The 2008 Calder Cup playoffs of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
began on April 16, 2008.
[2008 Calder Cup Playoffs]
''caldercup.com''. Retrieved on May 6, 2008 The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played
best-of-7 series for division semifinals, finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its cur ...
. The Calder Cup Final ended on June 10, 2008 with the
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
defeating the
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, four games to two, to win the second Calder Cup in team history.
Jason Krog won the
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League (AHL). First awarded in the 1937–38 season, it is named after Frank Calder, first president of the National Hockey League. The Calder Cup is dis ...
as playoff
MVP, after having already been named the
regular-season MVP. Krog also tied the AHL record for most
assists in one playoff with 26.
In Game 5 of the East Division Semifinals between the
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule ...
and
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.
History
Before the formation of the franchise
Without a viable indoor arena with an ...
,
Ryan Potulny of Philadelphia scored 2:58 into the fifth overtime period, ending what was longest game in AHL history. In
2018 a game would last until 6:48 into the fifth overtime period, setting a new record. Chicago's
Darren Haydar set two AHL playoff scoring records in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Final by recording his 52nd career AHL playoff
goal
A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.
A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or ...
, as well as his 120th career AHL playoff
point. In the same game, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's
Alex Goligoski set an AHL record for most points scored by a
defenseman in a single post-season with 26. This eclipsed the record set by former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman
Chris Kelleher, who scored 25 points in the
2001 Calder Cup Playoffs. Goligoski extended his record to 28 points before the playoffs ended.
Playoff seeds
After the
2007–08 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs, except in the North division where the fourth playoff spot was taken by the fifth-placed team from the West division since the fifth-placed
San Antonio Rampage earned more points than the
Hamilton Bulldogs during the season. This is because the West division has 8 teams while the other three divisions have 7 teams each. Therefore, this was the only situation in which a crossover was possible. The
Providence Bruins were the Eastern Conference regular season champions as well as the
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy The Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy is presented annually to the AHL team that finishes the regular season with the most points or highest points percentage. The award is named after late former AHL board member Macgregor Kilpatrick.
The award was fir ...
winners with the best overall regular season record. The
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
were the Western Conference regular season champions.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
#
Providence Bruins – Eastern Conference regular season champions; Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners, 117 points
#
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Hartford Wolf Pack are a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the American Hockey League (AHL), they play their home games at the XL Center. The team was established in 1926 as the Providence Reds. After a ...
– 110 points
#
Portland Pirates – 99 points
#
Manchester Monarchs – 88 points
East Division
#
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 101 points
#
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule ...
– 99 points
#
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.
History
Before the formation of the franchise
Without a viable indoor arena with an ...
– 93 points
#
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. The current Bears club has played in the American Hockey League since ...
– 92 points
Western Conference
North Division
#
Toronto Marlies – 109 points
#
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Syracuse, New York, at the Upstate Medical University Arena. They are the primary development affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tam ...
– 100 points
#
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets o ...
– 99 points
#
San Antonio Rampage – 94 points (Fifth-place in West Division)
West Division
#
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
– Western Conference regular season champions, 111 points
#
Rockford IceHogs
The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the ...
– 98 points
#
Houston Aeros – 96 points
#
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panther Arena. They are affiliated with the NHL's Nashvil ...
– 95 points
Bracket
In each round the team that earned more points during the regular season receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.
Division Semifinals
:
Note 1: ''All times are in Eastern Daylight Time
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, mainland Ecuador, Peru, and a sma ...
( UTC−4).''
:
Note 2: ''Game times in italics signify games to be played only if necessary.''
:
Note 3: ''Home team is listed first.''
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
= (A1) Providence Bruins vs. (A4) Manchester Monarchs
=
= (A2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (A3) Portland Pirates
=
East Division
= (E1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (E4) Hershey Bears
=
= (E2) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (E3) Albany River Rats
=
Game five was the longest game in AHL history at the time at 82 minutes, 58 seconds of overtime play. It is now the second longest game in AHL history. Philadelphia's Michael Leighton faced 101 shots and made 98 saves, which remains the AHL record.
Western Conference
North Division
= (N1) Toronto Marlies vs. (W5) San Antonio Rampage
=
= (N2) Syracuse Crunch vs. (N3) Manitoba Moose
=
West Division
= (W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (W4) Milwaukee Admirals
=
= (W2) Rockford IceHogs vs. (W3) Houston Aeros
=
Division Finals
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
=(A1) Providence Bruins vs. (A3) Portland Pirates
=
East Division
=(E1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (E2) Philadelphia Phantoms
=
Western Conference
North Division
=(N1) Toronto Marlies vs. (N2) Syracuse Crunch
=
West Division
=(W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (W2) Rockford IceHogs
=
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
(E1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (A3) Portland Pirates
Western Conference
(W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (N1) Toronto Marlies
Calder Cup Final
(W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (E1) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
See also
*
2007–08 AHL season
*
List of AHL seasons
References
{{AHL
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its cur ...
Calder Cup playoffs