Tonight, the local AHL team is beginning the next leg of their journey to become Calder Cup Champs. (Let me take a moment to define for those of you who are unaware: AHL = American Hockey League – the hockey league just below the NHL and responsible for some players development. And the Calder Cup is the equivalent of the Stanley Cup at the NHL level). I regress. My hometown team, the team that I cheer for because they are the farm team for the Ottawa Senators (who are my go-to team at the NHL level) and because they are good, begin their third round of the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. They are only 8 wins away from winning the Calder Cup. And it is going to be tough.
They have beat the odds to get where we are. They played in a different division because they didn’t make it as one of the top four teams in the eastern division. They beat the top two teams in that division to get to the conference finals, which begins tonight. Tonight, they go back to a familiar foe in the Charlotte Checkers. They play a team that they met 8 teams throughout the regular season – and there was no definitive winner. They begin what I think could be the hardest series yet.
So, I wish them luck. I will be cheering them on as they play in Charlotte. I will hopefully make it to a couple of the games while they are playing at home. I am excited to see the series and I am excited that they have gotten as far as they have gotten. They make me proud to be a fan and proud to be supporting them during this postseason.
Who are they? THE BINGHAMTON SENATORS!!
Good luck, B-Sens. And remember, as one of the signs posted on facebook says “Checkers is just a game.” GO B-SENS GO!!!
Do you wish the B-Sens luck as they compete in the Eastern Conference Finals? Who do you support in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs? What about the NHL playoffs?
Expertly Elise 