AHL Texas Stars

Texas Stars Playoff Update #31

Published on May 14, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Hamilton and Texas are set to kick off the Western Conference Finals tonight at Copps Coliseum. The Bulldogs are in the conference finals for the fourth time in nine years and the fifth time in the franchise's 14-year history; they advanced to the Calder Cup Finals in 1997, 2003 and 2007. The Stars are the first team since the 2002-03 Binghamton Senators to make the conference finals in their inaugural season. Texas is coming off a thrilling 6-5 overtime win at Chicago on Tuesday, the AHL's first Game 7 OT since Hershey beat Portland in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals. Rookie Jamie Benn tallied the game-winning goal for the Stars on Tuesday and enters this round atop Texas' scoring list and tied for fifth in the AHL with 15 points (8-7-15) in 11 postseason contests. Benn has already recorded a five-point (3-2-5) and a four-point (2-2-4) effort in games during these playoffs after no member of the Stars registered as many as four points in a game during the regular season. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus, who had totaled 1-3-4 through his first 10 playoff outings, put up a goal and two assists in the series clincher over Chicago. Rookie Travis Morin sits second on the Stars with 11 points (3-8-11) overall, while defenseman and former Calder Cup and Stanley Cup champion Andrew Hutchinson is third with 4-5-9. In his first start of the playoffs, Stars goaltender Matt Climie made 24 saves in the Game 7 victory. Hamilton enters this round following a six-game victory over Abbotsford in the North Division Finals. Aaron Palushaj tallied a goal and two assists in the series-clinching 4-0 win on Monday, his second three-point effort of the postseason. David Desharnais leads the Bulldogs with 13 points (6-7-13) in 12 games and has found the scoresheet in ten of those 12 contests. Hamilton forward Mike Glumac shows a team-high eight goals (8-2-10) and is tied with Brock Trotter (5-5-10) for third on the team with 10 points. Goaltender Curtis Sanford went 2-0 (1.00, .968) with one shutout in the last two games of the Abbotsford series after Second Team AHL All-Star Cedrick Desjardins (6-4, 2.62, .902) had started each of the Bulldogs' first ten playoff games.

Western Conference Finals Schedule (best of seven)

Game 1 - Fri., May 14 - Texas at Hamilton, 6:30 pm CT

Game 2 - Sun., May 16 - Texas at Hamilton, 1:00 pm CT

Game 3 - Wed., May 19 - Hamilton at Texas, 7:30 pm CT

Game 4 - Fri., May 21 - Hamilton at Texas, 7:30 pm CT

*Game 5 - Sat., May 22 - Hamilton at Texas, 7:00 pm CT

*Game 6 - Mon., May 24 - Texas at Hamilton, 6:30 pm CT

*Game 7 - Wed., May 26 - Texas at Hamilton, 6:30 pm CT

*if necessary

FRIDAY'S GAME 5-14-10: Game 1 - Texas at Hamilton at 6:30 PM (CDT) (Series tied 0-0)

THURSDAY'S SCORE: No Games

HERSHEY TAKES GAME 1 AGAINST MANCHESTER 4-2

The Hershey Bears took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-2 win over Manchester on Wednesday night at the Giant Center. Michal Neuvirth, the reigning Calder Cup Playoffs MVP, earned the victory with 24 saves on 26 shots, improving to a perfect 7-0 this postseason. Sean Collins, Andrew Gordon, Steve Pinizzotto and Karl Alzner each scored in the Hershey win. Andrei Loktionov and Gabe Gauthier scored for Manchester. Monarchs' goaltender Jonathan Bernier also made 24 saves in net, suffering his third loss of the playoffs (8-3). Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals is set for Saturday at 7:00 pm (ET) in Hershey.

SERIES SUBPLOTS.......

* Texas is 2-0 in Game 1's this spring, while Hamilton is 1-1.

* Hamilton center David Desharnais and goalie Cedrick Desjardins were each a member of the ECHL's 2008 Kelly Cup Champions with Cincinnati. The Cyclones defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers in six games. Texas Stars Head Coach Glen Gulutzan led the Wranglers to their only Kelly Cup Finals appearance in 2008.

* 1-2-3-4 - Regular-season AHL rankings of the four conference finalists in team defense (Hamilton 2.28 GAA, Texas 2.48, Hershey 2.48, Manchester 2.50).

Playoff Format.......

Four rounds, with each round slated as a best of seven series. The top four teams in each division qualify for playoffs. The teams play within their division for the first two rounds. The division winners will meet in the conference finals. The winner of the Western Conference will play the winner of the Eastern Conference for the Calder Cup. In order to take the Calder Cup, a team must win 16 games.

The Calder Cup.......

The coveted Calder Cup has been a motivational force for American Hockey League teams throughout the League's 73-year history. It is one of our sport's greatest challenges and ultimate honors to hoist the Calder Cup in victory.

The trophy is named for Frank Calder, who served as the National Hockey League's first President from 1917 to 1943. During the 1920's, Mr. Calder was instrumental in guiding hockey into the mainstream of America's major cities including Boston, New York, Detroit and Chicago, while helping in the formation of the American League.

The Calder Cup trophy itself was actually first awarded in 1938 to the Providence Reds for winning the second International-American Hockey League championship. (In 1996, George Parsons of the Syracuse Stars was presented the Calder Cup in a ceremony at the Onondaga County War Memorial, as it is believed the Stars never received a trophy for their 1937 championship.

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