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Broom(e) County; B-Sens Sweep Checkers and Advance to Finals
May 18, 2011 Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit:
TheAHL.com |
May 18, 2011 - American Hockey
League (AHL) - TheAHL.com News Release
 |
| Ryan Keller scored the
series clinching goal in OT, sending the B-Sens to
the Calder Cup Finals. |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The Binghamton Senators have won the
Richard F. Canning Trophy as the AHL’s Eastern Conference
champions for 2010-11, claiming the title with a 4-3
overtime victory over the Charlotte Checkers in Game 4 of
their best-of-seven series at the Broome County Veterans
Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N.Y., on Wednesday night.
Team captain Ryan Keller scored the series-clinching
goal off a face-off at 13:05 of overtime, and rookie
goaltender Robin Lehner made 42 saves in the victory.
The Senators’ playoff run has been led by Ryan Potulny,
the AHL’s leading postseason scorer with 14 goals –
including one on Wednesday – and 25 points in 17 games.
Potulny is one of 13 active Binghamton players who also saw
NHL time with Ottawa in 2010-11.
Binghamton got out
to a quick start in this one, as Potulny scored on the power
play 12:34 into the game and Kaspars Daugavins made it 2-0
with a shorthanded goal in the first period’s closing
minute.
That 2-0 lead held through most of the second
period until Checkers forward Chris Terry (17:20) and
defenseman Casey Borer (18:39) tied it up by scoring twice
in a span of 1:39.
The Senators regained a one-goal
lead when defenseman Andre Benoit buried a power play goal
at 4:44 of the third period, and Charlotte was 1:24 away
from seeing its season end before Terry forced overtime with
his second of the night.
Keller’s game-winner came
off a draw to the left of Charlotte goaltender Mike Murphy.
Zack Smith won it clear back to Keller, who sent the puck
through traffic and past Murphy for his eighth postseason
marker.
The top affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa
Senators, Binghamton finished fifth in the East Division
with a record of 42-30-3-5 (92 points) and crossed over to
the Atlantic Division playoff draw. The Senators, under head
coach Kurt Kleinendorst in his first season with the club,
defeated the Manchester Monarchs (4-3) in the division
semifinals, the Portland Pirates (4-2) in the division
finals and the Checkers (4-0) in the conference finals to
become the city’s first team to reach the Calder Cup Finals
since the Binghamton Whalers in 1982.
Binghamton will
face either the Houston Aeros or the Hamilton Bulldogs in
the 2011 Calder Cup Finals. The Aeros currently lead the
Western Conference Finals, three games to one.
Established in 1990, the AHL’s Eastern Conference
championship trophy honors Richard F. Canning, who served
the AHL for more than 50 years during his career, including
a term as league president from 1958-61. Mr. Canning is
recognized as the author of the AHL’s constitution, by-laws
and regulations.
Eastern Conference Finals – Series
“M” (best-of-7)
E3-Charlotte Checkers vs. E5-Binghamton
Senators
Game 1 – Thu., May 12 – Binghamton 7, CHARLOTTE
4
Game 2 – Fri., May 13 – Binghamton 3, CHARLOTTE 0
Game 3 – Tue., May 17 – BINGHAMTON 7, Charlotte 1
Game 4
– Wed., May 18 – BINGHAMTON 4, Charlotte 3 (OT)
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