AHL Quick Hits
May 27, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
The 2005 Calder Cup Finals are nearly set... On Wednesday night, Chicago claimed its second conference championship in four seasons, while Philadelphia opened up a 3-1 series lead over Providence in the West... The Phantoms and Bruins meet up in Game 5 tonight at the Dunkin' Donuts Center (7:05 ET).
Jon Sim scored the winning goal on a broken play midway through the third period on Wednesday night as Philadelphia held on for a 2-1 victory in Game 4... The Phantoms' John Slaney and the Bruins' Andy Hilbert had traded power-play goals in the second period... Antero Niittymaki made 34 saves in the win, and has stopped 125 of 130 shots in the series (1.18, .962), allowing only two even-strength goals... The Phantoms are one win away from capturing the Richard F. Canning Trophy as Eastern Conference champions... Thirteen teams in AHL history have won a best-of-seven playoff series after trailing 3-1, most recently Cincinnati in this year's West Division semifinal against Milwaukee... The Providence Reds came back from 3-1 down to beat Hershey in the 1949 Calder Cup Final.
Chicago claimed its second AHL conference title in four years with a 4-1 win over Manitoba on Wednesday, completing a convincing four-game sweep of the Moose... The Wolves franchise will be playing in a league championship series for the fifth time in eight seasons, after winning the IHL's Turner Cup in 1998 and 2000, losing that league's last Final in 2001 and taking the Calder Cup in 2002... Chicago, which finished the regular season on a 20-5-1-0 roll, is 12-2 this postseason with wins in 11 of its last 12 games... After a scoreless first, the Wolves struck three times in the second period of Game 4, beginning with goals from Manitobans Lonny Bohonos and J.P. Vigier... Kari Lehtonen allowed six goals on 112 shots in the series (1.50, .946).
TONIGHT'S GAMES
Game 5 â Philadelphia at Providence, 7:05
SERIES SCHEDULES
Eastern Conference Final
E2-Philadelphia vs. A4-Providence
Game 1 â PHILADELPHIA 4, Providence 2
Game 2 â PHILADELPHIA 3, Providence 0
Game 3 â PROVIDENCE 2, Philadelphia 1 (OT)
Game 4 â Philadelphia 2, PROVIDENCE 1
Game 5 â Fri 5/27 at Providence, 7:05
§*Game 6 â Sun 5/29 at Philadelphia, 7:05
*Game 7 â Tue 5/31 at Philadelphia, 7:05
Western Conference Final
W1-Chicago vs. N3-Manitoba
Game 1 â CHICAGO 4, Manitoba 3
Game 2 â CHICAGO 3, Manitoba 0
Game 3 â Chicago 4, MANITOBA 2
Game 4 â Chicago 4, MANITOBA 1
All times Eastern... *if necessary
§at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia
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BY THE NUMBERS:
14 -- Different Calder Cup champions in the last 14 seasons... That streak will end this year, as Chicago (2002), Providence (1999) and Philadelphia (1998) are all recent winners.
1 -- Times this season that Providence has lost back-to-back home games... The Bruins dropped a 2-1 decision to Worcester on Jan. 16, followed by a 5-4 loss to Portland on Jan. 21.
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ON THIS DATE (May 27):
1999 â Jose Theodore's 49-save shutout extends Fredericton's season one more day, as the Canadiens take Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final from Providence, 4-0... 1997 â Joe Hulbig scores twice as the first-year Hamilton Bulldogs win the Northern Conference championship with a 7-3 win over Albany in Game 5 at Copps Coliseum... 1994 â Stephane Beauregard and the Moncton Hawks shut out Portland, 4-0, in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Final... 1992 â St. John's improves its road record to 7-0 with a 5-2 victory over Adirondack in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final, forcing a winner-take-all match back in Newfoundland.
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LIVE CHAT:
Chicago Wolves forward Derek MacKenzie enters the AHL Chat Room to answer fans' questions live on theahl.com and caldercup.com, Wed., June 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Check out the American Hockey League Statistics
American Hockey League Stories from May 27, 2005
- Boyes, Bruins force Game Six - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms lose 6-4 in Game Five of Eastern Conference Finals - Adirondack Phantoms
- Look for Falcons Jersey on "Complete Savages" Tonight - Springfield Falcons
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
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