Carey Price made 41 saves and Maxim Lapierre and Matt D’Agostini scored 65 seconds apart early in the third period as Hamilton defeated Manitoba, 3-2, to take a 2-0 lead in the North Division final.
Only five teams in AHL history have won a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games on home ice.
After Lee Goren was credited with the go-ahead goal for the Moose 90 seconds into the third period, Lapierre picked up his fifth goal of the postseason at the 3:32 mark to tie the game back up, and D’Agostini – who scored 21 goals in the regular season for the Bulldogs – netted his first goal of the postseason at 4:37.
Price did the rest, making 16 of his 41 stops in the final frame to earn his fourth straight win and improve to 6-2 during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Jason Jaffray assisted on both Manitoba goals, extending his scoring streak to six games (6g, 3a).
Game 3 is Tuesday night at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.
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 3, MANITOBA 2
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
*if necessary
All times Eastern
