HAMILTON, Ont. (caldercup.com) … With their defense showing the way, the Hamilton Bulldogs regained the lead in the 2007 Calder Cup Finals with a 5-2 win over the Hershey Bears in Game 3 at Copps Coliseum on Monday night.
Hamilton hosts Game 4 on Wednesday with a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Danny Groulx scored two of the Bulldogs’ three power-play goals and fellow blueliners Andre Benoit, Ryan O’Byrne and Dan Jancevski also scored as defensemen accounted for all five Hamilton markers. The game was tied at 1-1 before the Bulldogs erupted for four goals in the second period.
At the other end, Carey Price (13-6) was stellar again, stopping 38 of 40 shots and backstopping a Hamilton penalty killing unit that rubbed out 10 of 11 Bears opportunities. Hershey has taken at least 40 shots in each of the first three games of the series.
Groulx, who did not score a goal in 56 regular-season games for the Bulldogs in 2006-07, now has six in 20 postseason contests. Benoit and Jancevski each finished with a goal and an assist, and forwards Corey Locke and Matt D’Agostini added two assists apiece.
Jakub Klepis scored both goals for Hershey, giving him three in the last two games. Tomas Fleischmann recorded a pair of assists, and now leads the league with 16 playoff helpers.
NOTES: Hamilton defenseman Jean-Philippe Cote played for the first time since Apr. 22 after missing 16 games due to injury… The game marked the 100th contest of the season for the Bulldogs, and the 97th for the Bears… In Calder Cup Finals history, when a series is tied at 1-1, the Game 3 winner takes the series 70 percent of the time.
2007 Calder Cup Final – Series "O" (best-of-7)
E1-Hershey Bears vs. N3-Hamilton Bulldogs || Preview
Game 1 – Fri., June 1 – Hamilton 4, HERSHEY 0
Game 2 – Sat., June 2 – HERSHEY 4, Hamilton 2
Game 3 – Mon., June 4 – HAMILTON 5, Hershey 2
Game 4 – Wed., June 6 – Hershey at Hamilton, 7:30
Game 5 – Thu., June 7 – Hershey at Hamilton, 7:30
*Game 6 – Tue., June 12 – Hamilton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 7 – Fri., June 15 – Hamilton at Hershey, 7:00
