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AHL conference finals set

Published on May 12, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, MA ... The conference finals of the Calder Cup 2003 Playoffs begin tonight as four teams continue their pursuit of an American Hockey League championship.

The final four were set on Sunday afternoon when the Hamilton Bulldogs finished off the Manitoba Moose with a 3-2 win in Game 7. Jarret Stoll, a second-round draft choice of the Edmonton Oilers and captain of Memorial Cup champion Kootenay in 2002, scored the eventual series-winning goal with two tenths of a second remaining in the second period of Sunday's deciding contest. The Bulldogs will take on the Binghamton Senators for the Eastern Conference championship, as the Sens used a road win in Game 6 to eliminate the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last Monday.

The winner of the Hamilton-Binghamton series claims the Richard F. Canning Trophy and earns a spot in the 67th Calder Cup Finals.

Back in the Western Conference, top seed Grand Rapids takes on #2 Houston in a best-of-seven series for the Robert W. Clarke Trophy, beginning tonight at Van Andel Arena. The Griffins and Aeros combined for 210 points in the regular season, and Grand Rapids owned a slim 5-4-1 edge in their season series. The Griffins are 7-1 this postseason after a four-game sweep of defending champion Chicago in the last round, while the Aeros have won seven of their first nine playoff games en route to a second straight conference final appearance.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL NOTES ... All four conference finalists were division champions in the regular season... Binghamton and Bridgeport scored 24 goals combined in the conference semis, tying the AHL record for fewest goals in a six-game series... The Senators' Ray Emery is trying to become the first rookie goaltender to lead his team to the Calder Cup Final since Rochester's Mika Noronen in 2000... By holding off the Moose, Hamilton became the first team in 16 series this spring to advance after losing Game 1... The Griffins became the 11th team in AHL history to sweep the defending Calder Cup champions... Houston allowed four goals over the final three games of its series with Norfolk... Grand Rapids' Stacy Roest and the Aeros' Stephane Veilleux lead active playoff scorers with 11 points each this postseason.

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Western Conference Final – Series "M"
1-Grand Rapids Griffins vs. 2-Houston Aeros Game 1 – Mon., May 12 Houston at Grand Rapids, 7:00 ET
Game 2 – Wed., May 14 Houston at Grand Rapids, 7:00 ET
Game 3 – Fri., May 16 Grand Rapids at Houston, 7:30 CT
Game 4 – Sat., May 17 Grand Rapids at Houston, 7:30 CT
Game 5 – Mon., May 19 Grand Rapids at Houston, 7:00 CT (if necessary)
Game 6 – Wed., May 21 Houston at Grand Rapids, 7:00 ET (if necessary)
Game 7 – Thu., May 22 Houston at Grand Rapids, 7:00 ET (if necessary)

SERIES NOTEBOOK:

The top two teams in the Western Conference meet for the right to play in the Calder Cup Final... Grand Rapids' Michel Picard, a two-time Calder Cup champion, led all scorers with 16 points in the 10-game season series between the clubs... Griffins goaltender Marc Lamothe owned a .957 save percentage in seven appearances against Houston... Johan Holmqvist has won 11 of his last 14 decisions in net for the Aeros, while Dieter Kochan was unbeaten in four tries against the Griffins in the regular season... The teams combined to put five players on the First and Second AHL All-Star Teams.

Eastern Conference Final – Series "N"
1-Hamilton Bulldogs vs. 3-Binghamton Senators Game 1 – Tue., May 13 Binghamton at Hamilton, 7:00 ET
Game 2 – Thu., May 15 Binghamton at Hamilton, 7:00 ET
Game 3 – Mon., May 19 Hamilton at Binghamton, 7:05 ET
Game 4 – Tue., May 20 Hamilton at Binghamton, 7:05 ET
Game 5 – Thu., May 22 Binghamton at Hamilton, 7:00 ET (if necessary)
Game 6 – Fri., May 23 Hamilton at Binghamton, 7:05 ET (if necessary)
Game 7 – Sun., May 25 Binghamton at Hamilton, 4:00 ET (if necessary)

SERIES NOTEBOOK:

Binghamton handed league-leading Hamilton its worst loss of the 2002-03 season, an 8-0 shutout at the Broome County Arena on Nov. 23... After another loss the next night, the Bulldogs went on a 31-3-5-3 tear... The Senators were 0-for-21 on the power play in the teams' regular season series... Binghamton's All-Rookie goaltender Ray Emery is a Hamilton area native... Sens winger Dennis Bonvie reached the Calder Cup Final with the Bulldogs in 1997... The teams are a combined 7-for-101 (6.9%) on the power play this postseason.

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American Hockey League Stories from May 12, 2003


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