Jonathan Bombulie did up a neat table today: AHL cities’ playoff records since the WBS Penguins’ inception. Though they haven’t won a Calder Cup, the Pens have been in enough and made enough deep runs to be the Connie Macks of the AHL: 14 more wins than Hershey; 23 more losses than Providence.
Scroll down a ways to find the Sound Tigers, who haven’t played a game in May or won a playoff series since 2003 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2010 (after they trailed in the series 3-0). To split up that 25-31 record: Bridgeport started 15-8. It’s 10-23 since (2-4, 3-4, 3-4, 1-4, 1-4, 0-3).
That’s a lot of coaches.
Anyway. Speaking of Manchester (not really, but 2003 and all), the Monarchs are out, defeated by Norfolk in Game 4 on Max Sauve’s game-winner with 9:11 to play. Also moving on: those Penguins, blowing out Binghamton in Game 4 to avoid a trip back up Interstate 81. And Andrew Gordon’s hat trick and Michael Hutchinson’s 39 saves move St. John’s on to the second round with a 4-1 win over Albany in Game 4.
Out west, the defending champions moved on and eliminated Abbotsford, ending the Heat’s run in the AHL. But Rochester wouldn’t go away: Brayden Irwin scored his first AHL playoff goals, helping the Amerks chase Jake Allen and beat up on Chicago. Game 5 in that series is Sunday.
Stockton, bolstered by some of those guys who vanished in March, is playing Game 1 at Bakersfield (and leads on a Nick Tremblay goal) at this writing. Andrey Pedan remains injured (slashed on the arm, reports Scott Linesburgh), among others. Edit: A game-winning goal for a Sound Tiger… Joel Broda. Bakersfield wins Game 1, 3-2.