HabsWorld.net --
This playoff series will mark the first ever post season match-up between the Bulldogs and Barons. Cleveland advanced to the AHL North Division Semi-Finals by defeating the Toronto Roadrunners two-games-to-one in the AHL North Division ‘best-of-three’ Qualifying Round. The Barons won the third and deciding game on Sunday, April 18 by a score of 6-3 over Toronto.
BULLDOGS AND BARONS REGULAR SEASON COMPARISON:
Hamilton | Cleveland | ||
Record: | 41-25-10-4 | 37-28-8-7 | |
Points: | 96 | 89 | |
Home Record: | 24-8-5-3 | 18-16-2-4 | |
Road Record: | 17-17-5-1 | 19-12-6-3 | |
Power Play: | (61-381) 16.0% -8th in AHL | (54-324) 16.7% – 4th in AHL | |
Penalty Killing Record: | (317-367) 86.4% – 10th in AHL | (298-378) 80.2% – 28th in AHL | |
Leading Scorer: | Tomas Plekanec-66 points (23-43-66) | Miroslav Zalesak -75 points (35-40-75) |
BULLDOGS AND BARONS HEAD-TO-HEAD IN THE 2003-04 REGULAR SEASON:
Oct. | 11 | Hamilton | 3 | at | Cleveland | 2 | ||
Nov. | 1 | Cleveland | 2 | at | Hamilton | 3 | (OT) | |
Nov. | 2 | Cleveland | 4 | at | Hamilton | 2 | ||
Dec. | 6 | Hamilton | 4 | at | Cleveland | 2 | ||
Dec. | 12 | Cleveland | 2 | at | Hamilton | 4 | ||
Jan. | 9 | Cleveland | 4 | at | Hamilton | 3 | (OT) | |
Feb. | 27 | Hamilton | 2 | at | Cleveland | 5 | ||
Mar. | 5 | Hamilton | 3 | at | Cleveland | 2 | ||
Mar. | 17 | Hamilton | 2 | at | Cleveland | 4 | ||
Apr. | 3 | Cleveland | 1 | at | Hamilton | 0 | ||
(*Hamilton earned a record of 5W-4L-0T-1OTL vs.Cleveland) | ||||||||
CLEVELAND BARONS PLAYOFF LEADERS:
Below are the Cleveland Barons Individual Playoff Leaders from the ‘North Division Qualifying Round’
Goals: Shawn Mather/Shane Joseph (2)
Assists: Grant Stevenson (5)
Points: Grant Stevenson (5)
Plus/Minus: Matt Carkner (+4)
Penalty Minutes: Matt Carkner (7)
BULLDOGS IN THE FIRST ROUND:
The Bulldogs have won all six of their first playoff rounds (1.000) in franchise history. Hamilton has played a total of 26 opening round games earning a record of 18 wins and 8 losses (.692)
BULLDOGS AT HOME IN THE PLAYOFFS:
All-time the Bulldogs have earned a record of 28 wins and 18 losses (.609) in 46 home playoff games.
BULLDOGS ON THE ROAD IN THE PLAYOFFS:
All-time on the road the Bulldogs have posted 21 wins and 23 losses (.477) in 44 road playoff games.
BULLDOGS IN OVERTIME IN THE PLAYOFFS:
The Hamilton Bulldogs have played in 18 overtime playoff games since the club’s inception into the AHL in 1996-97 and have earned a record of 12 wins and 6 losses (.667)
BULLDOGS LOOKING TO BRING HAMILTON FIRST CALDER CUP:
The Hamilton Bulldogs will be seeking their first-ever Calder Cup Championship this post-season. The Bulldogs have twice made the Calder Cup Finals in their first seven seasons in Hamilton. In the Bulldogs inaugural season (1996-97) in Steeltown, they lost the Calder Cup Finals four-games-to-one to the Hershey Bears. Last season (2002-03) the Bulldogs came within one win of capturing the Calder Cup, as they lost the seventh and deciding game to the Houston Aeros.
BULLDOGS CALDER CUP EXPERIENCE:
Of the 25 players on the Hamilton Bulldogs roster (including Clear Day & in residence), 11 players have Calder Cup playoff experience. Forward Benjamin Carpentier is the lone Bulldogs player to win a Calder Cup. Carpentier won the Calder Cup with the Hartford WolfPack in 1999-00. The Bulldogs also currently have 12 rookies on their roster. Listed below are the Bulldogs players, who have played in the Calder Cup Playoffs:
Player | GP | |||
#29 | Jean-Francois | Damphousse | 2 | |
#7 | Philippe | Plante | 15 | |
#14 | Tomas | Plekanec | 13 | |
#17 | Marcel | Hossa | 24 | |
#22 | Marc-Andre | Thinel | 2 | |
#23 | Rene | Vydareny | 21 | |
#24 | Francois | Beauchemin | 26 | |
#25 | Benoit | Gratton | 41 | |
#38 | Benjamin | Carpentier | 8 | |
#55 | Patrick | Traverse | 19 | |
#65 | Ron | Hainsey | 27 | |
Total Calder Cup Playoff Experience | 198 | |||
BULLDOGS HOLD CALDER CUP ATTENDANCE RECORD:
The Hamilton Bulldogs set an AHL record for largest playoff crowd in AHL history on June 12th, 2003, when 17,428 fans witnessed Game #7 of the Calder Cup Finals at Copps Coliseum between the Bulldogs and the Houston Aeros.
BULLDOGS PLAYOFF FACTS:
Number participated in: | 6 |
Number of individual series won: | 11 |
Number of individual series lost: | 6 |
Total number of playoff games played: | 70 |
Games won: | 49 |
Games lost: | 41 |
Number of overtime games: | 18 |
Overtime games won: | 12 |
Overtime games lost: | 6 |
Calder Cup Championships: | 0 |
Finalists: | 2 (1997, 2003) |
BULLDOGS PLAYOFF HISTORY:
Year | Rd | Opponent | Result | GF | GA | ||
2003 | F | Houston | L | 3-4 | 15 | 18 | |
CF | Binghamton | W | 4-1 | 25 | 14 | ||
CSF | Manitoba | W | 4-3 | 21 | 16 | ||
CQF | Springfield | W | 3-1 | 13 | 10 | ||
2002 | CF | Bridgeport | L | 3-4 | 15 | 20 | |
CSF | Hartford | W | 4-1 | 18 | 10 | ||
CQF | Quebec | W | 3-0 | 13 | 9 | ||
2001 | DNQ | ||||||
2000 | CSF | Rochester | L | 2-4 | 12 | 20 | |
CQR | Syracuse | W | 3-1 | 11 | 9 | ||
1999 | CSF | Rochester | L | 2-4 | 11 | 18 | |
CQF | Albany | W | 3-2 | 15 | 14 | ||
1998 | CSF | Albany | L | 0-4 | 13 | 21 | |
CQF | Syracuse | W | 3-2 | 10 | 13 | ||
1997 | F | Hershey | L | 1-4 | 12 | 19 | |
CF | Albany | W | 4-1 | 18 | 12 | ||
CSF | St. John’s | W | 4-3 | 19 | 20 | ||
CQF | Saint John | W | 3-2 | 16 | 14 |
