CHICAGO, Ill. – The Binghamton Senators traveled to visit the Portland Pirates to start off the Divisional Finals in the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, and for the first time in regulation in these playoffs, they won by the score of 3-2. The four wins for the Senators in the last series all came with an overtime period or two.
Tonight we have three games on tap. We come right back as Portland will try to even the series up against Binghamton. The surprising Charlotte Checkers will visit the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Moose of Manitoba will move east across Canada to visit the Hamilton Bulldogs.
SECOND ROUND Atlantic Division Finals PORTLAND vs. BINGHAMTON Binghamton leads series 1 – 0
Just like they did in the regular season in each other’s home, the visiting team came out on top as the victor in the game. Wednesday’s first game of the Atlantic Division Finals saw the Binghamton Senators defeat the Portland Pirates at home by the score of 3-2.
The Pirates got off to a great start in scoring the first goal of the game as right wing Maxime Legault score with helpers from Mark Voakes and Matt Ellis at 4:27 into the first. But then in the second, the Senators scored two goals just over a minute apart as team captain Ryan Keller score at the 6:28 mark. Then on the power play the, Corey Locke and Andre Benoit combined again to assist Bobby Butler on his fifth goal of the playoffs. Portland got one back as left wing Colin Stuart got one past Robin Lehner with the loan assist from Corey Fienhage late in the period at the 17:14 mark.
Binghamton capped off the scoring in the third 7:35 in as Zach Smith scored his first of the playoffs. Lehner got the win in stopping 33 shots while David Leggio allowed just one too many goals in the loss stopping 40. The win was the first in in regulation for the Senators as their last four cam in the extra frame.
Game 1 – Wed Apr 27 7:00 PM Binghamton 3, PORTLAND 2 Game 2 – Thu Apr 28 7:00 PM Binghamton at Portland Game 3 – Sat Apr 30 7:05 PM Portland at Binghamton Game 4 – Mon May 2 7:05 PM Portland at Binghamton Game 5 – Tue May 3 7:05 PM * Portland at Binghamton Game 6 – Fri May 6 7:00 PM * Binghamton at Portland Game 7 – Sat May 7 7:00 PM * Binghamton at Portland East Division Finals W-B/SCRANTON vs. CHARLOTTE Not yet started
On paper, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins should easily dominate the Charlotte Checkers. In the eight face-to-face meetings this season, the Penguins have won seven matches for 17 points compared to 3 points in the standings for the Checkers.
Both teams were impressive in the first round playoffs as the Penguins made history after losing the first two games just to come back to win the next four to advance. Just a good was the Checkers as the bounced the two-time defending Calder Cup Champions out of the playoffs.
Game 1 – Thu Apr 28 7:05 PM Charlotte at W-B/Scranton Game 2 – Sat Apr 30 7:05 PM Charlotte at W-B/Scranton Game 3 – Mon May 2 7:00 PM W-B/Scranton at Charlotte Game 4 – Wed May 4 7:00 PM W-B/Scranton at Charlotte Game 5 – Fri May 6 7:00 PM * W-B/Scranton at Charlotte Game 6 – Sat May 7 7:05 PM * Charlotte at W-B/Scranton Game 7 – Mon May 9 7:05 PM * Charlotte at W-B/Scranton North Division Finals HAMILTON vs. MANITOBA Not yet started
In the battle for the best of Canada, the Manitoba Moose will travel to Hamilton to face the Bulldogs in Copps Coliseum. This will be the fourth time that these two teams have faced each other in nine years. In the three previous it was Hamilton advancing in the Playoffs.
The Bulldogs also dominated in the eight head-to-head games during the regular season winning the last six after losing the first two. Half of those games ended up in the shootout.
Game 1 – Thu Apr 28 7:30 PM Manitoba at Hamilton Game 2 – Sun May 1 4:00 PM Manitoba at Hamilton Game 3 – Tue May 3 7:30 PM Hamilton at Manitoba Game 4 – Wed May 4 7:30 PM Hamilton at Manitoba Game 5 – Fri May 6 7:30 PM * Hamilton at Manitoba Game 6 – Sun May 8 7:30 PM * Manitoba at Hamilton Game 7 – Mon May 9 7:30 PM * Manitoba at Hamilton West Division Finals MILWAUKEE vs. HOUSTON Not yet started
These two long-time rivals have challenged each other way before they joined the American Hockey League as they were two of the six teams that joined after the dissolution of the old International Hockey League.
They have previously faced each other in the Calder Cup playoffs three times with Milwaukee sweeping the first two series but with Houston winning the most recent in 2009 in seven games of the division finals.
In the regular season matchup, the Admirals won four of the six games with going into overtime and two ending in the shootout. Will the nine day layoff affect the Aeros, we will have to wait and see.
Game 1 – Fri Apr 29 7:00 PM Houston at Milwaukee Game 2 – Sun May 1 5:00 PM Houston at Milwaukee Game 3 – Tue May 3 7:05 PM Milwaukee at Houston Game 4 – Thu May 5 7:05 PM Milwaukee at Houston Game 5 – Fri May 6 7:35 PM * Milwaukee at Houston Game 6 – Sun May 8 5:00 PM * Houston at Milwaukee Game 7 – Tue May 10 7:00 PM * Houston at Milwaukee FIRST ROUND Atlantic Division Semifinals PORTLAND vs. CONNECTICUT Portland wins series 4 – 2 Atlantic Division Semifinals MANCHESTER vs. BINGHAMTON Binghamton wins series 4 – 3 East Division Semifinals W-B/SCRANTON vs. NORFOLK W-B/Scranton wins series 4 – 2
East Division Semifinals HERSHEY vs. CHARLOTTE Charlotte wins series 4 – 2
North Division Semifinals HAMILTON vs. OKLAHOMA CITY Hamilton wins series 4 – 2
North Division Semifinals LAKE ERIE vs. MANITOBA Manitoba wins series 4 – 3
West Division Semifinals MILWAUKEE vs. TEXAS Milwaukee wins series 4 – 2
West Division Semifinals HOUSTON vs. PEORIA Houston wins series 4 – 0 (* if necessary)
Contact the writer at matt.chin@prohockeynews.com
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