2000 Calder Cup Playoffs
The 2000 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 11, 2000.[1] The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-5 series for division semifinals and best-of-7 series for division finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on June 4, 2000 with the Hartford Wolf Pack defeating the Rochester Americans four games to two to win the first Calder Cup in team history.[2]
Hartford's Derek Armstrong won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.[3] Rochester's Mika Noronen set an AHL playoff record by posting 6 shutouts during the playoffs while teammate Domenic Pittis tied the AHL record for assists in a single playoff with 26.[4] In winning their first five home games of the 2000 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Providence Bruins set an AHL playoff record by winning 16 consecutive playoff home games, a streak that included 10 consecutive home wins from the 1999 Calder Cup Playoffs and a win from the 1997 Calder Cup Playoffs.[5]
Playoff seeds
After the 1999-2000 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. However, due to the uneven number of teams in the Eastern Conference, it was possible for the fifth-placed team in the New England Division to crossover to the Atlantic Division. This could only happen if the fifth-placed team in the New England Division earned more points than the fourth-placed team in the Atlantic Division. In this case, the fifth-placed team from the New England Division would play in place of the fourth-placed team from the Atlantic Division in that part of the playoff bracket. The Hartford Wolf Pack were the Eastern Conference regular season champions as well as the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners with the best overall regular season record. The Rochester Americans were the Western Conference regular season champions.[6]
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
- Quebec Citadelles - 83 points
- Saint John Flames - 80 points
- Lowell Lock Monsters - 77 points
New England Division
- Hartford Wolf Pack - Eastern Conference regular season champions; Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners, 107 points
- Portland Pirates - 103 points
- Worcester IceCats - 83 points
- Springfield Falcons - 78 points
- Providence Bruins - 75 points (Played in the Atlantic Division bracket by virtue of earning more points than the fourth-placed team in that division)
Western Conference
Empire Division
- Rochester Americans - Western Conference regular season champions, 104 points
- Syracuse Crunch - 80 points
- Hamilton Bulldogs - 73 points
- Albany River Rats - 70 points
Mid-Atlantic Division
- Kentucky Thoroughblades - 97 points
- Hershey Bears - 94 points
- Philadelphia Phantoms - 93 points
- Louisville Panthers - 92 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.[7]
Division Semifinals
- Note 1: All times are in Eastern Time (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) Quebec Citadelles vs. (N5) Providence Bruins
| April 13 |
Quebec Citadelles |
|
3 - 4 |
2OT |
Providence Bruins |
Colisee Pepsi |
|
| Providence won series 3 – 0 |
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(A2) Saint John Flames vs. (A3) Lowell Lock Monsters
| April 15 |
Lowell Lock Monsters |
|
2 - 1 |
|
Saint John Flames |
Tsongas Arena |
|
New England Division
(N1) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N4) Springfield Falcons
| Hartford won series 3 – 2 |
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(N2) Portland Pirates vs. (N3) Worcester IceCats
| Worcester won series 3 - 1 |
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Western Conference
Empire Division
(E1) Rochester Americans vs. (E4) Albany River Rats
| April 16 |
Albany River Rats |
|
5 - 1 |
|
Rochester Americans |
Pepsi Arena |
|
| April 17 |
Albany River Rats |
|
2 - 0 |
|
Rochester Americans |
Pepsi Arena |
|
| Rochester won series 3 - 2 |
|
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(E2) Syracuse Crunch vs. (E3) Hamilton Bulldogs
| Hamilton won series 3 - 1 |
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Mid-Atlantic Division
(M1) Kentucky Thoroughblades vs. (M4) Louisville Panthers
| April 12 |
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
|
2 - 4 |
|
Louisville Panthers |
Rupp Arena |
|
| April 14 |
Louisville Panthers |
|
2 - 5 |
|
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
Freedom Hall |
|
| April 15 |
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
|
5 - 2 |
|
Louisville Panthers |
Rupp Arena |
|
| April 18 |
Louisville Panthers |
|
0 - 4 |
|
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
Freedom Hall |
|
| Kentucky won series 3 - 1 |
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|
(M2) Hershey Bears vs. (M3) Philadelphia Phantoms
Division Finals
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
(A3) Lowell Lock Monsters vs. (N5) Providence Bruins
| April 22 |
Lowell Lock Monsters |
|
4 - 5 |
OT |
Providence Bruins |
Tsongas Arena |
|
| April 26 |
Lowell Lock Monsters |
|
1 - 3 |
|
Providence Bruins |
Tsongas Arena |
|
| Providence won series 4 - 0 |
|
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|
New England Division
(N1) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N3) Worcester IceCats
| Hartford won series 4 - 1 |
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Western Conference
Empire Division
(E1) Rochester Americans vs. (E3) Hamilton Bulldogs
| Rochester won series 4 - 2 |
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Mid-Atlantic Division
(M1) Kentucky Thoroughblades vs. (M2) Hershey Bears
| April 22 |
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
|
2 - 3 |
OT |
Hershey Bears |
Rupp Arena |
|
| April 24 |
Kentucky Thoroughblades |
|
4 - 1 |
|
Hershey Bears |
Rupp Arena |
|
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
(N1) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N5) Providence Bruins
| Hartford won series 4 - 3 |
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Western Conference
(E1) Rochester Americans vs. (M2) Hershey Bears
| Rochester won series 4 - 0 |
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Calder Cup Final
(N1) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (E1) Rochester Americans
| Hartford won series 4 - 2 |
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See also
References
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Eastern Conference |
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