Vancouver Canucks – IceCaps Hockey Report

AHL Realignment Moves IceCaps to North Division

IceCaps join new division with arch-rival Toronto

Ottawa, Vancouver affiliates among teams in North Division

St. John’s IceCaps Media Release

ST. JOHN’S, NL. – The St. John’s IceCaps – proud new American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens – will move to a newly-formed division next season which includes natural rival, the Toronto Marlies.

As part of league realignment announced by the AHL today in Chicago, the IceCaps will now play in the North Division of the Eastern Conference alongside the Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs), Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators), Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks), Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres), Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Albany Devils (New Jersey Devils).

In their previous four seasons, the IceCaps competed in the Atlantic Division with the Portland Pirates, Worcester Sharks, Providence Bruins and Manchester Monarchs.

“We’re thrilled to be part of this new AHL division,” said IceCaps COO and Governor Glenn Stanford. “The IceCaps rivalries with the Marlies and Senators will become some of the most heated in the league, as they currently are with the respective parent clubs. And I’m sure rivalries with our other new division-mates will develop once the season gets underway. St. John’s fans will also get their first-ever glimpse of teams like Rochester and Utica next season. Overall, a great day to be an IceCaps fan.”

IceCaps Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Mile One Centre box office (noon-5 p.m.), by phone at 709-576-7657 (9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.), or online at www.mileonecentre.com

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
Portland Pirates (FLA)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (ARI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

North Division
Albany Devils (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John’s IceCaps (MTL)
Syracuse Crunch (TB)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)
Utica Comets (VAN)

Western Conference

Central Division
Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
Chicago Wolves (STL)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Iowa Wild (MIN)
Lake Erie Monsters (CBJ)
Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
Ontario Reign (LA)
San Antonio Rampage (COL)
San Diego Gulls (ANA)
San Jose Barracuda (SJ)
Stockton Heat (CGY)
Texas Stars (DAL)

The format for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 6-9, and the complete playing schedule for the 2015-16 regular season, which begins Oct. 9, will be announced later this summer.

Bulldogs Blank Comets, First AHL Shutout for Condon

Brandon Taylor / Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club

By Dale Lamontagne, Hamilton Bulldogs Correspondent, Bulldogs Hockey Report

HAMILTON, ONT — The Hamilton Bulldogs played host to the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night, in their first game of a three-game set this weekend at FirstOntario Centre. The Comets, who sit in first place in the North Division entered the game with A 22-7-5 record, good enough for 49 points. The Bulldogs, who are third in the North, entered the game with a 15-14-6 record, and have one win in their past five games.

But tonight, the Bulldogs walked away with the win by defeating the Comets by a score of 3-0 on Friday night at the Dog Pound!

GAME RUNDOWN

FIRST PERIOD

The first period of play would see the Bulldogs take a 1-0 lead, thanks to Nick Sorkin on the power-play, which came towards the end of the opening frame. There wasn’t much action in the period, other than the lone Bulldogs goal. But a little after the mid-way mark in the first, Darren Dietz was hit from behind by a Utica player and was down for several seconds before getting back up with help from the trainers.

SECOND PERIOD

The second period would see the Bulldogs score a goal from Daniel Carr, but it would be waved off immediately with 1:25 left in the middle frame. The goal would not count and the ‘Dogs would still have a 1-0 lead after forty minutes of play.

But midway through the period, another scary incident would take place, this time involving defenceman Jarred Tinordi. Tinordi and Andrey Pedan were involved in a staged fight, and Tinordi took a heavy punch to the face area and immediately fell to the ice and was down for a over a minute. Once he got up, with help from teammates, trainers and the officials, there was a ton of blood on the ice. Tinordi went straight to the dressing room and did not return to the game. Head coach Sylvain Lefebvre provided an update after the game and said Tinordi will be re-evaluated on Saturday and will need some dental work done.

If you didn’t see the fight yet, you can watch below (Warning, it may be disturbing.)

THIRD PERIOD

Finally, the third period saw a little more action as the Bulldogs scored two more goals to take the game by a score of 3-0. Maxime Macenauer scored the second goal of the game for the ‘Dogs, extending their lead to 2-0 after roofing it past Eriksson. The Bulldogs then scored an empty net goal, securing the win with the goal coming from Jacob de la Rose, who now has four on the season.

With the win, Mike Condon skated away with his first AHL shutout stopping all 27 shots faced.

NEXT GAME

The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow as they play host to Lake Erie Monsters, with puck drop expected shortly after 7:00 p.m.