While the Florida Panthers go for their second straight Stanley Cup, their AHL affiliate will be playing for a big trophy of their own.
The Charlotte Checkers swept the Laval Rocket in four games in the Calder Cup Playoffs’ Eastern Conference Final to advance to the Calder Cup Final for the second time in franchise history, having won it all back in 2019.
The Checkers’ toughest game of the series was Game 4, with Jesse Puljujärvi scoring with just over two minutes remaining in regulation to give his team a 3-2 lead that they would not give up.
Jesse Puljujärvi gives the Checkers a 3-2 lead late in Game 4! 🏁👀@CheckersHockey | @FlaPanthers | @LO_FLAPanthers#AHL #CalderCup #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/2oHutIZLPS
Laval was the regular-season champion in the AHL, but Charlotte ended up out-scoring them 18-6 in series with goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen shutting the door for much of the conference final, capping it with 23 saves on 25 shots in Game 4.
Charlotte has been on an absolute roll after a tricky series with the Providence Bruins in the conference semifinals that took all five games to decide. Since then, the Checkers have won seven straight games, sweeping both the two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears and regular-season champion Laval.
The veteran-laden team will now get a chance to rest up as the Western Conference Final is still very much undecided. The Abbotsford Canucks have a 2-1 advantage over the Texas Stars, who have two more games on home ice to try to send the series to at least six games.
Kähkönen has been the standout performer for the Checkers so far this postseason. He is 10-2 through the playoffs with a .927 save percentage and 1.27 goals-against average, with one shutout.
KAAP🚫 KÄHKÖNEN@CheckersHockey | @FlaPanthers | @LO_FLAPanthers#AHL #CalderCup #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/9zPUsJafhv
Where Charlotte has seemingly had one of the biggest advantages is their depth of talent and experience. They have just one player in the top-10 of scoring in the playoffs – John Leonard, who is 10th with 10 points. But they have gotten contributions from throughout their lineup with balanced scoring.
After Leonard, veterans with NHL experience like Rasmus Asplund and Jesse Puljujärvi have been major drivers. Both have eight points.
The Calder Cup Final schedule is to be determined, but the Checkers will be champing at the bit to get started with how they’ve been playing of late.
KINGS OF THE EAST
AND WE’RE NOT DONE pic.twitter.com/NBM7iJv51h
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