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| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain Tom Kostopoulos matched a franchise record with five points (one goal, four assists) in Friday night's Game Six win over Hershey. Photo: Nina Weiss/The Home News |
While the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Hershey Bears prepare for Sunday's Game Seven at Giant Center, the other three Conference Semifinals series are in action tonight with three teams facing elimination.
In the Western Conference, Lake Erie and Ontario both have their opponents - Grand Rapids and San Diego, respectively - clinging to life after four games. Both the Monsters and Reign can punch their tickets for a meeting in the Western Conference Finals with wins tonight.
In the East, the Albany Devils look to do what the Penguins did last night and that is force a deciding seventh game with the Toronto Marlies. The two teams face-off in an afternoon game at the Ricoh Colisieum, where the Marlies can advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win.
After the jump, a look at the remaining 2016 Calder Cup Playoff contenders in the Conference Semifinals round.
Editor's Note: In case you missed it, this off season I will be writing a prospect profile feature updating the development and providing inside analysis on some of the Philadelphia Flyers pro-level prospects. There are already two posted online (listed below). A third one is one the way and will hopefully be ready to go early next week.
You can help keep me on the road covering the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season by making a donation via GoFundMe or PayPal.
Saturday's Calder Cup Playoffs Schedule
Albany at Toronto - 3:00 p.m. ET (Toronto leads series 3-2)
Grand Rapids at Lake Erie - 7:00 p.m. ET (Lake Erie leads series 3-1)
San Diego at Ontario - 10:00 p.. ET (Ontario leads series 3-1)
Hershey - 2 at W-B/Scranton - 6 (Series tied 3-3)
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forced a winner take all Game Seven Friday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena after a 6-2 rout of Hershey. The Penguins gave their fans, just over 5,000 filled the seats, quite the show in the first period - scoring the game's first four goals in the second half of the opening frame.
AHL Penguins veteran captain Tom Kostopoulos tied a franchise record with five points (one goal, four assists) in the postseason contest, while linemates Carter Rowney (two goals, one assist) and Jake Guentzel (one goal, two assists) each recorded three points to pace the Penguins' attack.
Guentzel leads all scorers in the postseason with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in nine games, which breaks Conor Sheary's franchise record of 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 games for postseason points by a player on an amateur tryout contract. Gentzel begins his two-year entry level contract with the Penguins next season.
Guentzel leads all scorers in the postseason with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in nine games, which breaks Conor Sheary's franchise record of 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 games for postseason points by a player on an amateur tryout contract. Gentzel begins his two-year entry level contract with the Penguins next season.
Tyler Lewington and former Penguins forward Zach Sill tallied goals for the Bears in the loss, which sees Hershey host the Penguins in Game Seven Sunday evening at Giant Center. The game took an ugly turn in the final 3:55 of regulation. With the score out of hand, the Bears frustrations mounted and the two teams combined for 44 PIM in the final minutes to set the stage for a seventh game.
Goalies: Casey DeSmith (24 saves - 26 shots) got the start in net for the Penguins in Game Six after replacing Tristan Jarry into Game 5 Wednesday night in Hershey. Justin Peters (8 saves - 12 shots) was replaced by backup Dan Ellis (17 saves - shots) after the game's first period. It was Ellis' first action since his Game One start in the first round against Portland, where he surrendered six goals on 32 shots to open Hershey's postseason play.
Penguins Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics):
Jake Guentzel - Carter Rowney - Tom Kostopoulos (C)
Matthias Plachta - Jean-Sebastien Dea - Josh Archibald
Tom Sestito - Teddy Blueger - Daniel Sprong
Will O'Neill - Steve Oleksy (A)
Ryan Parent - Barry Goers
Tim Erixon- Ethan Prow
Casey DeSmith - Tristan Jarry
Bears Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Jakub Vrana - Carter Camper - Dustin Gazley
Liam O'Brien- Nathan Walker - Garrett Mitchell (C)
Ryan Bourque - Zach Sill (A) - Sean Collins
Ryan Stanton - Madison Bowey
Aaron Ness - Tyler Lewington
Christian Djoos - Erik Burgdoerfer
Justin Peters - Dan Ellis
Western Conference Playoff Scores
Ontario - 4 at San Diego - 3, OT (Ontario leads series 3-1)
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