Weekly Wrap-Up - Atlantic Division (Week 28)
Editor's Note: A weekly look around the AHL's Atlantic Division, complete with the latest news/notes and more!
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Clinched #1 Seed - Regular Season Atlantic Division Champs)
Record Last Week: 2-0-0
With the number 1 seed in the playoffs already locked up, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms did not take the foot off the pedal, with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Bridgeport Sound Tigers Friday night in Allentown with a handful of new faces in the lineup. After the Sound Tigers took an early lead thanks to a powerplay goal, Reece Willcox scored the first of four, unanswered goals. In the second, Isaac Ratcliffe notched his first AHL goal before Danick Martel connected on the powerplay. Martel added a second goal midway through the third. Bridgeport would get one back late in the period, but Mike Vecchione found the empty net with just 55 seconds left. Dustin Tokarski made 29 saves on 31 shots. The Phantoms were 1-for-4 on the powerplay and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
On Saturday, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms defeated their potential second round opponent, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 in a four-round shootout. It took nearly the entire game for either team to score a goal as the Penguins finally found the back of the net with just 1:50 left on the clock, but Lehigh Valley delighted the home fans, scoring a dramatic, game-tying goal with just 46 seconds left to force overtime. Both goalies locked it down in overtime, forcing the shootout where Nicolas Aube-Kubel netted the lone goal in the fourth round. Alex Lyon earned the victory with a 26-save performance. Both teams struggled on the powerplay, going 0-for-4.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Clinched 2nd Seed)
Record Last Week: 2-0-1
The Penguins traveled to Springfield and built a 2-0 lead over the previously eliminated Thunderbirds, but after Springfield scored a pair, Zach Trotman lifted the Penguins to a 3-2 lead with just over six minutes left on the clock. Daniel Sprong put the Penguins on the board late in the first period. Then in the second, Teddy Blueger tacked on a second goal for the visitors, but Springfield battled back to tie the game before Trotman put the Penguins back on top to stay. Tristan Jarry made 28 saves on 30 shots. The Penguins were 0-for-3 on the powerplay and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton traveled down the road to Allentown Saturday night and lost in heartbreaking fashion, 2-1 in a four-round shootout. Despite the loss, the Penguins still clinched the #2 seed in the Atlantic Division playoffs. With just 1:50 remaining in regulation, Garrett Wilson finally scored the first goal of the game to put the Penguins in front, but Lehigh Valley countered just over a minute later. In the shootout, none of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s players could get one past Lehigh Valley’s netminder while one shot made its way past Michael Leighton and into the net. Leighton was nearly perfect on the night, stopping 30 of 31 shots. Both teams were 0-for-4 on the man-advantage.
Having already clinched the #2 seed, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins traveled to Hershey and emerged with a 3-2 victory over their bitter rivals. Daniel Sprong scored on the powerplay and Jarrett Burton tacked on a goal with just 19 seconds left in the first period. Hershey responded with a goal late in the second period, but Gage Quinney scored early in the third to give the Penguins a two-goal cushion again and they held on despite a late, powerplay goal from the Bears. Anthony Peters made 27 saves on 29 shots. The Penguins were 1-for-1 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
Charlotte Checkers (Clinched 3rd Seed)
Record Last Week: 2-0-0
Jostling for position in the playoffs, the Charlotte Checkers traveled to Providence and emerged with a 5-3 victory. After allowing a power play goal, the Checkers needed just 34 seconds to tie the game with Haydn Fleury getting his first goal. Less than a minute later, Nicolas Roy put the Checkers on the board again. In the second, Providence tied the game, but Valentin Zykov scored on the powerplay to give Charlotte a one-goal lead heading into the final period. In the third, Providence tied the game again, but a powerplay goal from Trevor Carrick and an insurance goal from Lucas Wallmark lifted the visitors to victory. Jeremy Smith made 29 saves on 32 shots. The Checkers were 2-for-5 on the powerplay and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Charlotte Checkers ensured they would earn the #3 seed with a 4-1 victory over the Sound Tigers in Bridgeport Sunday. Trevor Carrick tied the game late in the first period with a power play goal. In the second, Warren Foegele got the eventual game winner, his 27th goal of the season. In final minute of the game, both Julien Gauthier and Foegele recorded empty net goals. Jeremy Smith earned the victory with a 19-save performance. Charlotte was 1-for-8 on the PP and 2-for-2 on the PK.
Providence Bruins (Clinched #4 Seed)
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
The Providence Bruins were unable to move out of fourth place in the division Friday night as they lost to the visiting Charlotte Checkers 5-3 despite getting the first goal in all three periods. Austin Czarnik notched a powerplay goal late in the first period, but Charlotte scored two, quick goals before the buzzer sounded to take a 2-1 lead into intermission. In the second, Ryan Fitzgerald scored, but Charlotte regained the lead with a powerplay goal of their own. In the third, Zach Senyshyn tied the game, but Charlotte regained the lead and tacked on an insurance goal before the final horn. Jordan Binnington allowed five goals on 28 shots. The Bruins were 1-for-5 on the powerplay and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Bruins made a strong push to get into 3rd place Saturday with a 5-0 whitewashing of the Thunderbirds in Springfield. Jack Studnicka scored his first goal on the powerplay before the midway point of the first period. Providence would double the lead with a shorthanded goal from Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson before the first intermission. In the second, Adam Payerl recorded a powerplay goal and Forsbacka Karlsson struck again to put Providence up 4-0 headed into the final period. In the third, Forsbacka Karlsson rounded out a terrific night with the sole assist on Kenny Agostino’s tally. Zane McIntyre earned his seventh shutout of the season with a 24-save performance. The Bruins were 2-for-7 on the PP and 3-for-3 on the PK.
Despite a 4-2 victory over the visiting Springfield Thunderbirds on Sunday, the Providence Bruins were unable to secure the #3 seed in the playoffs thanks to a Charlotte victory, but they did all they could. Zach Senyshyn scored late in the first period, but Springfield responded with a goal early in the second. Providence regained the lead just 17 seconds later though thanks to Ryan Fitzgerald’s 21st. But Springfield tied the game later in the period. In the decisive third, Providence took the lead for good on Trent Freceric’s goal, with Zane McIntyre logging the secondary assist. Austin Czarnik tacked on an empty net goal. McIntyre went the distance with 27 saves on 29 shots to go along with the assist. Providence was 0-for-2 on the powerplay and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Eliminated)
Record Last Week: 0-3-0
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers traveled to Allentown Friday night to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and despite taking an early lead, fell 5-2 to the regular season Atlantic Division champs. Steve Bernier connected on the powerplay early in the first, but the Phantoms scored four, unanswered goals before Casey Bailey netted his 17th of the season. But the Sound Tigers were unable to make it any closer and eventually gave up an empty net goal. Christopher Gibson stopped 28 of the 32 shots he faced. The Sound Tigers were 1-for-3 on the powerplay and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The Sound Tigers joined the Hershey Bears on the ice for an emotional pregame tribute to the Humboldt Broncos Saturday night before falling 2-1 to the Bears once the dust settled on the game. Hershey scored in the first and second periods before Casey Bailey notched an unassisted goal for Bridgeport in the third. Both teams struggled on the powerplay, going 0-for-5, but threw some great shots towards the net where the goaltenders starred. Kristers Gudlevskis allowed two goals on 25 shots in the loss.
On Sunday, the Sound Tigers traveled back to Bridgeport where they fell 4-1 to the Charlotte Checkers. Kellen Jones scored Bridgeport’s lone goal early in the first period, giving the Sound Tigers a brief lead, but Charlotte connected on the powerplay later in the first before they took the lead early in the second. They tacked on a pair of empty net goals late in the third as well. Christopher Gibson suffered the loss in net despite allowing just two goals on 30 shots. Bridgeport was 0-for-2 on the PP and 7-for-8 on the PK.
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Hartford Wolf Pack (Eliminated)
Record Last Week: 2-0-0
The Hartford Wolf Pack hosted the Binghamton Devils Friday night and needed overtime to emerge with a 2-1 victory. Ryan Gropp scored a power play goal in the first period, but the Devils would eventually tie the game early in the third. In overtime, Cold Schneider needed just 89 seconds to find the back of the net and end things in favor of the Pack. Alexandar Georgiev made 20 saves on 21 shots. The Pack went 1-for-3 on the powerplay; they were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Despite missing out on the postseason, the Hartford Wolf Pack finished strong with a 4-2 victory on the road in Binghamton Saturday. The Devils got on the board first early in the opening period, but Gabriel Fontaine tied things up less than five minutes later. In the third, Vinni Lettieri gave the Pack the lead, but they were only able to hold that for 23 seconds as the Devils responded and tied it at 2-2 heading into the final period. In the third, Hartford’s Ryan Gropp scored what would become the game winner. Adam Tambellini tacked on an empty net goal. Marek Mazanec made 30 saves on 32 shots. Hartford went 0-for-3 on the PP; they were 4-for-5 on the PK.
Springfield Thunderbirds (Eliminated)
Record Last Week: 0-3-0
The Springfield Thunderbirds hosted the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night and put up a good fight before falling 3-2 to the playoff-bound Penguins. After Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored late in the first and early in the second, Dryden Hunt connected on the powerplay before the second period ended. In the third, Hunt assisted on Curtis Valk’s game-tying goal early in the third, but the Penguins got the game-winner a few minutes later. Harri Sateri made an astounding 46 saves on 49 shots. The Thunderbirds were 1-for-6 on the powerplay and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
After a strong performance a week ago, the Springfield Thunderbirds limped towards the finish line of the 2017-2018 season with a 5-0 loss to the Providence Bruins Saturday in Springfield. Samuel Montembeault was lifted after allowing four goals on 12 shots. His replacement, Harri Sateri, made 16 saves on 17 shots. The Thunderbirds were 0-for-3 on the PP and 5-for-7 on the PK.
The two teams faced off again Sunday in Providence, and while the Thunderbirds scored, the result was the same, a 4-2 loss. Dryden Hunt tied the game just 86 seconds into the second period, but the Bruins regained the lead just 17 seconds later. Hunt tied the game again though just past the midway point of the second. However, Hunt and the Thunderbirds were unable to respond to a pair of Providence goals in the third period. Harri Sateri made 31 saves on 34 shots. The Thunderbirds went 0-for-3 on the powerplay and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in their season finale.
Hershey Bears (Eliminated)
Record Last Week: 1-1-0
After an emotional pregame tribute on center ice to the Humboldt Broncos which saw Humboldt’s logo unrolled on center ice, the Bears got to work, with Jonas Siegenthaler scoring an unassisted goal early in the first period. Hershey would double the lead late in the second period when rookie Mathias Bau notched his 13th goal of the season. In the third Bridgeport got on the board, but starting goaltender Vitek Vanecek and the Hershey defense rose to the occasion with Vanecek making 17 saves on just 18 shots. Both teams were 0-for-5 on the powerplay.
Hershey was unable to make it two in a row to round out their 80th season, falling to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3-2. The Penguins scored a pair of goals in the first period. Late in the second, Dustin Gazley cut the lead to a goal with his 11th of the season. Unfortunately for the Bears, the Penguins lit the lamp again early in the third. Jeremy Langlois got Hershey’s final goal of the season, a powerplay tally late in the period. Vitek Vanecek made 27 saves on 30 shots. The Bears were 1-for-4 on the PP and 0-for-1 on the PK.
Final Atlantic Division Standings
Lehigh Valley: 76 GP, 47-19-5-5, 104 points, .684 pct W-B/Scranton: 76 GP, 45-22-6-3, 99 points, .651 pct Charlotte: 76 GP, 46-26-1-3, 96 points, .632 pct Providence: 76 GP, 45-26-3-2, 95 points, .625 pct Bridgeport: 76 GP, 36-32-5-3, 80 points, .526 pct Hartford: 76 GP, 34-33-6-3, 77 points, .507 pct Springfield: 76 GP, 32-37-5-2, 71 points, .467 pct Hershey: 76 GP, 30-37-4-5, 69 points, .454 pct
First Round Calder Cup Playoffs Schedule
#1 Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. #4 Providence Bruins
Friday, April 20 - Lehigh Valley at Providence - 7:05 PM Saturday, April 21 - Lehigh Valley at Providence - 7:05 PM Friday, April 27 - Providence at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 PM Saturday, April 28 - Providence at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 PM (if necessary) Monday, April 30 - Providence at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 PM (if necessary)
#2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. #3 Charlotte Checkers
Friday, April 20 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Charlotte - 7:00 PM Saturday, April 21 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Charlotte - 6:00 PM Thursday, April 26 - Charlotte at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:05 PM Saturday, April 28 - Charlotte at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:05 PM (if necessary) Sunday, April 29 - Charlotte at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 3:05 PM (if necessary)
