The Pacific Division final is set. De facto defending Western Conference champ Ontario finished off San Jose in four games with a 4-1 win. The Reign never trailed, outshot the Barracuda in each period and got an assist from Sean Backman.
San Diego scored on both ends of a five-on-three to start the second, dominated the period despite being short-handed most of the rest of it, and finished off Texas in four games with a 6-2 win. Anton Khudobin was hurt early for the Gulls, but Matt Hackett finished up fine.
San Diego closes out the series with wins 6-1, 6-2. #gamesetmatch
— PATRICK WILLIAMS (@pwilliamsNHL) April 30, 2016
Portland tries to finish off Hershey on Saturday in Game 4 in the only remaining series.
De facto no-longer-defending Eastern Conference champ Utica may have picked up a goalie today, Quinnipiac’s Michael Garteig, who signed with Vancouver.
Missouri lost 2-0 in their series-opener against Allen; onetime Sound Tigers goalie Riley Gill shut the Mavericks out on 34 saves. The guys Bridgeport sent down this afternoon weren’t in the lineup for Missouri, but Kellen Jones was, back from Utica. Game 2 is Saturday night.
And RIP, Billy Paul.