Toronto Marlies Win AHL's Western Conference Championship
May 25, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The Toronto Marlies have won the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as the American Hockey League's Western Conference champions for 2011-12, advancing to the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on Friday evening.Simon Gysbers scored the game-winning goal with 11:22 left in regulation, Matt Frattin potted his league-leading ninth and 10th goals of the playoffs, and Ben Scrivens finished with 26 saves to send Toronto to the Game 5 victory.
The top affiliate of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies won the North Division title and finished third overall in the league standings with a record of 44-24-5-3 (96 points) this season. Led by third-year head coach Dallas Eakins, Toronto defeated the Rochester Americans in the conference quarterfinals (3-0), the Abbotsford Heat in the conference semifinals (4-1) and the Barons in the conference finals (4-1) to become the first Leafs affiliate since 1992 to advance to the Calder Cup Finals.
The 2012 Calder Cup Finals - the AHL's 76th championship series - will pit the Marlies against the Eastern Conference champion Norfolk Admirals beginning Friday, June 1, in Norfolk. The complete series schedule is below.
Established in 1990, the AHL's Western Conference championship trophy honors the late Robert W. Clarke. Mr. Clarke served as the Chairman of the AHL's Board of Governors from 1967-94, and in 1956, he played an instrumental role in the formation of the Rochester Americans, one of the most successful franchises in AHL history and themselves a seven-time recipient of the Clarke Trophy.
2012 Calder Cup Finals (best-of-seven)
E1-Norfolk Admirals vs. W2-Toronto Marlies
Game 1 - Fri., June 1 - Toronto at Norfolk, 7:30 ET
Game 2 - Sat., June 2 - Toronto at Norfolk, 7:15 ET
Game 3 - Thurs., June 7 - Norfolk at Toronto, 7:00 ET
Game 4 - Sat., June 9 - Norfolk at Toronto, 3:00 ET
*Game 5 - Sun., June 10 - Norfolk at Toronto, 3:00 ET
*Game 6 - Wed., June 13 - Toronto at Norfolk, 7:15 ET
*Game 7 - Fri., June 15 - Toronto at Norfolk, 7:30 ET
*if necessary
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American Hockey League Stories from May 25, 2012
- Toronto Defeats Oklahoma City 3-1, to Advance to Calder Cup Final - Toronto Marlies
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