8DA456T_v8.38eb077.html
ALUMNI WATCH:
2006 AHL All-Star Jiri Hudler netted a goal off a feed from 2005 AHL All-Star Niklas Kronwall, and Detroit rolled to a 5-2 victory at Dallas last night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NHL’s Western Conference finals.
