AHL Morning Skate: May 17, 2025

GAME NOTES
The Bears and Checkers are back at it this evening for Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals at Bojangles Coliseum... John Leonard (2-2-4) scored a shorthanded goal with 8:02 left in regulation last night, snapping a tie and sending Charlotte to a 3-2 victory and a 1-0 series lead... It was the third shorthanded tally by the Checkers this postseason, and the fourth allowed by the Bears... Sandis Vilmanis (1-2-3) and Michael Benning (2-2-4) also scored for Charlotte last night, and Kaapo Kähkönen (4-2, 1.81, .921) made 17 saves... The Checkers allowed only 19 shots on goal, one game after holding Providence to eight shots in the finale of their division semifinal series... Bogdan Trineyev (4-1-5) and Mike Vecchione (2-1-3) scored in the second period to give the Bears a short-lived 2-1 lead... Trineyev now has goals in three straight contests... Hunter Shepard (2-3, 2.47, .893) stopped 21 shots in Game 1, but fell to 1-4-0 against Charlotte this season... In addition to scoring shorthanded, the Checkers were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 1-for-3 on their own power play in Game 1... Hershey has a 6-1 record in games over the last three postseasons when they enter trailing a series.

N1-Laval Rocket vs. N2-Rochester Americans
Game 3 – Wednesday, 7:00 ET,
(Series tied, 1-1)

Game 1 – Wed., May 14 – Laval 5, ROCHESTER 4 | Recap
Game 2 – Fri., May 16 – ROCHESTER 5, Laval 3 | Recap
Game 3 – Wed., May 21 – Rochester at Laval, 7:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 23 – Rochester at Laval, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 25 – Rochester at Laval, 4:30
*if necessary… All times Eastern

C1-Milwaukee Admirals vs. C2-Texas Stars
Game 2 – Sunday, 8:00 ET,
(Texas leads series, 1-0)

Game 1 – Thu., May 15 – TEXAS 4, Milwaukee 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 18 – Milwaukee at Texas, 8:00
Game 3 – Wed., May 21 – Texas at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 4 – Fri., May 23 – Texas at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 25 – Texas at Milwaukee, 7:00
*if necessary... All times Eastern

P1-Colorado Eagles vs. P2-Abbotsford Canucks
Game 2 – Sunday, 9:00 ET,
(Abbotsford leads series, 1-0)

Game 1 – Fri., May 16 – ABBOTSFORD 2, Colorado 0 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., May 18 – Colorado at Abbotsford, 9:00
Game 3 – Wed., May 21 – Abbotsford at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 4 – Fri., May 23 – Abbotsford at Colorado, 9:05
*Game 5 – Mon., May 26 – Abbotsford at Colorado, 5:05
*if necessary... All times Eastern

Playoff time means dealing with any and all obstacles, including Mother Nature.

With temperatures in Charlotte approaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit and accompanied by very humid conditions, the Checkers and Bears had to adjust to the conditions inside the 70-year-old Bojangles Coliseum last night. And they can expect more of the same in Game 2 tonight.

With slower ice and two teams capable of playing tight-checking styles, finding open space can be even more of a challenge. But that holds true for both teams. An ability to adjust is one of those small, subtle parts of gaining experience that come with going through the Calder Cup Playoffs.

“Mental toughness, physical toughness,” Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear said following yesterday’s 3-2 win. “You just have to break the game down into micro goals like shifts and make sure you’re focused and get the job done. You always have to make sure your bench is right, too, to help guys out.”

Forward John Leonard, whose third-period shorthanded goal put the Checkers ahead for good, had the same take.

“This is our rink,” Leonard said. “We skate on it every single day. This is us, and we’re accustomed to it. Certain days when it’s humid might be a little different than other times, but I think the rink crew does a heck of a job here and certainly no complaints.”

There can never be enough team defense for a team looking to go far in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Bears got two goaltenders and back from the Washington Capitals – as well as an All-Star defenseman – before Game 1. Washington, eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday night, reassigned Ethan Bear, Clay Stevenson and Mitch Gibson to Hershey.

Stevenson backed up Hunter Shepard last night, but Bear did not dress. Bear led Hershey with 46 points (10 goals, 36 assists) in 62 games during the regular season, earning recognition as a Second Team AHL All-Star. He was recalled by the Capitals on Apr. 18 but did not see any game action, spending the postseason as one of Washington’s extra defensemen.

― with files from Patrick Williams

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs yesterday, 2023 AHL All-Star Joseph Woll made 22 saves for his first Stanley Cup Playoff shutout, backstopping Toronto to a 2-0 win at Florida in Game 6 of their series.

In yesterday’s action at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, Marco Kasper scored twice in Austria’s 5-2 win over France... Mikkel Aagaard recorded a hat trick, Markus Lauridsen tallied two goals and an assist and Mathias Bau added a goal and an assist as Denmark defeated Hungary, 8-2... Elias Lindholm notched a hat trick in Sweden’s 4-0 win over Slovenia.