CHICAGO, Ill. – The Binghamton Senators swept the Charlotte Checkers in four games and will represent the Eastern Conference in the Calder Cup Finals. The Checkers put up a battle only to lose in overtime as Ryan Keller scored the game-winner at 13:05 in the extra frame. Their opponent is still up in the air as the Hamilton Bulldogs staved off elimination by pounding the Houston Aeros by the score of 8-1. The Aeros still lead the series 3-1 with the next game coming on Friday in Hamilton. CONFERENCE FINALS Eastern Conference Finals CHARLOTTE vs. BINGHAMTON Binghamton win series 4 – 0 advances to Calder Cup Finals
The Binghamton Senators are the Eastern Conference Final Champions after they lost the lead twice to the Charlotte Checkers to win it in overtime by the score of 4-3. Senators captain Ryan Keller scored his eighth of the playoffs for the game-winner 13:05 into the extra period. The lone assist came from Zack Smith.
Ryan Potulny, who leads the league in the playoffs with 14 goals in 17 games, scored the first of the game on the power play at 12:34. Then with 21 second left in the period, Kaspars Daugavins gave the Senators a 2-0 lead short-handed with the assist from Erik Condra.
Charlotte came back to tie up the score late in the second scoring two goals 1:19 apart. Left wing Chris Terry scored at 17:20 with helpers from Zach Boychuk and Brett Sutter. Defenseman Casey Borer tied it up with his only goal of the playoffs.
The teams exchanged goals in the third as Andre Benoit scored at 4:44 on the power play to give Binghamton the lead again but with time ticking away, Terry scored his second of the game to knot the score at three all.
Mike Murphy made 33 saves on 37 shots as Robin Lehner stopped 42 of 45 for the win.
Game 1 – Thu May 12 7:05 PM Binghamton 7, CHARLOTTE 4 Game 2 – Fri May 13 7:05 PM Binghamton 3, CHARLOTTE 0 Game 3 – Tue May 17 7:05 PM BINGHAMTON 7, Charlotte 1 Game 4 – Wed May 18 7:05 PM BINGHAMTON 4, Charlotte 3 OT Game 5 – Sat May 21 7:05 PM * Charlotte at Binghamton Game 6 – Mon May 23 7:05 PM * Binghamton at Charlotte Game 7 – Tue May 24 7:05 PM * Binghamton at Charlotte Western Conference Finals HOUSTON vs. HAMILTON Houston leads series 3 – 1
The Hamilton Bulldogs fought off elimination as Drew MacIntyre and his defense allowed the Houston Aeros only one early goal on 15 shots for the whole game. They scored eight goals to pound the Aeros as they will take it one game at a time to dig them out of the hole and get back into the series.
Center Ryan Russell broke away early with a man short to score 1:03 into the game. The Aeros then tied it up for the first and last time as center Casey Wellman scored within the same power play at 2:25. The Bulldogs then scored seven straight goals as Aaron Palushaj and Gabriel Dumont tacked on two goals in the last five minutes of the first with single assists.
J.T. Wyman started it off in the second with assists from Ryan White and Andreas Engqvist at the 13:05 mark. To finish it off Dustin Boyd and Nigel Dawes alternated two goals between them split between two periods. Dawes second in the third was his twelfth of the playoffs as it came off the power play.
The two teams will meet again on Friday in Hamilton.
Game 1 – Fri May 13 7:35 PM HOUSTON 2, Hamilton 1 Game 2 – Sun May 15 4:05 PM HOUSTON 3, Hamilton 2 Game 3 – Tue May 17 7:30 PM Houston 3, HAMILTON 2 Game 4 – Wed May 18 7:30 PM HAMILTON 8, Houston 1 Game 5 – Fri May 20 7:30 PM Houston at Hamilton Game 6 – Sun May 22 4:05 PM * Hamilton at Houston Game 7 – Tue May 24 7:05 PM * Hamilton at Houston
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Contact the writer at matt.chin@prohockeynews.com
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