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April 23, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


Brendan Brooks ended the 11th-longest game in AHL history at 6:00 of the third overtime last night, giving Worcester a 3-2 win in Manchester and a 3-2 series lead. For Brooks, who played nine games with the Monarchs in 2001-02, is was his first career AHL playoff goal. Curtis Sanford shined in net for the IceCats, making 28 of his 60 saves in sudden-death overtime and shutting out Manchester over the final 89:40 of the game.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forced a Game 6 back home tonight (7:05 ET) with a 2-1 overtime win in Bridgeport last night. Tomas Surovy netted the game-winner at 14:33 of OT, and Andy Chiodo made 18 saves in his pro playof debut. Jeff Hamilton scored his fourth goal for the Sound Tigers, who have trailed for just 26:51 of the 330:19 played in the series. Of the teams' 13 meetings this season, 10 have been decided by one goal or fewer, with eight requiring overtime.

Chicago can put an early end to Grand Rapids' season with a win in Game 4 at Allstate Arena tonight (7:30 CT, 8:30 ET). The Wolves rallied late to take Game 1 in overtime, then Kari Lehtonen took over, stopping 66 of 67 shots in Games 2 and 3. With his four-point effort on Wednesday night, Chicago captain Steve Maltais is now tied with the Griffins' Michel Picard for 13th on the all-time Calder Cup scoring list with 71 career points.

Playoff fever continues to grip the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia tonight (7:05 ET) as the building hosts postseason hockey for the third consecutive night. The Phantoms took a 2-1 decision from Norfolk in Game 1 on Wednesday, then the parent Flyers downed Toronto in an NHL Game 1 last night. Nineteen-year-old Stefan Ruzicka, who recorded 34 goals for Owen Sound (OHL) this season, picked up his first pro goal in the opener for Philadelphia.

Portland hosts Hartford in Game 3 tonight (7:05 ET) after a split of the first two contests this week. The Pirates have lost seven of their last eight home contests in the postseason, dating back to 1998, while the Wolf Pack are 1-6 in their last seven road playoff games since June 4, 2000, the night they clinched the Calder Cup with a win in Rochester. Portland's Jason Ulmer, whose brother Jeff played for Hartford in 2000-01, is tied for the AHL lead with a plus-7 rating in the playoffs.

Rochester's first home playoff game in three years was a letdown; the Amerks now try to rebound from Wednesday's 3-2 loss and even their series with Syracuse as Game 4 faces off tonight (7:35 ET). Brad Moran scored twice in Game 3 for the Crunch, and now has 10+12=22 pts. in 18 career playoff games. Paul Gaustad, who saw his production dip from 53 points as a rookie in 2002-03 to 31 points this season, has already chipped in a goal and three assists in the series for Rochester.

Milwaukee may have finished 30 points up on Cincinnati in the regular season, but a loss in Game 2 tonight (7:00 CT, 8:00 ET) would be a big blow to the Admirals after the Mighty Ducks took the series opener on Wednesday. Tony Martensson has eight points in three playoff games for the Ducks, and 2001 first-rounder Stanislav Chistov has scored four goals, as Cincy has rediscovered its offense after finishing next-to-last in the Western Conference in scoring in 2003-04.



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TONIGHT'S GAMES
$Game 2 – Norfolk at Philadelphia, 7:05
Game 3 – Hartford at Portland, 7:05
Game 6 – Bridgeport at Wilkes-Barre, 7:05
Game 4 – Syracuse at Rochester, 7:35
Game 2 – Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 4 – Grand Rapids at Chicago, 8:30



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SERIES SCHEDULES
Atlantic Division Semifinals
1-Hartford vs. 5-Portland
Game 1 – Portland 3, HARTFORD 1
Game 2 – HARTFORD 1, Portland 0
Game 3 – Fri 4/23 at Portland, 7:05
Game 4 – Sun 4/25 at Portland, 4:05
Game 5 – Wed 4/28 at Hartford, 7:05
*Game 6 – Fri 4/30 at Portland, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sun 5/2 at Hartford, 4:05

2-Manchester vs. 3-Worcester
Game 1 – Worcester 2, MANCHESTER 1
Game 2 – Worcester 3, MANCHESTER 2 (OT)
Game 3 – Manchester 2, WORCESTER 0
Game 4 – Manchester 6, WORCESTER 0
Game 5 – Worcester 3, MANCHESTER 2 (3OT)
Game 6 – Sat 4/24 at Worcester, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sun 4/25 at Manchester, 4:05

East Division Semifinals
1-Philadelphia vs. 5-Norfolk
$Game 1 – PHILADELPHIA 2, Norfolk 1
$Game 2 – Fri 4/23 at Philadelphia, 7:05
Game 3 – Tue 4/27 at Norfolk, 7:15
Game 4 – Wed 4/28 at Norfolk, 7:15
*Game 5 – Fri 4/30 at Norfolk, 7:30
*$Game 6 – Sat 5/1 at Philadelphia, 7:05
*$Game 7 – Mon 5/3 at Philadelphia, 7:05
$at Wachovia Center

2-Bridgeport vs. 3-Wilkes-Barre
Game 1 – BRIDGEPORT 5, Wilkes-Barre 4 (OT)
Game 2 – BRIDGEPORT 5, Wilkes-Barre 4 (OT)
Game 3 – WILKES-BARRE 3, Bridgeport 2 (OT)
Game 4 – Bridgeport 4, WILKES-BARRE 2
Game 5 – Wilkes-Barre 2, BRIDGEPORT 1 (OT)
Game 6 – Fri 4/23 at Wilkes-Barre, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sun 4/25 at Bridgeport, 4:05

North Division Semifinals
1-Hamilton vs. 4-Cleveland
Game 1 – HAMILTON 4, Cleveland 0
Game 2 – Sun 4/25 at Hamilton, 4:00
Game 3 – Tue 4/27 at Cleveland, 7:00
Game 4 – Thu 4/29 at Cleveland, 7:00
*Game 5 – Fri 4/30 at Hamilton, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sun 5/2 at Cleveland, 4:00
*Game 7 – Mon 5/3 at Hamilton, 7:00

2-Syracuse vs. 3-Rochester
Game 1 – SYRACUSE 3, Rochester 2
Game 2 – Rochester 6, SYRACUSE 0
Game 3 – Syracuse 3, ROCHESTER 2
Game 4 – Fri 4/23 at Rochester, 7:35
Game 5 – Sun 4/25 at Syracuse, 5:00
*Game 6 – Wed 4/28 at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sat 5/1 at Syracuse, 7:30

West Division Semifinals
1-Milwaukee vs. 5-Cincinnati
Game 1 – Cincinnati 5, MILWAUKEE 4 (OT)
Game 2 – Fri 4/23 at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 3 – Sat 4/24 at Cincinnati, 7:35
Game 4 – Mon 4/26 at Cincinnati, 7:35
*Game 5 – Wed 4/28 at Cincinnati, 7:35
*Game 6 – Fri 4/30 at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 7 – TBA at Milwaukee, TBA

2-Grand Rapids vs. 3-Chicago
Game 1 – Chicago 4, GRAND RAPIDS 3 (OT)
Game 2 – Chicago 1, GRAND RAPIDS 0
Game 3 – CHICAGO 4, Grand Rapids 1
Game 4 – Fri 4/23 at Chicago, 8:30
*Game 5 – Sat 4/24 at Grand Rapids, 8:00
*Game 6 – Mon 4/26 at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 7 – Wed 4/28 at Grand Rapids, 7:00

*if necessary... All times Eastern



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BY THE NUMBERS:
4 -- Most overtime games in one Calder Cup Playoff series (New Brunswick vs. Maine in 1981, Moncton vs. Fredericton in 1992, Bridgeport vs. Wilkes-Barre in 2004).


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ON THIS DATE (APRIL 23):
1979 – New Haven sets an AHL record for goals in a playoff game with a 15-1 rout of the Binghamton Dusters... 1974 – Rick Middleton's goal 16:07 into overtime gives Providence a 4-3 win over New Haven and a four-game sweep, advancing the Reds to the Calder Cup Final.

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