Pirates, Bears kick off conference finals tonight

AHL..COM ^ | 5/17/06 | AHL.COM

[airborne]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … Twenty-three down, four to go.

A quartet of teams remains in the hunt for the 2006 Calder Cup championship after the division finals concluded on Tuesday night.

The Pirates will take on the East Division’s Hershey Bears for the Richard F. Canning Trophy, which is awarded to the Eastern Conference representative in the Calder Cup Finals. The Bears are coming off sweeps of Norfolk and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and are drawing comparisons to the Hershey club that went a perfect 12-0 during the 1988 postseason. The Bears are in the conference finals for the fourth time in the last 10 years, and have been riding the goaltending of Frederic Cassivi, who has stopped 208 of 222 shots this postseason (1.67, .937).

[airborne]

I figure it only matters to me, but my Hershey Bears are in the semifinals starting tonight.

Plus, my son was taught by Fred Cassivi, Hershey Bears goalie.

It only the fourth time in AHL history that any team has swept the first two rounds of the Calder Cup Championships.

Hershey plays away tonight, in Portland Maine. I have tickets for games 3 and 4 in Hershey.

B-E-A-R-S BEARS, BEARS, BEARS!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

[airborne]

AHL hockey ping! VANITY!!

[infidel29]

I figure it only matters to me...

Maybe not, I enjoy a good game no matter who's playing.

Who are the Bears NHL affiliate? Colorado? I know they beat the Pens in the last round.

If things keep going the way they are in the 'Burgh, I may become way more interested in the AHL. (When they become the Kansas City Penguins)

[airborne]

The Capitals are our NHL afiliate.

It's 5-0 Bears with just over 5 minutes left in the game.

Could be 9 straight playoff wins!!

[airborne]

There's a major fight going on in Portland!!

Fans throwing trash at a Bears player in the penalty box!

Security is taking fans out of the building!!

[airborne]

BEARS WIN!!! 5-0! BEARS PLAYOFF WIN STREAK STRETCHES TO 9!!!

[infidel29]

There's a major fight going on in Portland!!

Holy crap! I wish I had some TV coverage out here.

Apparently I need to get up to spped on my AHL/NHL affiliations. I thought Portland was Washington's and Hershey was Colorado's. Hershey was a Flyer affiliate at one time weren't they?

The only AHL game I attended was years ago I saw Johnstown Chiefs against Hampton-Roads. Lots of good fights in that one.

[CurlyBill]

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!!

[CurlyBill]

Portland was Washington's affiliate, but the Caps recently changed to Hershey. Philly at one time had the Bears, but they now have the Phantoms. I suspect the Portland folks are pissed that the Caps left them for Hershey. This happens all the time... not sure why they would take it out on the players. I didn't see the game, so I'm not sure if a particular incident kicked this off.

[airborne]

When the team with the best offense in the league gets spanked 5-0, there's gonna be fights. ;^)

[airborne]

I've got center ice tickets for Saturday and Sunday in Hershey!!

[airborne]

Blatant vanity hockey ping!

The Hershey Bears won their 9th straight AHL playoff game, defeating the Portland Pirates in a thrilling overtime victory, 2-1.

Things started early, when a fight almost erupted in the tunnel prior to the game.

Portland scored halfway through the first, but that would be their only goal.

Halfway through the third, Bears tied it up, taking the game into overtime. But it took under 2 minutes for ex-Pirates Graham Mink to put the game away, and give the Bears a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals.

Next two games are in Hershey, and I have tickets!

It's a great time to be a hockey fan in Chocolatetown, PA!!

[dfwgator]

"Da Bears!"

[Betis70]

Go Wolfpack. Oh wait ...

Glad you hockey fans in PA have something to cheer about.

[airborne]

LOL!

I say that from time to time at the game!

FYI, When first formed, the team was named the "Hershey B'ars", for obvious reasons.

[CollegeRepublican]

The Bears are kicking butt this postseason.

At the last Capitals game of the year, I won a Brooks Laich game used and signed stick. I hope he sticks in the NHL next year.

[airborne]

The way he's been playing, he has an excellent chance to move up to the NHL.

He's been a valuable player for us all year long.

A couple years ago, I bought a game jersey at a post game charity auction.

The reason I wanted this guy's jersey is because, during an on ice meet and greet for season ticket holders, this gentleman was extremely kind to my son.

When I picked up the jersey, I told him that I thought he was a solid player, and that I was confident that he would make it to the NHL.

His name is Evgeni Artuhkin, and he ended up playing for Tampa Bay. Not sure where he is now.

As for the Brooks Laich stick,take care of it. I suspect it will be worth something in the future.

[fhayek]

I'm just thankful that nickname your hockey team the "Squirts".

[fhayek]

uh, that they didn't nickname the team the squirts. bad joke getting worse by the second...