AHL Texas Stars

Texas Stars Playoff Update #33

Published on May 16, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Hamilton is out to hold serve on home ice and take a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals when it hosts Texas for Game 2 this afternoon at Copps Coliseum. The Bulldogs, who collected a 3-2 overtime decision on Friday night, are 15-0 all-time in Calder Cup Playoff series after winning Game 1. Brock Trotter scored twice for Hamilton on Friday, including the game-winning goal on the power play just 14 seconds into the extra session. Trotter now has three goals in his last two games after going his previous four outings without finding the back of the net. Bulldogs leading playoff scorer David Desharnais (7-9-16) factored into all three of his club's goals in Game 1, scoring once and assisting on both of Trotter's tallies. Desharnais, who also paced Hamilton in the regular season with 78 points (27-51-78), has notched a goal in three straight outings (3-3-6) and shows at least one point in 11 of his 13 postseason contests. Hamilton defenseman Andre Benoit, a 2007 Calder Cup champion with the Bulldogs, picked up an assist in the series opener and leads all AHL defensemen with nine assists and 12 points in 13 playoff games. Curtis Sanford made 18 saves in the Game 1 win, improving to 3-0 (1.34, .951) since returning to Hamilton's lineup from injury. Texas received both of its Game 1 goals off the red-hot stick of rookie Jamie Benn, who scored twice on the power play for his third multiple-goal performance of the playoffs. Benn's 10 goals (10-7-17) lead the Stars, while Andrew Hutchinson (4-5-9), Perttu Lindgren (4-5-9) and Aaron Gagnon (4-3-7) are tied for second on the team with four goals apiece. Hamilton had surrendered just two power-play goals on home ice in 28 man-down situations (92.9 percent) this postseason prior to Friday, when the Stars went 2-for-4 on the power play. Matt Climie (1-1, 3.20, .900) suffered his first playoff loss in net for the Stars despite making 35 saves, as his club was outshot by a 38-20 margin. Texas dropped Game 1 for the first time this postseason.

Western Conference Finals Schedule (best of seven)

Game 1 -Texas 2 at Hamilton 3 (OT) (HAM leads series 1-0)

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

SUNDAY'S GAME 5-16-10: Game 2 - Texas at Hamilton at 1:00 pm (CDT) (HAM leads series 1-0)

SATURDAY'S SCORE: Game 2 - Manchester 2 at Hershey 3(OT) (HER leads series 2-0)

HERSHEY SINKS MANCHESTER IN OT, TAKES 2-0 SERIES LEAD

Chris Bourque finished off a nifty two-on-one by firing a shot home short side from the right wing at 10:28 of overtime, lifting Hershey to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory on Saturday before a standing-room only crowd of 10,726 fans at the Giant Center.

The defending Calder Cup champion Bears improved to a perfect 5-0 in overtime games this postseason and took a 2-0 series lead on the Monarchs in the Eastern Conference Finals, which will shift to Manchester for Game 3 on Monday night.

SERIES SUBPLOTS.......

* Friday's win was the Bulldogs' eighth consecutive playoff overtime win dating back to their last loss in 2004; Hamilton is now 18-3 in its last 21 playoff OT games and 20-7 all-time.

* Five Consecutive Western Conference Finals have begun with one team taking a 2-0 series lead. The last time a split occurred in the WCF, Milwaukee and Rochester split the first two games of their 2004 matchup.

* Texas is 2-2- in overtime games in this year's playoffs.

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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