Ice Hockey 2018 - 2019 Discussion Thread

[phelps 7,678]

On 27/05/2019 at 20:21, hckosice said:

and it´s official. Slovan Bratislava abandoned the KHL and will return to the Slovak Extraliga already from the upcoming new season 2019/20.

 

The last time Slovan played the extraliga was 2011/12 with winning title that year, the next 7 seasons they played the KHL (2 times they managed to qualify for the Play-Offs)

 

noooooooooooo!!!!! this means that probably AMC (Sport1 & Sport2) will lower their coverage of the KHL down, if not they're going to abandon it completely...

this is the worst news of the week...and we're only on Monday...

Edited June 3, 2019 by phelps

[phelps 7,678]

and together with the NHL Finals, also the 2nd tier North American League, the AHL, is running their Final series, also known as the Calder Cup...

 

here's Game #1 Recap

 

Matteau! Matteau! Matteau! Wolves win Game #1.

 

Stefan Matteau scored his second goal of the night with 5:30 gone in overtime to give the Chicago Wolves a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Charlotte in the opener of the 2019 Calder Cup Finals on Saturday evening.

 

After Nic Hague kept the puck in at the point, Matteau took a shot from the left-wing boards that eluded Alex Nedeljkovic to give the Wolves their fourth win in as many trips to overtime this postseason.

"Like father, like son!"

 

The series started with the Checkers drawing an early power play and converting at 2:19 of the opening period when Trevor Carrick took a shot from the point that deflected off a Wolves defender and got past Oscar Dansk.

 

Chicago tied it at 5:54 when Griffin Reinhart wristed a shot from the left point that Matteau redirected home for what would be his first of the night.

 

The Checkers regained the lead at 15:47 when Martin Necas got a piece of Roland McKeown‘s shot from the center point, then upped the lead to 3-1 with 56.7 seconds left in the opening frame when Andrew Poturalski‘s shot from the right circle squeezed past Dansk.

 

The Wolves clawed back in the second period, with Zac Leslie wristing a shot through traffic from above the right-wing circle at 11:27, and Zach Whitecloud beating a screened Nedeljkovic from the blue line with just 5.7 seconds remaining in the stanza.

 

Charlotte owned a 17-7 advantage in a scoreless third period, but weathered a major storm midway through the frame when the Wolves spent two minutes and 55 seconds continuously in the offensive zone.

 

Dansk (10-5) finished with 35 saves on the night, stopping all 25 shots he faced after the first intermission.

 

Nedeljkovic (8-4) stopped 32 shots in the loss.

 

NOTES: 

It was the first career playoff overtime goal for Matteau, whose father, Stephane, scored one of the most memorable goals in Stanley Cup Playoff history for the 1994 New York Rangers.

Chicago has won four straight games since falling behind 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals vs. San Diego.

Three of Charlotte’s last four games have required overtime.

The Checkers were 1-for-3 on the power play; the Wolves were 0-for-2, including a chance early in OT.

Attendance was 8,465, the largest for a Checkers game in four seasons since the team moved into Bojangles’ Coliseum.

Game #1 winners are 63-19 all-time (.768) in Calder Cup Finals series.

 

Highlights

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/wolves-vs-checkers-finals-game-1

Edited June 3, 2019 by phelps

[phelps 7,678]

Calder Cup, Game #2 Recap

 

Checkers bounce back, even Finals with Game #2 win

 

The Checkers didn’t let this one get away.

 

Tomas Jurco‘s tiebreaking goal late in the second period proved to be the difference as Charlotte defeated Chicago, 5-3, in Game #2 of the 2019 Calder Cup Finals at Bojangles’ Coliseum on Sunday evening.

 

Tied at a game apiece, the series now shifts to suburban Chicago, where the Wolves will host Game #3 on Wednesday night (8 ET, AHLTV, NHL Network, NHL Network Radio).

 

Chicago got an early power play in Game #2 but it was Charlotte drawing first blood as Nick Schilkey beat Oscar Dansk on a breakaway at 3:50 of the opening period.

It was Schilkey’s first goal of the postseason and the Checkers’ fifth shorthanded tally in their last five games.

 

The Wolves pulled even just 53 seconds later as Keegan Kolesar found himself alone in front and he slipped the puck past Dustin Tokarski for his sixth goal of the playoffs at 4:43.

 

Charlotte struck twice in a 14-second span to grab a 3-1 lead early in the middle period.

Nicolas Roy was credited with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 5:34 when Haydn Fleury‘s shot hit him and redirected past Dansk, and Stelio Mattheos chipped in his third playoff goal at 5:48.

 

But just as they did a night earlier, the Wolves erased a 3-1 deficit and tied the contest back up.

Gage Quinney scored both goals, banging home a feed from Jake Bischoff at the 7:00 mark and then getting behind the Checkers defense and backhanding a shot over a sprawling Tokarski at 11:13.

 

The Checkers took their third lead of the night with 1:07 left before the second intermission as Jurco, a Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids in 2013, took a shot from the bottom of the right-wing circle that just crossed the goal line behind Dansk.

 

Charlotte held Chicago to just four shots on goal in the final period, and iced the win on Andrew Poturalski‘s empty-net goal with 59.6 seconds to go.

 

Tokarski finished with 20 saves on the night, improving to 11-0-0 in 11 starts as a member of the Checkers.

 

Dansk made 26 saves in the loss for Chicago.

 

NOTES:

In addition to Tokarski getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Alex Nedeljkovic, each team made one lineup change: Jesper Sellgren drew in for Bobby Sanguinetti on the Charlotte blue line, and Ryan Wagner replaced Tobias Lindberg for Chicago.

Tokarski is now 5-0 all-time in Calder Cup Finals games; he backstopped Norfolk to a sweep of Toronto in 2012.

Chicago went 1-for-3 on the power play, scoring their first power-play goal since Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals vs. San Diego.

Charlotte was 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

The Checkers have not played from behind yet in the series; the Wolves’ only lead came thanks to their overtime goal in Game #1.

Attendance was 8,378.

 

Highlights

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/wolves-vs-checkers-finals-game-2

Edited June 3, 2019 by phelps

[Finnator123 292]

Checkers should win the Calder Cup. Finland would get new AHL champs then 

[hckošice 14,835]

Jurčo is clearly the player we missed at the worlds this year, the guy is right now in great shape, he would be definitely a plus for us and another Košice born guy would experience a one of a lifetime tournament..pitty he had to stay in charlotte...but well, he still can win the Calder Cup

[phelps 7,678]

Calder Cup, Game #3 Recap

 

Checkers take series lead with Game 3 victory

 

Alex Nedeljkovic made 38 saves to lead Charlotte to a 4-1 victory over Chicago in Game #3 of the Calder Cup Finals at Allstate Arena on Wednesday night.

 

The teams go back at it on Thursday night in Game #4 (8 p.m. ET, AHLTV) with the Checkers up two games to one.

 

After getting Game #2 off on Sunday following an overtime loss in Game #1 the previous night, Nedeljkovic showed why he was voted the AHL’s top goaltender during the regular season, keeping the Wolves at bay as Chicago fired 39 shots on net.

 

Charlotte broke through with the game’s first goal for the third time in the series, taking a 1-0 lead just 1:51 into the contest.

Julien Gauthier, returning to the lineup after missing Games #1 and #2, redirected a shot from the left point by Jake Bean that slipped past Oscar Dansk for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

 

The Checkers took the 1-0 lead to the locker room after 20 minutes despite being outshot 15-6, including 15-2 over the final 17-plus minutes.

 

Charlotte doubled its advantage at 2:16 of the second period when Bean wristed a shot from the center point that got through traffic and beat Dansk for a power-play goal.

It was the first marker of the playoffs for Bean, an AHL All-Rookie selection during the regular season.

 

After seeing Chicago erase two-goal leads in the first two games, Charlotte grabbed a 3-0 lead in Game #3 when Patrick Brown stole the puck at center ice and converted on a breakaway at 11:46, the Checkers’ sixth shorthanded goal in their last six games.

 

The Wolves spoiled Nedeljkovic’s shutout bid with 5:11 to play in regulation when Brooks Macek knocked in a rebound of Zach Whitecloud‘s wrister for his third goal of the playoffs.

 

But Charlotte sealed the victory with an empty-net goal as Martin Necas scored with 3:05 remaining.

 

Bean (1g, 1a), Brown (1g, 1a), Necas (1g, 1a) and Tomas Jurco (2a) all had two-point nights for the Checkers.

 

Dansk finished with 22 saves in net for the Wolves.

 

NOTES:

Charlotte’s game-opening goals in the series have all come within the first four minutes of play (2:19, 3:50, 1:51).

Nedeljkovic’s 38 saves represented a career high for a regulation game.

Chicago was without alternate captain Curtis McKenzie, who served a one-game league suspension.

Macek’s goal for Chicago was his first in 13 games.

The Wolves held Charlotte’s top line of Andrew Poturalski, Morgan Geekie and Aleksi Saarela off the scoresheet in Game 3; Poturalski’s empty-net goal in Game #2 is that trio’s only point over the last two contests.

Charlotte was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Chicago was 0-for-3.

 

Highlights

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/checkers-vs-wolves-finals-game-3

Edited June 6, 2019 by phelps

[phelps 7,678]

Calder Cup, Game #4 Recap

 

Cardiac Checkers one win away after Game #4 rally

 

Another comeback by the Charlotte Checkers has them one win away from their first Calder Cup championship.

 

Nicolas Roy scored twice in the third period and Charlotte scored four unanswered goals en route to a 5-3 victory over Chicago at Allstate Arena on Thursday night.

 

The Checkers will take a 3-1 series lead into Game #5, which is set for Saturday evening in suburban Chicago (8 p.m. ET, AHLTV, NHL Network).

 

Charlotte spotted the Wolves a 3-1 lead before scoring four times in the final 21 minutes of the game to earn its third consecutive victory.

 

After falling behind early in each of the first three games of the series, Chicago grabbed a 1-0 lead just 45 seconds into Game #4.

Big defenseman Nic Hague carried the puck end-to-end, drove to the net and slipped it behind Checkers goaltender Dustin Tokarski for his fourth goal of the postseason.

 

The Wolves played with a lead for the first time in the series, but it lasted less than five minutes before Jesper Sellgren‘s shot from the left point got through and eluded Oscar Dansk at 5:21.

 

Chicago went back in front at 16:29 when Zac Leslie intercepted a clearing attempt and threw a shot on net that beat a screened Tokarski for his second goal of the series, making it 2-1.

 

The Wolves upped their lead to 3-1 at 13:47 of the second period when Brooks Macek netted his fourth goal of the postseason, banging home the rebound of Dylan Coghlan‘s shot from the left circle.

 

The Checkers’ comeback started with 1:00 to play in the middle frame, as Martin Necas showed patience in the slot and drew Dansk out of position before burying his third goal of the series and fifth of the playoffs.

The power-play goal cut Chicago’s lead to 3-2 heading into intermission.

 

Charlotte wasted just 32 seconds before tying the game early in the third period, as Roy took a back-door pass from Julien Gauthier and netted his fifth goal of the playoffs to make it 3-3.

 

Aleksi Saarela got the game-winner with 7:08 to play, sniping a shot high to the short side past Dansk for his.

 

Roy’s empty-net goal with 2:32 remaining sealed the win.

 

Tokarski (5-0) made 22 saves for his 12th win in as many appearances as a member of the Checkers this season.

For the second time in the series, Tokarski drew the start in net in the second half of games on back-to-back nights.

 

Dansk (10-8) turned aside 18 of 22 shots in the loss.

 

NOTES:

Hague’s goal was the fastest to open a Calder Cup Finals since 2017, when Syracuse’s Kevin Lynch scored 17 seconds into Game #5 against Grand Rapids.

Charlotte trailed after 40 minutes for just the second time this postseason; they have come back to win both times.

The Checkers are also 4-3 when allowing the game’s first goal.

The Checkers were 1-for-3 on the power play in Game #4, while the Wolves went 0-for-4.

Chicago was without regular-season AHL MVP Daniel Carr, who was injured in Game #3 on Wednesday.

 

Highlights

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/checkers-vs-wolves-game-4

Edited June 9, 2019 by phelps

[hckošice 14,835]

One win from his 2nd careers Calder Cup ! Go Tomáš !

[phelps 7,678]

Calder Cup, Game #5 Recap

 

Check and mate! Charlotte wins Calder Cup

 

The Charlotte Checkers are bringing the Calder Cup to North Carolina.

 

The American Hockey League’s top team from start to finish in 2018-19 secured its first championship tonight with a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena, winning the Calder Cup Finals four games to one.

 

Andrew Poturalski, who finished with two goals in Game #5, won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The third-year pro from Williamsville, N.Y., led the AHL with 12 goals, 23 points and a plus-15 rating in 18 postseason games played.

 

Rookie Morgan Geekie added a goal and an assist in the clincher and Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 26 shots as the Checkers secured the first Calder Cup win for the Carolina Hurricanes organization since 1991.

 

Charlotte went 15-4 during the postseason following a 51-win regular season.

 

Under head coach Mike Vellucci, who also serves as the Hurricanes’ assistant general manager and director of hockey operations, the Checkers finished with the best record in the league during the regular season and then defeated the Providence Bruins (3-1), Hershey Bears (4-0) and Toronto Marlies (4-2) before eliminating Chicago in five games in the Finals.

 

Charlotte’s victory brings an end to the AHL’s 83rd season.

 

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams.

 

Nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

 

Game #5 Highlights

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/checkers-vs-wolves-finals-game-5

 

Calder Cup presentation to Charlotte

https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/calder-cup-presentation-to-charlotte

 

[hckošice 14,835]

Tomáš Jurčo became the first player to win 2 Calder Cups in his careeer, after the triumph with Grand Rapids in 2013.

 

Congrats mate ! Congrats Charlotte !