AHL Calder Cup Final

[RadioGaGa 162]

I know we haven't given much attention to the AHL Playoffs on MSH, but the Calder Cup Final starts Friday night in Hershey.

Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal/Edmonton) versus Hershey Bears (Washington)

Game #1 – Friday, June 1st – 7:00 p.m. – Hamilton at Hershey (Giant Center)

Game #2 – Saturday, June 2nd – 7:00 p.m. – Hamilton at Hershey (Giant Center)

Game #3 – Monday, June 4th – 7:30 p.m. – Hershey at Hamilton (Copps Coliseum)

Game #4 – Wednesday, June 6th – 7:30 p.m. – Hershey at Hamilton (Copps Coliseum)

*Game #5 – Thursday, June 7th – 7:30 p.m. – Hershey at Hamilton (Copps Coliseum)

*Game #6 – Tuesday, June 12th – 7:00 p.m. – Hamilton at Hershey (Giant Center)

*Game #7 – Friday, June 15th – 7:00 p.m. – Hamilton at Hershey (Giant Center)

* - If necessary

I'll post updates as the series progresses.

[LkptTiger 1]

Do you have any idea what attendance will be like in Hamilton? Do you think there will at least be some scalpers running around outside the Coliseum? I might have to try to talk a couple of my buddies into a little road trip over the border for a game or two.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Do you have any idea what attendance will be like in Hamilton? Do you think there will at least be some scalpers running around outside the Coliseum? I might have to try to talk a couple of my buddies into a little road trip over the border for a game or two.

Tickets should be readily available from the Box Office...Hamilton doesn't draw well on weeknights (never has) so with games on Mon/Wed/Thur I don't expect HUGE crowds. Yes...there are scalpers running if you want to go that route.

Interest in town does seem to be building though...so I hope I'm wrong about the small crowds.

Let me know if you are coming to a game...I'm planing to go to all 3 Home games.

[McCabe24 0]

I have an oppportunity to go to game 3, not sure if I will go yet.

[mattzilla 0]

GO HAMILTON

man, i used to go to games at COPPS all the time.

back when it was the Hamilton Canucks!

[Hockeyman9621 0]

I am def. going to game 4 or 5, I went to game 4 against Chicago and sat in the third row for 23 bucks. Hamilton lost, but it was still a good game.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Hershey player Kip Brennan is suspended for the series. At a game against the Monarchs, a fan reached in when he was in the penalty box, so he reached out and hit him

You tube goodness

[RadioGaGa 162]

Hershey player Kip Brennan is suspended for the series. At a game against the Monarchs, a fan reached in when he was in the penalty box, so he reached out and hit him

You tube goodness

How badly does the loss of Brennan hurt them. We don't see the East very often, so I don't know much about who's who on Hershey

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Hershey player Kip Brennan is suspended for the series. At a game against the Monarchs, a fan reached in when he was in the penalty box, so he reached out and hit him

You tube goodness

How badly does the loss of Brennan hurt them. We don't see the East very often, so I don't know much about who's who on Hershey

It depends, Brennan, Robataille (sp) and Vandemeer all play the same role, but Brennan does it better. Someone from hershey could answer better, I follow them in the papers because they are the caps farm team now.

But Hamilton have some bangers (you would know better as I don't, only what I read), like Stortini and Lapeirre etc, and Brennan would be a big help.

If Vandy and Robataille step up, they might be ok.

Eric Fehr, while not a known nasty player is a big body, and is unafraid to go into the corners or take a beating in front of the net has all but been ruled out of the series, with what was originally pegged as a back injury, now they think it may be the hip.

Should be a good series, there was talk Comcast here would show a game or two, but ABC 23 up there has picked up the options for the away games, so we are SOL here in DC.

On a side note, at the caps training camp last year, I never saw anyone act like a star struck puppy more than Louis Robataille round Brashear.

He was always looking over, trying to pass, crack wise etc. It was just odd, from one pro to another to see such obvious and blatant fawning.

I like Robataille, unafraid, just doesn't have the skills to stick around even on the 4th line on a bad nhl team

[RadioGaGa 162]

Thanks for the input...since you kinda started the "let's compare teams" thing.

Offensively...Grabovski, Milroy (although he has been quiet so far in the playoffs), Locke & D'Agostini up front. Groulx, Jancievski (surprisingly) and Biron on D.

The "checking line" may be the most impressive of the playoffs so far...Chipchura, Baines & Ferland have played in every situation and have got some HUGE goals.

Lapierre, Stortini & Lemiuex (if he's healthy) can make life miserable for the other team and will draw LOTS of penalties...they've also been pretty smart in not taking many.

But, this entire playoff is the Carey Price show as far as Hamilton has been concerned. 19...right out of Jr...and he's had *maybe* 6 or 7 bad periods in 17 games. He's faced 30+ shots most nights and has looked awesome.

[Chadd 916]

I think my goalie is going to head up for at least one of the games in Hamilton. I'll talk to him tonight and see what his plans are.

[hunterphfr 12]

Man I think Brennan got kinda screwed there. The fan came to him after all, it's not like Brennan climbed over the glass and chased him down.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Man I think Brennan got kinda screwed there. The fan came to him after all, it's not like Brennan climbed over the glass and chased him down.

I think it's a harsh penalty too, but I guess from the league standpoint, player v player is bad, player v fan is intolerable

[RadioGaGa 162]

I may have to eat my words on the attendance in Hammertown. The Hamilton Spectator is reported 8,000 tickets sold for the games next week.

[Chadd 916]

I may have to eat my words on the attendance in Hammertown. The Hamilton Spectator is reported 8,000 tickets sold for the games next week.

Hershey booster club is sending a bus for game three and two or three more for games four and five.

[ken 0]

Any predictions for this series?

I say Hershey in 4

[RadioGaGa 162]

Any predictions for this series?

I say Hershey in 4

Hamilton in 6

[RadioGaGa 162]

Game One:

Hamilton 4

Hershey 0

Hershey absolutely dominated the first 10-15 minutes. Then the first settled down. 0-0 after 1.

Hamilton controlled the 2nd period and scored three times. 3-0

Third period was back and forth. Hershey badly out shot Hamilton, but a lot of those shots were from the outside with little or no screen. Price was amazing when he had to be. Final shots were 46-25. Cassivi looked shaky at time...although 2 of the Hamilton goals were pretty nice plays that he had no real chance on.

Last 3-4 minutes went kinda Gongshow. Mikhail Grabovski took a high (kinda late) hit and a bunch of fights broke out. 6'3" 205 Tyler Sloan went after Grabo (5'11/180). It was pretty ugly stuff. A couple second altercation misconducts...and a couple instigators. There could be suspensions coming for the instigators because they happened in the final 5 minutes.

Game Two is tomorrow. This is gonna be a helluva series.

[EDIT] The AHL removed the 2 instigator penalties, but added an Abuse of Official Misconduct to Robitaille on Hershey. It appears him and Sloan may be suspended for tomorrow.

[Chadd 916]

Sounds like the locals are going to be complaining that the suspensions are "giving" the cup to Hamilton. I haven't been to a game this season because of how the game has degenerated in the AHL.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Video of the scrum...

[RadioGaGa 162]

Game Two:

Hershey 4

Hamilton 2

Chippy, hard hitting game. But, considering the way Game One ended...not as bad as it could have been.

The officiating was somewhat confusing at times. Hamilton took WAY too many penalties, but Terry Koharski made some strange calls (both ways)...then, he warned both teams about the amount of pushing and shoving in the creases at every whistle...but then didn't call it when it happened.

Hershey definitely came out with more energy. Bulldogs looked flat. They out shot Hamilton again, but a lot of the shots were better quality chances than last night. Price looked kinda normal tonight. Fortunately for the Dogs he has rebounded nicely after a so-so game.

Games 3, 4 & 5 should be fantastic.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Game Three:

Hamilton 5

Hershey 2

As they have in the first 2 games...Hershey came out flying again tonight. Out shot Hamilton 18-6 in the first, but finished the period tied at 1. Hamilton controlled the second (again!) and scored 4 times. Hershey had huge pressure in the third...but Hamilton had a big lead by that point and sat on it knowing Price was not going to let Hershey back in it. They had LOTS of chances. Jakub Klepis was their best tonight with both goals. Tomas Fleischmann led all players with 8 shots...

Price was great and effortless again tonight. The Hamilton Defense was AWESOME. All 5 goals were scored by D-Men.

Again, the reffing was odd at times. Hamilton scored on an early power play...then had 7 of the next 10 penalties called against them. Some of them could have easily been dives on Hershey...

Zach Stortini took a 5 minute spearing penalty and a misconduct late in the 3rd...and I'd expect he'll miss Game 4.

http://stats.theahl.com/stats/game-summary...game_id=1003411

Crowd wasn't as big as I'd heard it could be...(5,600) but it was a pretty boisterous group.

Game Four is Wed.

[LkptTiger 1]

Crowd wasn't as big as I'd heard it could be...(5,600) but it was a pretty boisterous group.

That's what happens when you schedule an AHL game on the same night as Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals. I wouldn't have gone, either.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Crowd wasn't as big as I'd heard it could be...(5,600) but it was a pretty boisterous group.

That's what happens when you schedule an AHL game on the same night as Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals. I wouldn't have gone, either.

There was talk in the paper of 8,000 per game and keep in mind this is Leaf Country...I figured without them in the playoffs the NHL wouldn't affect the Dogs attendance...but I guess it still played a role. Who cares...the 5,600 that were there saw a great game. It should go up or Wed & again for Thurs (especially if the NHL is done by then).

[RadioGaGa 162]

Game Four:

Hamilton 6

Hershey 2

For the first time in the series, Hershey didn't badly outplay Hamilton in the first. Shots were close (11-8 Her), and Hamilton came out of it up 2-0. Hershey started putting pressure on in the second, but Carey Price was good, and Hamilton added a goal. 3-0 end of 2.

After Hamilton went up 4-0 early in the 3rd...Hershey really started putting on the pressure. They got 2 back...and at one point I noticed the ice at Hershey's end was hardly worn. Hamilton had a tough time clearing the puck...and Hershey had LOTS of chances to score...did I mention Price was good again tonight? Steckel, Fleicshmann and Klepis were a handful again tonight.

Hershey tried really hard to goad Lapierrre, Stortini and Biron into penalties, but for the most part Hamilton didn't bite. By far the most disciplined game they've played all series.

The Dogs iced it late with 2 shorthanded goals. One in an EN.

With the NHL done, Anyone in the area should get a ticket for tomorrow. There were 8,000 tonight and everyone is hoping for a packed house tomorrow night.

GO DOGS GO!