1996 Calder Cup Playoffs

The 1996 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 19, 1996. [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/playoffdisplay.php3?league=ahl1941&season=1996&leaguenm=AHL 1996 AHL playoff results] "The Internet Hockey Database". Retrieved on May 3, 2008.] 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 13, 1996 with the Rochester Americans defeating the Portland Pirates four games to three to win the sixth Calder Cup in team history. [ [http://www.amerks.com/include/pdf/amerksmediaguide.pdf Rochester Americans media guide 2004-05] "amerks.com". Retrieved on May 3, 2008.] Rochester's Dixon Ward won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP. [ [http://www.ahlhalloffame.com/pagebank/index.html?id=146 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy] "ahlhalloffame.com". Retrieved on May 6, 2008.]

The Saint John Flames set an AHL playoff record by winning 6 games in overtime. This record was equaled by the Milwaukee Admirals in 2004. [ [http://www.caldercup.com/cup/teamrec/ Calder Cup record book: Teams] "caldercup.com". Retrieved on May 6, 2008.]

Playoff seeds

After the 1995-96 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 each conference, it was possible for the fifth-placed team in the five team divisions to crossover to the playoffs for the four team divisions. This could only happen if the fifth-placed team in a five team division earned more points than the fourth-placed team in the four team division in the same conference. In this case, the fifth-placed team from the five team division would play in place of the fourth-placed team from the four team division in that part of the playoff bracket. The Albany River Rats were the Southern Conference regular season champions and also had the best overall record for the regular season. The Springfield Falcons were the Northern Conference regular season champions. [ [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/ahl19411996.html 1995-96 AHL Standings] "The Internet Hockey Database". Retrieved on May 3, 2008.]

Northern Conference

Atlantic Division

#Prince Edward Island Senators - 85 points
#Saint John Flames - 85 points
#St. John's Maple Leafs - 80 points
#Fredericton Canadiens - 79 points

Northern Division

#Springfield Falcons - Northern Conference regular season champions, 100 points
#Worcester IceCats - 88 points
#Portland Pirates - 78 points
#Providence Bruins - 74 points

outhern Conference

Central Division

#Albany River Rats - Southern Conference regular season champions; Best regular season record, 115 points
#Adirondack Red Wings - 86 points
#Rochester Americans - 83 points
#Cornwall Aces - 80 points
#Syracuse Crunch - 74 points "(Played in the South Division bracket by virtue of earning more points than the fourth-placed team in that division)"

outhern Division

#Binghamton Rangers - 88 points
#Hershey Bears - 86 points
#Baltimore Bandits - 77 points

Bracket

16TeamBracket | RD1=Division Semifinals
RD2=Division Finals
RD3=Conference Finals
RD4=Calder Cup Final
group1=Northern Conference
group2=Southern Conference
subgroup1=Atlantic Division
subgroup2=Northern Division
subgroup3=Central Division
subgroup4=Southern Division

RD1-seed01=A1
RD1-team01=P.E.I.
RD1-seed02=A4
RD1-team02=Fredericton
RD1-score01=2
RD1-score02=3

RD1-seed03=A2
RD1-team03=Saint John
RD1-seed04=A3
RD1-team04=St. John's
RD1-score03=3
RD1-score04=1

RD1-seed05=N1
RD1-team05=Springfield
RD1-seed06=N4
RD1-team06=Providence
RD1-score05=3
RD1-score06=1

RD1-seed07=N2
RD1-team07=Worcester
RD1-seed08=N3
RD1-team08=Portland
RD1-score07=1
RD1-score08=3

RD1-seed09=C1
RD1-team09=Albany
RD1-seed10=C4
RD1-team10=Cornwall
RD1-score09=1
RD1-score10=3

RD1-seed11=C2
RD1-team11=Adirondack
RD1-seed12=C3
RD1-team12=Rochester
RD1-score11=0
RD1-score12=3

RD1-seed13=S1
RD1-team13=Binghamton
RD1-seed14=C5
RD1-team14=Syracuse
RD1-score13=1
RD1-score14=3

RD1-seed15=S2
RD1-team15=Hershey
RD1-seed16=S3
RD1-team16=Baltimore
RD1-score15=2
RD1-score16=3

RD2-seed01=A4
RD2-team01=Fredericton
RD2-seed02=A2
RD2-team02=Saint John
RD2-score01=1
RD2-score02=4

RD2-seed03=N1
RD2-team03=Springfield
RD2-seed04=N3
RD2-team04=Portland
RD2-score03=2
RD2-score04=4

RD2-seed05=C4
RD2-team05=Cornwall
RD2-seed06=C3
RD2-team06=Rochester
RD2-score05=0
RD2-score06=4

RD2-seed07=C5
RD2-team07=Syracuse
RD2-seed08=S3
RD2-team08=Baltimore
RD2-score07=4
RD2-score08=3

RD3-seed01=A2
RD3-team01=Saint John
RD3-seed02=N3
RD3-team02=Portland
RD3-score01=3
RD3-score02=4

RD3-seed03=C3
RD3-team03=Rochester
RD3-seed04=C5
RD3-team04=Syracuse
RD3-score03=4
RD3-score04=1

RD4-seed01=N3
RD4-team01=Portland
RD4-seed02=C3
RD4-team02=Rochester
RD4-score01=3
RD4-score02=4In 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. [ [http://www.theahl.com/theahl/faqs/ Frequently asked questions] "theahl.com". Retrieved on May 12, 2008.]

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.":Note 4: "The number of overtime periods played (where applicable) is not specified"

Northern Conference

Atlantic Division

(A1) Prince Edward Island Senators vs. (A4) Fredericton Canadiens

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Prince Edward Island Senators
team2=Fredericton Canadiens
date1=April 19
score1=4 - 7
won1=2
date2=April 20
score2=7 - 3
won2=1
date3=April 26
score3=6 - 5
ot3=OT
won3=2
date4=April 27
score4=5 - 6
won4=1
ot4=OT
date5=April 29
score5=3 - 5
won5=2
series=Fredericton won series 3 – 2

(A2) Saint John Flames vs. (A3) St. John's Maple Leafs

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Saint John Flames
team2=St. John's Maple Leafs
date1=April 21
score1=2 - 3
won1=2
date2=April 23
score2=2 - 1
ot2=OT
won2=1
date3=April 26
score3=2 - 3
won3=1
date4=April 27
score4=3 - 4
ot4=OT
won4=1
series=Saint John won series 3 - 1

Northern Division

(N1) Springfield Falcons vs. (N4) Providence Bruins

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Springfield Falcons
team2=Providence Bruins
date1=April 19
score1=3 - 6
won1=2
date2=April 20
score2=3 - 2
won2=1
date3=April 26
score3=4 - 5
ot3=OT
won3=1
date4=April 27
score4=3 - 4
ot4=OT
won4=1
series=Springfield won series 3 – 1

(N2) Worcester IceCats vs. (N3) Portland Pirates

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Worcester IceCats
team2=Portland Pirates
date1=April 19
score1=0 - 5
won1=2
date2=April 20
score2=2 - 1
won2=1
date3=April 26
score3=6 - 5
ot3=OT
won3=2
date4=April 27
score4=3 - 2
won4=2
series=Portland won series 3 - 1

Southern Conference

Central Division

(C1) Albany River Rats vs. (C4) Cornwall Aces

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Albany River Rats
team2=Cornwall Aces
date1=April 21
score1=5 - 0
won1=1
date2=April 22
score2=2 - 3
won2=2
date3=April 24
score3=3 - 0
won3=2
date4=April 26
score4=2 - 1
ot4=OT
won4=2
series=Cornwall won series 3 - 1

(C2) Adirondack Red Wings vs. (C3) Rochester Americans

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Adirondack Red Wings
team2=Rochester Americans
date1=April 19
score1=1 - 4
won1=2
date2=April 20
score2=1 - 3
won2=2
date3=April 26
score3=6 - 0
won3=2
series=Rochester won series 3 - 0

outhern Division

(S1) Binghamton Rangers vs. (C5) Syracuse Crunch

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Binghamton Rangers
team2=Syracuse Crunch
date1=April 19
score1=8 - 5
won1=1
date2=April 20
score2=0 - 6
won2=2
date3=April 26
score3=4 - 3
ot3=OT
won3=2
date4=April 27
score4=6 - 3
won4=2
series=Syracuse won series 3 - 1

(S2) Hershey Bears vs. (S3) Baltimore Bandits

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Hershey Bears
team2=Baltimore Bandits
date1=April 19
score1=2 - 5
won1=2
date2=April 20
home2=2
score2=3 - 2
ot2=OT
won2=2
date3=April 24
home3=1
score3=7 - 5
won3=1
date4=April 26
score4=2 - 4
won4=1
date5=April 28
score5=3 - 4
ot5=OT
won5=2
series=Baltimore won series 3 - 2

Division Finals

Northern Conference

Atlantic Division

(A2) Saint John Flames vs. (A4) Fredericton Canadiens

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Saint John Flames
team2=Fredericton Canadiens
date1=May 3
score1=5 - 0
won1=1
date2=May 5
score2=1 - 5
won2=2
date3=May 8
score3=4 - 5
ot3=OT
won3=1
date4=May 10
score4=3 - 4
ot4=OT
won4=1
date5=May 12
score5=4 - 3
won5=1
series=Saint John won series 4 - 1

Northern Division

(N1) Springfield Falcons vs. (N3) Portland Pirates

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Springfield Falcons
team2=Portland Pirates
date1=May 2
score1=3 - 4
won1=2
date2=May 3
score2=5 - 1
won2=1
date3=May 5
score3=7 - 2
won3=2
date4=May 8
score4=6 - 0
won4=2
date5=May 10
score5=4 - 3
won5=1
date6=May 11
score6=6 - 4
won6=2
series=Portland won series 4 - 2

outhern Conference

Central Division

(C3) Rochester Americans vs. (C4) Cornwall Aces

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Rochester Americans
team2=Cornwall Aces
date1=May 1
score1=3 - 2
won1=1
date2=May 3
score2=6 - 3
won2=1
date3=May 5
score3=1 - 3
won3=1
date4=May 7
score4=2 - 3
ot4=OT
won4=1
series=Rochester won series 4 - 0

outhern Division

(S3) Baltimore Bandits vs. (C5) Syracuse Crunch

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Baltimore Bandits
team2=Syracuse Crunch
date1=May 1
score1=4 - 3
ot1=OT
won1=1
date2=May 3
score2=0 - 3
won2=2
date3=May 6
score3=7 - 5
won3=2
date4=May 8
score4=4 - 1
won4=2
date5=May 10
score5=5 - 4
won5=1
date6=May 12
score6=1 - 7
won6=1
date7=May 14
score7=4 - 5
won7=2
series=Syracuse won series 4 - 3

Conference Finals

Northern Conference

(A2) Saint John Flames vs. (N3) Portland Pirates

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Saint John Flames
team2=Portland Pirates
date1=May 16
score1=3 - 2
ot1=OT
won1=1
date2=May 18
score2=1 - 7
won2=2
date3=May 21
score3=4 - 1
won3=2
date4=May 24
score4=1 - 4
won4=1
date5=May 25
home5=2
score5=2 - 3
ot5=OT
won5=1
date6=May 27
home6=1
score6=2 - 5
won6=2
date7=May 29
score7=0 - 5
won7=2
series=Portland won series 4 - 3

outhern Conference

(C3) Rochester Americans vs. (C5) Syracuse Crunch

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Rochester Americans
team2=Syracuse Crunch
date1=May 17
score1=5 - 2
won1=1
date2=May 19
score2=6 - 4
won2=1
date3=May 22
score3=4 - 2
won3=2
date4=May 24
score4=1 - 4
won4=1
date5=May 25
score5=6 - 5
ot5=OT
won5=1
series=Rochester won series 4 - 1

Calder Cup Final

(C3) Rochester Americans vs. (N3) Portland Pirates

NHLPlayoffs
team1=Rochester Americans
team2=Portland Pirates
date1=June 1
score1=5 - 3
won1=1
date2=June 2
score2=5 - 1
won2=1
date3=June 5
score3=3 - 2
won3=2
date4=June 8
score4=5 - 4
won4=2
date5=June 9
home5=2
score5=4 - 5
ot5=OT
won5=1
date6=June 11
home6=1
score6=1 - 5
won6=2
date7=June 13
score7=2 - 1
won7=1
series=Rochester won series 4 - 3

ee also

*1995–96 AHL season
*List of AHL seasons

References