A lone goal by Alex Grenier decided the series when the Comets scored at 7:11 in the third period. Jacob Markstrom earned his first shout of the post-season and his first career play-off shutout. This was the only series in the AHL this season to reach game seven the Calder Cup Play offs.
This series was been intense. Despite their end of the regular season rankings, Utica the number one seed, versus the number six seeded OKC, these two teams were 
evenly matched.
Game one in Utica required quadruple overtime to break a two apiece tie game, with OKC winning. Game two also required an overtime, with Utica evening the series. Game 3 was a home loss for the Barons. The only high scoring contest was game 4 in Oklahoma City where the Barons scored seven goals, including four power-play goals on 24 shots. OKC lost game 5 at home. However the visiting Barons wan game six, resulting in OKC forcing game 7.
Throughout the season, the Barons had the first place penalty kill and power play at 11 goals on 36 opportunities, however the statistic of 0 for 10 on the road should have been an indication there would be a drought of power play goals on the road. Richard Bachman finished the season with a stellar 1.75 goals against average and a .948 save percentage. Bachman was named the third star of the game in Utica for game 7. Captain Ryan Hamilton had three game winning goals, while Connor Jones, Jujhar Khaira and Curtis Hamilton have one game winning goal apiece.
Jacob Markstrom starts the Western Conference series with a 1.85 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. Of the remaining teams in the post season, the Utica Comets have the least impressive power play at 6 of 45. Their penalty kill is 78.7 percent.
Utica used six different players in the post season to reach their seven game winning goals, Grenier is the only Comets player to have two game winning goals. Other Utica players with game winners are: Bobby Sanguninetti, Darren Archibald, Brendan Gaunce, Mike Zalewski and Peter Anderson.
In the past two seasons the Barons have lost in the post-season to the eventual Calder Cup winner. The Western Conference Finals between Grand Rapids and Utica starts Sunday May 24th.
Despite being the lower seed in the quarter finals, the Barons swept the San Antonio Rampage three games to one. This was the only sweep for the 2014-2015 Calder Cup play offs. A noteworthy statistic is the Barons have made the post season each of the five years of their franchise. Unfortunately, with the Barons eliminated, it is the end of the franchise and AHL hockey in Oklahoma.
Contact the author at gail.hamill@prohockeynews.com
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