2010 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs: North & West Division Semifinals

Last night I showed the Playoff Matchups and Schedules for the East & Atlantic Divisions that make up the Eastern Conference. Now it's time for the North & West Divisions that make up the Western Conference as the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs that begin on Wednesday Night. For Southwest fans, the Texas Stars are looking to take the strong first season and take into a strong playoff run where they can give the West Division something to think about. Theirs 3 other big matchups that should be really great to follow.

After a horrible start which included a coaching change and bringing in Chris Chelios for a part of the middle part of the season. All of that has helped a lot as the Wolves took the West Division Top Seed as they will take on a Milwaukee Team who was in the Division Title Race for most of the season, but dropped off somewhat after the league All Star Game as the Admirals were never in danger of missing out in the playoffs, but they could have been a much higher seed and have had a much better situation.

Texas will be taking on a Rockford team who might have beat them in the final weekend of the season. But the Stars controlled the regular season series' by winning all but one other game during the regular season, and that other Icehogs win came in a very close game on the road. So the Stars should be going in very confident, the Stars will be going in on a strong team defense by giving up just 198 goals which was 2nd overall in the entire Western Conference only behind the North Division Champion who gave up a league low 182.

Hamilton is a very dangerous team as they could be the Western Conference's biggest threat if the Bulldogs make the Calder Cup, especially against the Hershey Bears as they could have the team that can challenge the Hershey Bears high flying offense. Hamilton has an all Canadian Matchup against Manitoba who have a lot of experience from last year's team that made it to the Calder Cup Final. Overall it's a younger team then last year, don't expect the Bulldogs to taken lightly.

In addition to Texas, Abbotsford has had a strong first season as the Heat were in a battle from 2nd to 5th where the Heat just finished 1 point back of Rochester who will have home ice in this series. I think the Rochester VS. Abbotsford Series has the ponetnital has the chance to be the best out of all the first round series as the Division Semifinals are getting underway.

North Division Semifinals


#1N Hamilton Bulldogs VS. #4N Manitoba Moose

Hamilton Bulldogs Regular Season Record: 52-17-11 115 PTS, 271 GF 182 GA

Hamilton Scoring Leaders
David Desharnais 60 GP 78 PTS (27G 51A, +30)
Brock Trotter 75 GP 77 PTS (36G 41A, +33)
P.K. Subban 77 GP 53 PTS (18G 35A, +46)

Hamilton Goaltending
Cedrick Desjardins 47 GP 29-9-4 2.00 GAA .919 SV%
Curts Sanford 41 GP 23-11-3 2.13 GAA .916 SV%


Manitoba Moose Regular Season Record: 40-33-7 87 PTS, 204 GF 232 GA

Manitoba Scoring Leaders
Marco Rosa 80 GP 55 PTS (22G 35A, +5)
Sergei Shirokov 76 GP 45 PTS (22G 23A, -1)
Peter Olvecky 70 GP 38 PTS (12G 26A, +12)

Manitoba Goaltending
Cory Schneider 60 GP 35-23-2 2.51 GAA .919 SV%
Daren Machesney 21 GP 5-14-0 3.34 GAA .894 SV%


All Hamilton Bulldogs Home Games are @ Copps Coliseum

All Manitoba Moose Home Games are @ MTS Center

Game 1, 4/15: @ Hamilton 6:30 PM

Game 2, 4/17: @ Hamilton 1:00 PM

Game 3, 4/19: @ Manitoba 7:30 PM

Game 4, 4/21: @ Manitoba 7:30 PM

Game 5, 4/23: @ Manitoba 7:30 PM*

Game 6, 4/25: @ Hamilton 6:00 PM*

Game 7, 4/27: @ Hamilton 6:30 PM*

*If Necessary


#2N Rochester Americans VS. #3N Abbotsford Heat

Rochester Americans Regular Season Record: 44-33-3 91 PTS, 253 GF 247 GA

Rochester Scoring Leaders
Jamie Johnson 80 GP 71 PTS (27G 44A, -7)
Chris Taylor 80 GP 61 PTS (17G 44A, -2)
Clay Wilson 75 GP 60 PTS (14G 46A, +22)

Rochester Goaltending
Tyler Plante 27 GP 12-12-1 2.66 GAA .914 SV%
Alexander Salak 48 GP 29-14-0 2.89 GAA .910 SV%


Abbotsford Heat Regular Season Record: 80 GP 39-29-12 90 PTS, 217 GF 231 GA

Abbotsford Scoring Leaders
Jason Jaffray 72 GP 54 PTS (25G 29A, +24)
David Van der Gulik 64 GP 40 PTS (16G 24A, +13)
Cam Cunning 69 GP 38 PTS (19G 19A, +4)

Abbotsford Goaltending
David Shantz 32 GP 15-10-4 2.75 GAA .908 SV%
Leland Irving 35 GP 14-17-2 2.76 GAA .905 SV%


All Rochester Americans Home Games are @ Blue Cross Arena

All Abbotsford Heat Home Games are @ Abbotsford Sports & Enterainment Center

Game 1, 4/15: @ Rochester 6:05 PM

Game 2, 4/17: @ Rochester 6:05 PM

Game 3, 4/19: @ Abbotsford 8:00 PM

Game 4, 4/21: @ Abbotsford 8:00 PM

Game 5, 4/23: @ Abbotsford 8:00 PM*

Game 6, 4/25: @ Rochester 4:05 PM*

Game 7, 4/27: @ Rochester 6:05 PM*

*If Necessary


West Division Semifinals


#1W Chicago Wolves VS. #4W Milwaukee Admirals

Chicago Wolves Regular Season Record: 49-24-7 105 PTS, 264 GF 214 GA

Chicago Scoring Leaders
Jason Krog 78 GP 75 PTS (14G 61A, +17)
Tim Stapleton 73 GP 59 PTS (30G 29A, +22)
Brett Sterling 55 GP 56 PTS (34G 22A, +20)

Chicago Goaltending
Drew Maclntyre 41 GP 20-17-2 2.54 GAA .917 SV%
Peter Mannino 38 GP 26-5-1 2.34 GAA .921 SV%


Milwaukee Admirals Regular Season Record: 41-30-9 91 PTS, 237 GF 220 GA

Milwaukee Scoring Leaders
Mike Santorelli 57 GP 59 PTS (26G 33A, +17)
Robert Dietrich 79 GP 43 PTS (6G 37A, -9)
Hugh Jessman 78 GP 42 PTS (20G 22A, +9)

Milwaukee Goaltending
Mark Dekanich 49 GP 27-16-4 2.33 GAA .914 SV%
Chet Pickard 36 GP 14-16-3 2.85 GAA .892 SV%


All Chicago Wolves Home Games are @ Allstate Arena

All Milwaukee Admirals Home Games are @ Bradley Center

Game 1, 4/14: @ Chicago 7:00 PM

Game 2, 4/16: @ Chicago 7:30 PM

Game 3, 4/17: @ Milwaukee 7:00 PM

Game 4, 4/19: @ Milwaukee 7:00 PM

Game 5, 4/21: @ Chicago 7:00 PM*

Game 6, TBD: @ Milwaukee 7:00 PM*

Game 7, 4/26: @ Chicago 7:00 PM*

*If Necessary


#2W Texas Stars VS. #3W Rockford Icehogs

Texas Stars Regular Season Record: 46-27-7 99 PTS, 238 GF 198 GA

Texas Scoring Leaders
Aaron Gagon 78 GP 58 PTS (27G 31A, +19)
Travis Morin 80 GP 52 PTS (21G 31A, +10)
Perttu Lindgren 74 GP 47 PTS (14G 33A, +3)

Texas Goaltending
Brent Krahn 22 GP 17-4-0 1.83 GAA .945 SV%
Matt Climie 43 GP 21-17-3 2.46 GAA .919 SV%


Rockford Icehogs Regular Season Record: 44-30-6 94 PTS, 226 GF 226 GA

Rockford Scoring Leaders
Mark Cullen 62 GP 53 PTS (21G 32A, +2)
Bracken Kearns 80 GP 51 PTS (15G 36A, +8)
Jack Skille 63 GP 49 PTS (23G 26A, -1)

Rockford Goaltending
Corey Crawford 45 GP 24-16-2 2.67 GAA .909 SV%
Hannu Toivonen 32 GP 12-15-3 2.85 GAA .902 SV%


All Texas Stars Home Games are @ Cedar Park Center

All Rockford Icehogs Home Games are @ Rockford Metro Center

Game 1, 4/16: @ Texas 7:30 PM

Game 2, 4/17: @ Texas 7:00 PM

Game 3, 4/21: @ Rockford 7:05 PM

Game 4, 4/23: @ Rockford 7:05 PM

Game 5, 4/24: @ Rockford 7:05 PM*

Game 6, 4/26: @ Texas 7:30 PM*

Game 7, 4/27: @ Texas 7:30 PM*

*If Necessary