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Friday, June 02, 2006 

Calder Cup Finals Begin Tonight




The AHL Calder Cup Finals start tonight in Milwaukee with the red hot Admirals, winners of nine straight games, taking on the Hershey Bears, who like the Admirals are 12-3 in the post season. The Admirals are lead by the Hobbits: Darren Haydar (14 goals, 14 assists) and Simon Gamache (10 goals 12 assists) , centered by Greg Classen ( o goals 13 assists), an honorary Hobbit. The Admirals are also on fire since the arrival of four old friends from Nashville: Scottie Upshall, Shea Webber, Jordan Tootoo, and Pekka Rinne. The trio of skaters have added 28 pts to the tally in eight games (nine for Tootoo0. And Rinne has been outstanding in net, going 8-0 2.13 GAA and .931 Sv Pct.

Hershey brings their own fireworks to the game. Tomas Fleischmann scored 14 points in the clinching series vs Portland, and has scored at least 1 point in 24 of his last 26 games: since the arrival of former Admiral Kris Beech. Beech has been on fire since the trade, scoring 33 points in those 25 games. Frederic Cassivi is an old nemesis, and has been a rock in net as well.

Some interesting facts regarding the series and tie ins between the two teams:

1. Claude Noel, the Admirals guru and field marshall, scored the winning goal for Hershey in the Cup-clinching Game 6 of the 1980 Finals against New Brunswick 26 years ago. In total he played 351 games for the Bears.

2. Nashville Predators GM David Poile used to be the GM for the Washington Capitals, who are the parent club of the Bears.

3. Former Admiral Kenny Sabourin is the color commentator for the Capitals, and was seen in the stands in game 7 of the Conference Finals.

4. Kris Beech played against us in 2004 with Wilkes-Barre and for us this season before getting traded to Hershey.

5. The Admirals 9 game Playoff Winning streak is 3 short of the AHL record, set by the 1988 Hershey Bears. An Admirals sweep would break the Bears hearts, and Record.