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Published on April 22, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


Grand Rapids shut down the high-powered Wilkes-Barre/Scranton offense and posted a 3-2 win last night, taking their conference quarterfinal three games to one. Marc Lamothe made 35 saves and Hugo Boisvert's team-leading third goal of the postseason proved to be the game-winner. Konstantin Koltsov and Michal Sivek had a goal and an assist each for the Penguins, who ranked sixth in the AHL on the power play in the regular season but were 0-for-12 in the series.

Ty Conklin stopped 29 of 30 shots as Hamilton eliminated pesky Springfield with a 2-1 win in Game 4 last night. Raffi Torres and Michael Ryder gave the Bulldogs a two-goal lead in the first 9:35 of the contest and Hamilton hung on the rest of the way. Fredrik Sjostrom tallied the lone goal for the Falcons, who pressured for the equalizer with a 13-5 shot advantage in the third period. Seventeen different players recorded a point in the series for the Bulldogs, who will face either Manitoba or Bridgeport in the next round.

The 114th winner-take-all game in Calder Cup Playoff history pits Hershey against Chicago in Game 5 at Allstate Arena tonight (7:00 CT, 8:00 ET). The Wolves won three deciding games in their 2002 championship run; the Bears are 17-16 in such contests, including a 4-0 win in a Game 5 at Philadelphia in 2000. Defending Calder Cup champions have played 25 winner-take-all games in AHL playoff history, winning 10 and losing 15. Simon Gamache has a series-leading four goals for Chicago, including three in Sunday's 6-0 win.

Defense and goaltending has dominated the series between Providence and Manitoba, which heads to Game 4 tonight in Winnipeg (7:30 CT, 8:30 ET). The teams have combined for five goals on 176 shots, a .972 save percentage for the clubs' netminders in the series which has included two 1-0 games and a 2-1 double-overtime contest. Head coach Stan Smyl has dressed the same 18-skater lineup for each of the Moose's first six postseason games, with Pat Kavanagh leading the offense with four goals.

TONIGHT'S GAMES

Game 5 – Hershey at Chicago, 7:00
Game 4 – Providence at Manitoba, 7:30

SERIES SCHEDULES

Western Conference Quarterfinal
1-Grand Rapids vs. 8-Wilkes-Barre
Game 1 – GRAND RAPIDS 3, Wilkes-Barre 1
Game 2 – GRAND RAPIDS 2, Wilkes-Barre 1
Game 3 – WILKES-BARRE 6, Grand Rapids 2
Game 4 – Grand Rapids 3, WILKES-BARRE 2

Western Conference Quarterfinal
2-Houston vs. 7-Milwaukee
Game 1 – HOUSTON 3, Milwaukee 2
Game 2 – HOUSTON 4, Milwaukee 2
Game 3 – Houston 3, MILWAUKEE 2

Western Conference Quarterfinal
3-Norfolk vs. 6-San Antonio
Game 1 – NORFOLK 4, San Antonio 3 (OT)
Game 2 – NORFOLK 2, San Antonio 1
Game 3 – Norfolk 3, SAN ANTONIO 1

Western Conference Quarterfinal
4-Chicago vs. 5-Hershey
Game 1 – CHICAGO 3, Hershey 2
Game 2 – Hershey 5, CHICAGO 3
Game 3 – HERSHEY 3, Chicago 1
Game 4 – Chicago 6, HERSHEY 0
Game 5 – Tue 4/22 at Chicago, 7:00

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal
1-Hamilton vs. 10-Springfield
Game 1 – HAMILTON 4, Springfield 0
Game 2 – HAMILTON 7, Springfield 6 (OT)
Game 3 – SPRINGFIELD 3, Hamilton 0
Game 4 – Hamilton 2, SPRINGFIELD 1

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal
2-Providence vs. 9-Manitoba
Game 1 – Manitoba 2, PROVIDENCE 1 (2OT)
Game 2 – Manitoba 1, PROVIDENCE 0
Game 3 – Providence 1, MANITOBA 0
Game 4 – Tue 4/22 at Manitoba, 7:30
*Game 5 – Thu 4/24 at Providence, 7:05

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal
3-Binghamton vs. 6-Worcester
Game 1 – BINGHAMTON 3, Worcester 2 (OT)
Game 2 – BINGHAMTON 4, Worcester 2
Game 3 – Binghamton 1, WORCESTER 0

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal
4-Manchester vs. 5-Bridgeport
Game 1 – Bridgeport 2, MANCHESTER 1
Game 2 – Bridgeport 6, MANCHESTER 3
Game 3 – BRIDGEPORT 6, Manchester 3

*if necessary... All times local

FROM CALDER TO STANLEY:

Richard Park scored his first two career NHL playoff goals, including the overtime winner, as Minnesota forced a Game 7 with a 3-2 win over Colorado last night. After a 41-goal regular season in 1998-99, Park paced Philadelphia with nine playoff tallies and led the Phantoms to the AHL's Western Conference finals.

BY THE NUMBERS:

.609 -- Since 1992, winning percentage of road teams (28-18) in winner-take-all Calder Cup Playoff games... All-time, home teams still own a 68-45 advantage (.602).

ON THIS DATE:

1960 – The Springfield Indians win their first of three consecutive Calder Cup championships with a 6-3 victory over Rochester... 1985 – Ken Daneyko scores the winning goal as the Maine Mariners defeat Nova Scotia, 4-3, to win their opening-round series four games to two.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 22, 2003


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