High-power Hershey a lot for P-Bruins to handle

The Providence Bruins (AHL) are at the point in the Calder Cup playoffs that the Boston Bruins wish they were at in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But while the P-Bruins were able to dispose of the lower-seeded Worcester Sharks in the Atlantic Division finals, Boston couldn’t do the same against lower-seeded Carolina in the conference semifinals.

So it’s  up to Providence to carry the black-and-gold banner to playoff success starting tonight in the Eastern Conference finals — just one round shy of playing for the Calder Cup. However, the P-Bruins will face their most formidable foe yet, the Hersey Bears. Hershey is going after its third Richard F. Canning Trophy in four years and its second Calder Cup over that same span of time.

In addition to championship experience, the Bears are loaded in the offensive talent department — led by league MVP and leading points- and goal-scorer Alexandre Giroux. In the postseason, Giroux has posted 5-7-12 totals. Fellow forwards Chris Bourque (2-10-12) and Keith Aucoin (2-9-11) (not to mention an uncharacteristically quiet Graham Mink with just 3-3-6 totals) also make the Bears dangerous in the opponents’ end. Bourque and Mink skated for the 2006 Calder Cup winners from Hershey.

The P-Bruins’ top four defensemen — Johnny Boychuk, Jeff Penner, Adam McQuaid and Andrew Bodnarchuk — will have their hands full. But some of them can also be dangerous at the offensive and will make the Bears be responsible in their own end. Providence, of course, also sports some offensive firepower, with perennial AHL All-Star Martin St. Pierre currently sitting in a second-place tie among postseason scorers with 5-8-13 totals. Brad Marchand (5-6-11) and Vladimir Sobotka (2-8-10) have also been producing for Providence.

As in almost every playoff series at every level, the goaltenders will get a lot of attention in the Hershey-Providence matchup. And so far in ’09 both Bears netminder Michal Neuvirth and P-Bruins puck-stopper Tuukka Rask have earned their accolades. Rask is third among postseason goaltenders with a 1.72 goals-against average (plus a .943 save percentage), while Neuvirth, who pitched a shutout in his lsat two outings against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is fourth with a 1.91 GAA (and also has compiled a .936 save percentage).

The talent matchup being even, I have to give an edge to the Bears’ experience and championship pedigree. So my pick is Hershey in seven.

Providence Bruins vs. Hershey Bears Schedule
Game 1 – Sat., May 16 – Providence at Hershey, 7:00
Game 2 – Sun., May 17 – Providence at Hershey, 5:00
Game 3 – Fri., May 22 – Hershey at Providence, 7:05
Game 4 – Sun., May 24 – Hershey at Providence, 7:05
*Game 5 – Mon., May 25 – Hershey at Providence, 4:05
*Game 6 – Wed., May 27 – Providence at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 7 – Thu., May 28 – Providence at Hershey, 7:00
*-if necessary