WOLVES AND PENGUINS TO BATTLE FOR THE CALDER CUP

The AHL season culminates with Calder Cup Finals

Rosemont, Ill.-After shaking off the Rockford IceHogs in seven games of the West Division Finals, the Chicago Wolves disposed the Toronto Marlies in just five games in the Western Conference Finals.

It wasn’t as easy for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as their Eastern Conference Finals series was stretched to the limit with the Portland Pirates. The Penguins skated away with a 3-2 Game 7 win and now face off against the Wolves in the 2008 Calder Cup Finals. The winner will be crowned champion in the AHL.

The series gets underway on Thursday night at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont as the Wolves have the home-ice advantage for the best-of-seven championship.

Chicago’s championship appearance is the sixth in franchise history and third in the AHL. The Wolves last skated in the Calder Cup Finals in 2005 when they were swept out by the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-0. Chicago won its only Calder Cup Championship in 2002 when they defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in five games.

Wilkes-Barre-Scranton is making their third Calder Cup Finals trip. Both of the Penguins previous appearances in the Finals resulted in loses, including 2004 when the Milwaukee Admirals stopped them short of a championship and 2001 when the Saint John Flames did the same.

All of the Calder Cup Finals games will be available to view on-line through the B2 Networks for just $7.

The following is the schedule for the 2008 Calder Cup Finals

Game 1: Thur., May 29 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vs. Chicago 7 p.m.
at Allstate Arena
Game 2: Sun., June 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vs. Chicago 3 p.m.
at Allstate Arena
Game 3: Wed., June 4 Chicago vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 6 p.m.
at Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza
Game 4: Fri., June 6 Chicago vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 6 p.m.
at Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza
*Game 5: Sat., June 7 Chicago vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 6 p.m.
at Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza
*Game 6: Tue., June 10 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vs. Chicago 7 p.m.
at Allstate Arena
*Game 7: Thur., June 12 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vs. Chicago 7 p.m.
at Allstate Arena

*If necessary

For more information about the Calder Cup Finals, visit www.caldercup.com.