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:
Toronto 3, SYRACUSE 2 (Series tied, 3-3)
SATURDAY’S THREE STARS:
1. David Ling assisted on two of
2. Bates Battaglia netted his second game-winning goal in as many days for
3. Duvie Westcott posted a goal and an assist in the losing effort for the Crunch.
SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Game 6 –
2008 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS:
Complete Results || Scoring Leaders || Goaltending Leaders
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 –
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 –
*Game 7 – Tue., May 13 –
*if necessary… All times Eastern… (WC) –
GAME NOTES (all times ET):
Game 6 –
TV: Comcast Cable
MORNING HEADLINES:
ICEHOGS CAN CLOSE OUT SERIES
Reed Schreck,
Mike Haviland’s first words to his Rockford IceHogs after Friday’s first victory of the season at Allstate Arena were: A. “We’re going to
http://www.rrstar.com/rockford/x165088493/IceHogs-can-close-out-series-with-Wolves-today
BROUWER, ICEHOGS HAVE WOLVES ON ROPES
Len Ziehm,
Troy Brouwer couldn’t stick with the Blackhawks this season. He was called up from the Rockford IceHogs in January and lasted one game. The Hawks told him he had to improve his skating. Brouwer led the IceHogs with 35 goals during the regular season, and he got his first NHL point with an assist against
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/hockey/wolves/943153,CST-SPT-wolves11.article
ONE SHOT LEFT
Lindsay Kramer,
The team that did nothing but win for the final five weeks of the regular season now can’t afford to lose. Such desperate circumstances have often brought the best hockey out of the Syracuse Crunch. It will have to again, or else the team’s season will be over. Twenty minutes away from the promised land of the AHL’s final four Saturday, the Crunch fell apart and allowed three third-period goals to
http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1210496164116490.xml&coll=1
RYAN USING AHL PLAYOFFS TO SHOW TALENT
Paul
Bobby Ryan’s future prospects are looking brighter with each round that the Portland Pirates advance in the AHL playoffs. Nearly three years after the Anaheim Ducks made him the second overall pick in the NHL draft, right behind Sidney Crosby, Ryan is playing a major role in the Pirates’ drive for the second Calder Cup in their 15-year history. “You want him to play as much as possible,” said David McNab, the Ducks’ assistant general manager. “You want him to be in a situation where he is counted upon to be important. You want him to play games that are important.” The Pirates, who came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Providence Bruins in six games to capture the Atlantic Division title on Friday, will open a best-of-seven series Wednesday night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=186982&ac=PHspt
TITLE-HUNGRY PENS OOZING WITH CONFIDENCE
Paul Sokoloski,
Just before the postseason opened, Dennis Bonvie stood in front of the crowd at Wachovia Arena and talked about Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s chances in the Calder Cup playoffs. “We’re going to do it,” Bonvie shouted into a microphone moments after the final game of the regular season for his Penguins, causing another roar from the home crowd. It wasn’t just a moment of false bravado by the retiring tough guy. The Penguins are halfway to claiming the Cup now, after dismantling a torrid-shooting
http://www.timesleader.com/sports/20080511_11_soko_column_ART.html
PENGUINS’ GAME 2 VICTORY SEALED PHANTOMS’ FATE
Jonathan Bombulie, The Sunday Voice
For all intents and purposes, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were finished. In Game 2 of the East Division finals against the Philadelphia Phantoms, in a span of 77 seconds, Boyd Kane scored twice and Lars Jonsson once to put the Penguins in a deep 4-1 hole late in the second period. The Penguins had already lost Game 1, and in the entire history of the AHL, only five teams had won a best-of-seven series after dropping the first two games at home. Stick a fork in them. The Penguins were done. But hockey games are always at least 60 minutes – sometimes more, but never less – and the Penguins weren’t quite finished after all.
http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19679861&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=460522&rfi=6
HELM SURPRISE CONTRIBUTOR IN RED WINGS’ PLAYOFF MARCH
Neil Stevens, Canadian Press
The possibility that he might get his name etched on the Stanley Cup as a member of the Detroit Red Wings this spring blows Darren Helm’s mind. The 21-year-old forward from
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7iA0c1qwAZlPZrdkhzVkuh6Blqw
ALUMNI WATCH:
Darren Helm, who had 31 points in 67 AHL games for Grand Rapids this season, tallied his first career NHL goal last night off a feed from two-time AHL All-Star Jiri Hudler, and Detroit went on to a 2-1 win over Dallas to take a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference finals.
2005 AHL All-Star Eric Staal recorded four goals and added an assist and
BY THE NUMBERS:
227 – Combined regular-season points earned by
ON THIS DATE:
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