Conference semifinals set

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has released the schedules for the best-of-seven conference semifinal round of the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Three series were announced previously on Friday evening. The fourth was finalized on Saturday when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Hershey Bears, 2-1, in the decisive Game 5 of their conference quarterfinal.

The eight teams remaining in the hunt for the Calder Cup are the Norfolk Admirals (top affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning), the St. John’s IceCaps (Winnipeg Jets), the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins), the Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers), the Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton Oilers), the Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs), the Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames) and the San Antonio Rampage (Florida Panthers).

Eastern Conference Semifinals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
1-Norfolk Admirals [TB] vs. 6-Connecticut Whale [NYR]
Game 1 – Wed., May 2 – Connecticut at Norfolk, 7:15
Game 2 – Fri., May 4 – Connecticut at Norfolk, 7:30
Game 3 – Sun., May 6 – Norfolk at Connecticut, 7:00
Game 4 – Mon., May 7 – Norfolk at Connecticut, 7:00
*Game 5 – Wed., May 9 – Norfolk vs. Connecticut, 7:00 (at Bridgeport, Conn.)
*Game 6 – Fri., May 11 – Connecticut at Norfolk, 7:30
*Game 7 – Sun., May 13 – Connecticut at Norfolk, 5:00

Eastern Conference Semifinals – Series “J” (best-of-7)
2-St. John’s IceCaps [WPG] vs. 4-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins [PIT]
Game 1 – Tue., May 1 – W-B/Scranton at St. John’s, 6:00 ET
Game 2 – Wed., May 2 – W-B/Scranton at St. John’s, 6:00 ET
Game 3 – Sat., May 5 – St. John’s at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 ET
Game 4 – Sun., May 6 – St. John’s at W-B/Scranton, 4:05 ET
*Game 5 – Tue., May 8 – St. John’s at W-B/Scranton, 7:05 ET
*Game 6 – Fri., May 11 – W-B/Scranton at St. John’s, 6:00 ET
*Game 7 – Sat., May 12 – W-B/Scranton at St. John’s, 6:00 ET

Western Conference Semifinals – Series “K” (best-of-7)
1-Oklahoma City Barons [EDM] vs. 6-San Antonio Rampage [FLA]
Game 1 – Thurs., May 3 – San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 8:00
Game 2 – Sat., May 5 – San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 8:00
Game 3 – Mon., May 7 – Oklahoma City at San Antonio, 8:00
Game 4 – Thurs., May 10 – Oklahoma City at San Antonio, 8:00
*Game 5 – Fri., May 11 – Oklahoma City at San Antonio, 8:00
*Game 6 – Sun., May 13 – San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 5:00
*Game 7 – Tue., May 15 – San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 8:00

Western Conference Semifinals – Series “L” (best-of-7)
2-Toronto Marlies [TOR] vs. 4-Abbotsford Heat [CGY]
Game 1 – Tue., May 1 – Abbotsford at Toronto, 7:00
Game 2 – Thurs., May 3 – Abbotsford at Toronto, 7:00
Game 3 – Sat., May 5 – Toronto at Abbotsford, 10:00
Game 4 – Tue., May 8 – Toronto at Abbotsford, 10:00
*Game 5 – Wed., May 9 – Toronto at Abbotsford, 10:00
*Game 6 – Sat., May 12 – Abbotsford at Toronto, 3:00
*Game 7 – Sun., May 13 – Abbotsford at Toronto, 3:00

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 85 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.