DAN HICKLING
MinorLeagueNews.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rochester in six. Over Binghamton.
That was the way one reporter (actually this one) predicted --on the record, no less-- the Calder Cup championship would wind up.
Hah! Not even close! Halfway through the four round playoff grind, and there's not a B-Sen or Amerk left to be seen.
Instead, it will be the Philadelphia Phantoms, or maybe the Providence Bruins, or perhaps the Chicago Wolves, or it could even be the Manitoba Moose, who will be crowned the top professional hockey team in North America.
No Stanley Cup? No problem. Due to the NHL lockout, the American Hockey League enjoyed a season like no other.
Certainly it was a smashing artistic success, with eight teams (led by Rochester's 112 points) topping the century mark. But half of those entries never got out of the gate.
Defending champion Milwaukee -- gone, ousted by a Cincinnati Mighty Ducks team that was literally fighting (and ultimately failing) for its very existence. Hartford, which boasted the top two netminders in the AHL --Steve Valiquette and Jason LaBarbera-- couldn't stop enough pucks from Lowell to survive the first round.
Jason Spezza, the AHL's Most Valuable Player, couldn't carry the B-Sens on his back past their bitter I-81 rivals from Wilkes-Barre.
Manchester, the top team in the Eastern Conference with 110 points, were left flatfooted by a Bruins squad that finished 20 points behind them in the Atlantic Division ladder.
Providence wasn't done there, either, dispatching Lowell, 4 games to 1, in Round 2. What in the name of Giacomo is going on?
Actually, you could have anointed any of a dozen AHL sextets as Calder Cuppers.
So any of remaining four survivors would make a worthy champion.
You like Philly or Providence in the East? Manitoba or Chicago in the West? All are at the top of their game.
Special teams might well tip the balance in the East. Both the Phantoms and Providence banged in a dozen power play goals in these playoffs.
Rookie Jeff Carter, signed by the Phantoms at the tail end of the regular season, has been nothing short of a revelation, with nine goals and four assists, doing most of his damage on the power play.
Providence can counter with the likes of Andy Hilbert (the top point-getter after two rounds), Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Boyes, all of whom would have been skating in Boston.
Both teams have Finns in net, Antero Niitymaki for Philly, Hannu Toivonen for the Baby B's. Good friends off the ice, either may be called upon to steal a win, especially on enemy ice.
Still, Providence may have the best secret weapon, in the form of Mr. May, winger Jay Henderson, who is vying for his third Calder Cup in as many years (and fourth overall). Henderson is the last remaining link to the Bruins' 1999 Cup champions.
Then there's Chicago which edged out Milwaukee for the West Division regular season crown, thanks in part to their controversial late season carcass picking of top prospects Stephen Weiss and Jay Bouwmeester from San Antonio.
Both have made their mark with the Wolves, but it's the likes of Karl Stewart, J.P. Vigier, and Steve Maltais, who have delivered the timely goals.
Yet another Finn, exceptional youngster Kari Lehtonen, mans the Chicago goal. But it's veteran Wade Flaherty, who backboned Milwaukee's successful Cup run of last year, who provides the lift. As though the Moose weren't have enough leadership.
Veteran Lee Goren, perhaps the AHL's best power forward, has nine goals and hits opponents like a jack-hammer.
Then of course, the Moose may have the best home ice advantage of them all, the gleaming new 15,000 seat MTS Centre, which will be filled to the gills with agenda-driven Winnipeggers, famished for a Cup. Preferably, someday, a Stanley Cup.
Given a "do-over", it's time to make another prediction.
Chicago in six.
Take it to the bank.
Just don't cash the check. Not yet, anyway.
