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This playoff series will mark the first ever post season match-up between the Bulldogs and Barons. Cleveland advanced to the AHL North Division Semi-Finals by defeating the Toronto Roadrunners two-games-to-one in the AHL North Division ‘best-of-three’ Qualifying Round. The Barons won the third and deciding game on Sunday, April 18 by a score of 6-3 over Toronto.


BULLDOGS AND BARONS REGULAR SEASON COMPARISON:










































Hamilton

Cleveland

Record:

41-25-10-4

37-28-8-7


Points:

96

89


Home Record:

24-8-5-3

18-16-2-4


Road Record:

17-17-5-1

19-12-6-3


Power Play:

(61-381) 16.0% -8th in AHL

(54-324) 16.7% – 4th in AHL

Penalty Killing Record:

(317-367) 86.4% – 10th in AHL

(298-378) 80.2% – 28th in AHL

Leading Scorer:

Tomas Plekanec-66 points (23-43-66)

Miroslav Zalesak -75 points (35-40-75)


BULLDOGS AND BARONS HEAD-TO-HEAD IN THE 2003-04 REGULAR SEASON:



































































































Oct.

11

Hamilton

3

at

Cleveland

2


Nov.

1

Cleveland

2

at

Hamilton

3

(OT)


Nov.

2

Cleveland

4

at

Hamilton

2


Dec.

6

Hamilton

4

at

Cleveland

2


Dec.

12

Cleveland

2

at

Hamilton

4


Jan.

9

Cleveland

4

at

Hamilton

3

(OT)


Feb.

27

Hamilton

2

at

Cleveland

5


Mar.

5

Hamilton

3

at

Cleveland

2


Mar.

17

Hamilton

2

at

Cleveland

4


Apr.

3

Cleveland

1

at

Hamilton

0


(*Hamilton earned a record of 5W-4L-0T-1OTL vs.Cleveland)


CLEVELAND BARONS PLAYOFF LEADERS:


Below are the Cleveland Barons Individual Playoff Leaders from the ‘North Division Qualifying Round’


Goals: Shawn Mather/Shane Joseph (2)
Assists: Grant Stevenson (5)
Points: Grant Stevenson (5)
Plus/Minus: Matt Carkner (+4)
Penalty Minutes: Matt Carkner (7)


BULLDOGS IN THE FIRST ROUND:


The Bulldogs have won all six of their first playoff rounds (1.000) in franchise history. Hamilton has played a total of 26 opening round games earning a record of 18 wins and 8 losses (.692)


BULLDOGS AT HOME IN THE PLAYOFFS:


All-time the Bulldogs have earned a record of 28 wins and 18 losses (.609) in 46 home playoff games.


BULLDOGS ON THE ROAD IN THE PLAYOFFS:


All-time on the road the Bulldogs have posted 21 wins and 23 losses (.477) in 44 road playoff games.


BULLDOGS IN OVERTIME IN THE PLAYOFFS:


The Hamilton Bulldogs have played in 18 overtime playoff games since the club’s inception into the AHL in 1996-97 and have earned a record of 12 wins and 6 losses (.667)


BULLDOGS LOOKING TO BRING HAMILTON FIRST CALDER CUP:


The Hamilton Bulldogs will be seeking their first-ever Calder Cup Championship this post-season. The Bulldogs have twice made the Calder Cup Finals in their first seven seasons in Hamilton. In the Bulldogs inaugural season (1996-97) in Steeltown, they lost the Calder Cup Finals four-games-to-one to the Hershey Bears. Last season (2002-03) the Bulldogs came within one win of capturing the Calder Cup, as they lost the seventh and deciding game to the Houston Aeros.


BULLDOGS CALDER CUP EXPERIENCE:


Of the 25 players on the Hamilton Bulldogs roster (including Clear Day & in residence), 11 players have Calder Cup playoff experience. Forward Benjamin Carpentier is the lone Bulldogs player to win a Calder Cup. Carpentier won the Calder Cup with the Hartford WolfPack in 1999-00. The Bulldogs also currently have 12 rookies on their roster. Listed below are the Bulldogs players, who have played in the Calder Cup Playoffs:

















































































Player


GP

#29

Jean-Francois

Damphousse

2


#7

Philippe

Plante

15


#14

Tomas

Plekanec

13


#17

Marcel

Hossa

24


#22

Marc-Andre

Thinel

2


#23

Rene

Vydareny

21


#24

Francois

Beauchemin

26


#25

Benoit

Gratton

41


#38

Benjamin

Carpentier

8


#55

Patrick

Traverse

19


#65

Ron

Hainsey

27


Total Calder Cup Playoff Experience

198


BULLDOGS HOLD CALDER CUP ATTENDANCE RECORD:


The Hamilton Bulldogs set an AHL record for largest playoff crowd in AHL history on June 12th, 2003, when 17,428 fans witnessed Game #7 of the Calder Cup Finals at Copps Coliseum between the Bulldogs and the Houston Aeros.


BULLDOGS PLAYOFF FACTS:






































Number participated in:

6

Number of individual series won:

11

Number of individual series lost:

6

Total number of playoff games played:

70

Games won:

49

Games lost:

41

Number of overtime games:

18

Overtime games won:

12

Overtime games lost:

6

Calder Cup Championships:

0

Finalists:

2 (1997, 2003)


BULLDOGS PLAYOFF HISTORY:










































































































































































Year

Rd

Opponent

Result



GF

GA


2003

F

Houston

L

3-4

15

18




CF

Binghamton

W

4-1

25

14




CSF

Manitoba

W

4-3

21

16




CQF

Springfield

W

3-1

13

10


2002

CF

Bridgeport

L

3-4

15

20




CSF

Hartford

W

4-1

18

10




CQF

Quebec

W

3-0

13

9


2001

DNQ


2000

CSF

Rochester

L

2-4

12

20




CQR

Syracuse

W

3-1

11

9


1999

CSF

Rochester

L

2-4

11

18




CQF

Albany

W

3-2

15

14


1998

CSF

Albany

L

0-4

13

21




CQF

Syracuse

W

3-2

10

13


1997

F

Hershey

L

1-4

12

19




CF

Albany

W

4-1

18

12




CSF

St. John’s

W

4-3

19

20




CQF

Saint John

W

3-2

16

14