2012 Calder Cup Playoffs Opening-Round Schedule

April 15, 2012 at 8:50 pm by Pete Dougherty, Staff writer/Albany Times Union

In an interesting twist, the Norfolk Admirals, who finished the regular season with a record 28-game winning streak and the American Hockey League’s best overall record, have opted to give up home-ice advantage in the opening round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

The first round is best-of-5, and for series in a 2-3 format — generally for teams more than 300 miles apart — the higher seed has the option of playing the first two or the last three games at home. Norfolk chose to open at home.

Here are all the series for the opening round:

Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals – Series “A” (best-of-5)
1-Norfolk Admirals vs. 8-Manchester Monarchs
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Manchester at Norfolk, 7:30
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Manchester at Norfolk, 7:15
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Norfolk at Manchester, 7:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Norfolk at Manchester, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Norfolk at Manchester, 7:00

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals – Series “B” (best-of-5)
2-St. John’s IceCaps vs. 7-Syracuse Crunch
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:30
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – St. John’s at Syracuse, 7:30
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Syracuse at St. John’s, 6:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Syracuse at St. John’s, 6:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Syracuse at St. John’s, 6:00

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals – Series “C” (best-of-5)
3-Bridgeport Sound Tigers vs. 6-Connecticut Whale
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Connecticut at Bridgeport, 7:00
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Connecticut at Bridgeport, 7:00
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Bridgeport at Connecticut, 5:00
*Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Bridgeport at Connecticut, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Connecticut at Bridgeport, 7:00

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals – Series “D” (best-of-5)
4-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. 5-Hershey Bears
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05

Western Conference
Western Conference Quarterfinals – Series “E” (best-of-5)
1-Oklahoma City Barons vs. 8-Houston Aeros
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Oklahoma City at Houston, 8:05
Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Oklahoma City at Houston, 8:35
Game 3 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Houston at Oklahoma City, 8:00
*Game 4 – Tue., Apr. 24 – Houston at Oklahoma City, 8:00
*Game 5 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Houston at Oklahoma City, 8:00

Western Conference Quarterfinals – Series “F” (best-of-5)
2-Toronto Marlies vs. 7-Rochester Americans
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Rochester at Toronto, 7:00
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Rochester at Toronto, 3:00
Game 3 – Mon., Apr. 23 – Toronto at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Toronto at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Rochester at Toronto, 3:00

Western Conference Quarterfinals – Series “G” (best-of-5)
3-Chicago Wolves vs. 6-San Antonio Rampage
Game 1 – Thu., Apr. 19 – Chicago at San Antonio, 8:00
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 21 – Chicago at San Antonio, 8:00
Game 3 – Tue., Apr. 24 – San Antonio at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 4 – Wed., Apr. 25 – San Antonio at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 5 – Fri., Apr. 27 – San Antonio at Chicago, 8:30

Western Conference Quarterfinals – Series “H” (best-of-5)
4-Abbotsford Heat vs. 5-Milwaukee Admirals
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 20 – Abbotsford at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 22 – Abbotsford at Milwaukee, 6:00
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 25 – Milwaukee at Abbotsford, 10:00
*Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 27 – Milwaukee at Abbotsford, 10:00
*Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 28 – Milwaukee at Abbotsford, 10:00

28 And Rolling. Admirals Beat The Phantoms 4-2.

GLEN FALLS, N.Y. – AHL MVP Cory Conacher netted his first career hat trick as the Norfolk Admirals (55-18-1-2) finished off the regular season with a 4-2 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms (37-35-2-2) on Sunday evening at the Glen Falls Civic Center. Norfolk concludes the regular season with a North American professional hockey record 28-game winning streak.

Photo: John Wright

Conacher broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of goals, including his AHL-leading 39th goal of the season, in the final two minutes of regulation. Brandon Segal notched his 18th goal of the season and added three assists. Norfolk netminder Jaroslav Janus (23-8-2) made 16 saves to extend his personal winning streak to 15 games.

Adirondack’s Ben Holmstrom opened the scoring with a power play goal early in the opening period. While standing in front of the Norfolk net, Holmstrom deflected a Brandon Manning shot over Janus to give the Phantoms the 1-0 lead at 2:19.

Goals by Segal and Conacher put the Admirals ahead by one goal at the end of the second period. With under five minutes remaining in the period, Conacher sent a shot from the right faceoff circle. While skating out in front of the crease, Segal deflected the shot over the left shoulder of Phantoms’ goaltender Jason Bacashihua for his 18th goal of the season to knot the game at 1-1 at 15:30.

Photo: James DiBianco

Less than two minutes later, the Admirals claimed a 2-1 lead Conacher’s first goal of the game. From the center slot, Conacher picked up a rebound and sent a backhand over Bacashihua at 17:27.

The Phantoms squared the game at 2-2 with nearly eight minutes remaining in regulation. After a failed clearing attempt by the Admirals, Jason Akeson snapped a shot over the blocker of Janus at 12:15 of the final period.

Conacher’s second of the night came with just two minutes remaining in regulation. The AHL Rookie of the Year picked up a loose puck off the stick of a teammate and buried a shot behind Bacashihua to give Norfolk a 3-2 lead with his 38th goal of the season.

After an Adirondack goal was waved off with 18.2 seconds remaining, Conacher capped off the hat trick with an empty net goal with just two seconds remaining as the Admirals skated away with the 4-2 victory.

Bacashihua (8-11-1) finished the night with 23 saves on 26 shots.

Norfolk was 0 for 3 on the power play. Adirondack was 1 for 5.

Norfolk Admirals 4 at Adirondack Phantoms 2 – Status: Final
Sunday, April 15, 2012 – Glens Falls Civic Center

Norfolk        0 2 2 – 4
Adirondack 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Adirondack, Holmstrom 15 (Manning, Gustafsson), 2:19 (PP). Penalties-Kostka Nor (hooking), 1:41; Bordson Adk (holding), 7:01; Mathers Adk (roughing), 10:58; Panik Nor (cross-checking), 12:04.

2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Segal 18 (Smith, Conacher), 15:30. 3, Norfolk, Conacher 37 (Segal), 17:27. Penalties-Kostka Nor (tripping), 1:58; Conacher Nor (delay of game), 5:01.

3rd Period-4, Adirondack, Akeson 14 (Testwuide), 12:15. 5, Norfolk, Conacher 38 (Segal, Smith), 18:00. 6, Norfolk, Conacher 39 (Segal), 19:58 (EN). Penalties-Labrie Nor (roughing), 10:04; Dimmen Nor (fighting), 14:32; Harper Adk (roughing, fighting), 14:32.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 7-10-10-27. Adirondack 8-7-4-19.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 0 / 3; Adirondack 1 / 5.
Goalies-Norfolk, Janus 23-8-2 (19 shots-17 saves). Adirondack, Bacashihua 8-11-1 (26 shots-23 saves).

A-3,603
Referees-Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Steeve Lemay (64), Mike Emanatian (69).

3-2 OT Victory Over The Senators Pushes The Streak To 27.

Photo: John Wright

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Mark Barberio’s power play goal 2:04 into overtime completed a comeback from a one-goal, third period deficit as the Norfolk Admirals (54-18-1-2) defeated the Binghamton Senators (29-41-4-2), 3-2, on Saturday night at the Broome County Veteran’s Memorial Arena. The win extended Norfolk’s North American professional hockey record to 27 consecutive wins.

Photo: Casey Staff

The Admirals will conclude the 2011-12 regular season tomorrow in Glens Falls, New York, with a 5:00 p.m. matchup against the Adirondack Phantoms.

Alex Killorn tied the game at 2-2 midway through the third period and assisted on a Cory Conacher goal late in the first period. Dustin Tokarski (32-11-0) stopped 22 of 24 shots to run his personal winning streak to 13 games. The game was just the second non-regulation win of Norfolk’s 27-game winning streak.

The Admirals took a 1-0 lead late in the first period. Killorn sent a no-look, behind-the-back pass to Conacher in the right faceoff circle. Conacher sent a shot past the outstretched glove of Binghamton goaltender Mike McKenna for his 36th goal of the season at 19:24.

Binghamton took a 2-1 lead after two goals late in the second period. The Senators tied the game at 1-1 with a power play goal at 15:17. Eric Gryba sent a pass from the right point to Mark Hoffman at the left point. Hoffman then sent a slap shot through traffic and past Tokarski.

Binghamton went ahead, 2-1, less than two minutes later. After accepting a pass from Tim Conboy, Matt Puempel wound up for a slap shot from the top of the left circle that eluded Tokarski at 17:13. McKenna made 28 saves on 29 shots to hold Norfolk to just one goal through two periods.

Photo: Casey Staff

However, the Admirals tied the game at 2-2 on Killorn’s second professional goal. The rookie who recently joined Norfolk from Harvard University entered the attacking zone along the left wing and sped around a defenseman in the left circle. He then deked to his backhand as he cut across the top of the crease and slipped a shot around McKenna’s left leg at 13:21 for a power play goal.

Norfolk out-shot Binghamton, 19-3, in the third period, but Killorn’s shot was the only one to get past McKenna as the game required overtime.

Tim Conboy was whistled for hooking 1:27 into overtime to give the Admirals their fifth power play of the game. Just moments after Mike Kostka hit the post, he sent a pass to Barberio at the left point. Barberio’s shot through traffic found its mark for his 14th goal of the season and the 3-2 Norfolk win.

McKenna (14-22-1) stopped 46 of 49 shots in the defeat.

Norfolk was 2-for-5 on the power play. Binghamton was 1-for-3.

Norfolk Admirals 3 (OT) at Binghamton Senators 2 – Status: Final OT
Saturday, April 14, 2012 – Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

Norfolk         1 0 1 1 – 3
Binghamton 0 2 0 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Conacher 36 (Killorn), 19:24. Penalties-Lessard Bng (hooking), 9:52; Oberg Nor (high-sticking), 15:32.

2nd Period-2, Binghamton, Hoffman 21 (Gryba, Dziurzynski), 15:17 (PP). 3, Binghamton, Puempel 1 (Conboy), 17:13. Penalties-Oberg Nor (interference), 4:06; Conacher Nor (roughing), 14:26; Borowiecki Bng (roughing), 18:50.

3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Killorn 2 (Oberg, Kostka), 13:21 (PP). Penalties-served by Puempel Bng (bench minor – too many men), 2:44; Dziurzynski Bng (goaltender interference), 11:56.

OT Period-5, Norfolk, Barberio 14 (Kostka), 2:04 (PP). Penalties-Conboy Bng (hooking, misconduct – abuse of officials), 1:27.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 17-12-19-1-49. Binghamton 6-14-3-1-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 2 / 5; Binghamton 1 / 3.
Goalies-Norfolk, Tokarski 32-11-0 (24 shots-22 saves). Binghamton, McKenna 14-22-1 (49 shots-46 saves).

A-4,511
Referees-Jeff Smith (49), T.J. Luxmore (47).
Linesmen-Andy Petrus (26), John Everett (82).