2012–13 AHL season

The 2012–13 AHL season is the 77th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 12, 2012 and ended on April 21, 2013. The 2013 Calder Cup playoffs followed the conclusion of the regular season. The Calder Cup was won by the Grand Rapids Griffins for their first Calder Cup in franchise history.

2012–13 AHL season
League	American Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	October 12, 2012 - April 21, 2013
Regular season
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy	Providence Bruins
Season MVP	Tyler Johnson
Top scorer	Brandon Pirri
Calder Cup playoffs
Calder Cup playoffs MVP	Tomas Tatar
Finals champions	Grand Rapids Griffins
Runners-up	Syracuse Crunch

Regular season

On June 28, the Board of Governors approved a minor realignment for the league for the 2012–13 season. The only changes were made in the Western Conference, as three teams swapped divisions for this season: Abbotsford moves to the North Division, Grand Rapids moves to the Midwest Division and Charlotte moves to the newly renamed South Division (formerly West Division). The Eastern Conference remains the same as the previous season. Among the rule changes for this season, the league has adopted video-review for goals, which has been in use in the NHL for years.[1]

Because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, all NHL players who were still eligible to play in the AHL without clearing waivers were assigned to their AHL teams for the duration of the lockout. The lockout also forced the cancellation of one of the two AHL Outdoor Classics for 2012; as a result, there was only one Outdoor Classic in 2013. The Hershey Bears hosted the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Hersheypark Stadium on January 20. The Penguins won the game 2–1 in overtime before a crowd of 17,653 spectators.

Team and NHL affiliation changes

Relocations

As a result of the aforementioned lockout, the Rochester Americans moved a portion of its home schedule to the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York to fill the void of its parent club, the Buffalo Sabres, during the lockout (both teams are owned by Terrence Pegula). The team's name and branding remain unchanged.

Affiliation changes

AHL team	New affiliate	Old affiliate
Norfolk Admirals	Anaheim	Tampa Bay
Syracuse Crunch	Tampa Bay	Anaheim

Standings

 y–  indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
 x–  indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
 e–  indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Providence Bruins (BOS)	76	50	21	0	5	105	222	183
x–Portland Pirates (PHX)	76	41	30	3	2	87	230	233
x–Manchester Monarchs (LA)	76	37	32	3	4	81	219	209
e–Worcester Sharks (SJ)	76	31	34	4	7	73	191	228
e–St. John's IceCaps (WPG)	76	32	36	3	5	72	195	237

Northeast Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Springfield Falcons (CBJ)	76	45	22	5	4	99	235	186
e–Connecticut Whale (NYR)	76	35	32	6	3	79	213	222
e–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)	76	32	32	7	5	76	218	242
e–Albany Devils (NJ)	76	31	32	1	12	75	193	225
e–Adirondack Phantoms (PHI)	76	31	38	3	4	69	187	223

East Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Syracuse Crunch (TB)	76	43	22	6	5	97	247	201
x–Binghamton Senators (OTT)	76	44	24	1	7	96	227	188
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)	76	42	30	2	2	88	185	178
x–Hershey Bears (WSH)	76	36	31	3	6	81	204	196
e–Norfolk Admirals (ANA)	76	37	34	4	1	79	188	207

Western Conference

North Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Toronto Marlies (TOR)	76	43	23	3	7	96	237	199
x–Rochester Americans (BUF)	76	43	29	3	1	90	234	209
e–Lake Erie Monsters (COL)	76	35	31	3	7	80	211	220
e–Abbotsford Heat (CGY)	76	34	32	4	6	78	171	198
e–Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)	76	29	41	1	5	64	159	228

Midwest Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)	76	42	26	4	4	92	234	205
x–Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)	76	41	28	4	3	89	197	200
e–Rockford IceHogs (CHI)	76	42	31	2	1	87	246	225
e–Chicago Wolves (VAN)	76	37	30	5	4	83	204	207
e–Peoria Rivermen (STL)	76	33	35	5	3	74	183	218

South Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA
y–Texas Stars (DAL)	76	43	22	5	6	97	235	201
x–Charlotte Checkers (CAR)	76	42	26	4	4	92	226	202
x–Oklahoma City Barons (EDM)	76	40	25	2	9	91	240	228
x–Houston Aeros (MIN)	76	40	26	5	5	90	212	199
e–San Antonio Rampage (FLA)	76	29	38	2	7	67	195	241

Statistical leaders

Leading skaters

The following players are sorted by points, then goals. Updated as of the end of the regular season.[2]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Brandon Pirri	Rockford IceHogs	76	22	53	75	72
Jeff Taffe	Hershey Bears	73	18	53	71	27
Chad Kolarik	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	76	31	37	68	55
Mark Arcobello	Oklahoma City Barons	74	22	46	68	48
Linden Vey	Manchester Monarchs	74	22	45	67	32
Jonathan Audy-Marchessault	Springfield Falcons	74	21	46	67	65
T. J. Hensick	Peoria Rivermen	76	19	48	67	50
Tyler Johnson	Syracuse Crunch	62	37	28	65	34
Brett Connolly	Syracuse Crunch	71	31	32	63	53
Kris Newbury	Connecticut Whale	70	20	42	62	127

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders with a minimum 1500 minutes played lead the league in goals against average. Updated as of the end of the regular season.[3]

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout loss

Player	Team	GP	TOI	SA	GA	SO	GAA	SV%	W	L	OT
Jeff Zatkoff	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	49	2799	1131	90	5	1.93	0.920	26	20	0
Danny Taylor	Abbotsford Heat	40	2108	927	72	3	2.05	0.922	18	10	2
Robin Lehner	Binghamton Senators	31	1841	1046	65	3	2.12	0.938	18	10	2
Magnus Hellberg	Milwaukee Admirals	39	2107	991	75	6	2.14	0.924	22	13	0
Niklas Svedberg	Providence Bruins	48	2872	1384	104	4	2.17	0.925	37	8	2

Calder Cup playoffs

Main article: 2013 Calder Cup playoffs

	Conference quarterfinals					Conference semifinals					Conference finals					Calder Cup Final
	1	Providence	3
	8	Hershey	2
						1	Providence	3
						5	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton	4
	2	Springfield	3
	7	Manchester	1
											5	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton	1
	Eastern Conference
										3	Syracuse	4
	3	Syracuse	3
	6	Portland	0
						2	Springfield	0
						3	Syracuse	4
	4	Binghamton	0
	5	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton	3
																E3	Syracuse	2
		(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round.)
															W3	Grand Rapids	4
	1	Texas	3
	8	Milwaukee	1
						1	Texas	1
						5	Oklahoma City	4
	2	Toronto	3
	7	Rochester	0
											5	Oklahoma City	3
	Western Conference
										3	Grand Rapids	4
	3	Grand Rapids	3
	6	Houston	2
						2	Toronto	2
						3	Grand Rapids	4
	4	Charlotte	2
	5	Oklahoma City	3

AHL awards

Calder Cup : Grand Rapids Griffins

Les Cunningham Award : Tyler Johnson, Syracuse

John B. Sollenberger Trophy : Brandon Pirri, Rockford

Willie Marshall Award : Tyler Johnson, Syracuse

Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award : Tyler Toffoli, Manchester

Eddie Shore Award : Justin Schultz, Oklahoma City

Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award : Niklas Svedberg, Providence

Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award : Jeff Zatkoff & Brad Thiessen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award : Willie Desjardins, Texas

Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award : Brandon Davidson, Oklahoma City

Yanick Dupre Memorial Award : Michael Zigomanis, Toronto

Jack A. Butterfield Trophy : Tomas Tatar, Grand Rapids

Richard F. Canning Trophy : Syracuse Crunch

Robert W. Clarke Trophy : Grand Rapids Griffins

Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy: Providence Bruins

Frank Mathers Trophy: Syracuse Crunch

Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy: Grand Rapids Griffins

Emile Francis Trophy : Providence Bruins

F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy: Springfield Falcons

Sam Pollock Trophy: Toronto Marlies

John D. Chick Trophy: Texas Stars

James C. Hendy Memorial Award:

Thomas Ebright Memorial Award:

James H. Ellery Memorial Awards:

Ken McKenzie Award:

Michael Condon Memorial Award:

All-star teams

First All-Star Team

• Justin Schultz (D)
• Sami Vatanen (D)
• Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (LW)
• Tyler Johnson (C)
• Gustav Nyquist (RW)
• Niklas Svedberg (G)

Second All-Star Team

• Mark Barberio (D)
• Adam Clendening (D)
• Matt Fraser (LW)
• Jeff Taffe (C)
• Brett Connolly (RW)
• Curtis McElhinney (G)

Milestones

• Abbotsford Heat The Marlies, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, were tied against the Abbotsford Heat when first Steve McCarthy scored a short-handed goal and then Ben Street scored from the faceoff circle. The two goals in three seconds tied a professional hockey record. Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog reported that the ECHL, formerly the East Coast Hockey League, had two goals scored in the same span during a 1993 game. However, the comparable record in the NHL is four seconds. Before Thursday, the fastest two goals had been scored in the AHL was five seconds. The Heat is an affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames, and the team went on to win the game, 3-0 on November 1, 2012.
• Abbotsford Heat goaltender Barry Brust set a record for longest shutout streak by not allowing any goals for 268 minutes and 17 seconds.[4] The previous record was 249:51, set by Johnny Bower with the Cleveland Barons in 1957.
• Hershey Bears forward Jon DiSalvatore became the 82nd player in AHL history to record 500 career points on November 25, 2012.[5]
• Toronto Marlies forward Keith Aucoin became the 11th player in AHL history to record 800 career points on December 16, 2012.[6]
• Rockford IceHogs forward Martin St. Pierre became the 83rd player in AHL history to record 500 career points on January 5, 2013.[7]
• Providence Bruins forward Graham Mink became the 84th player in AHL history to record 500 career points on February 16, 2013.[8]
• Hershey Bears forward Boyd Kane became the 85th player in AHL history to record 500 career points on March 23, 2013.[9]
• Hershey Bears forward Jeff Taffe became the 86th player in AHL history to record 500 career points on April 20, 2013.[10]

See also

• List of AHL seasons
• 2012 in ice hockey
• 2013 in ice hockey

References

1. http://theahl.com/board-of-governors-meeting-concludes-p178164
2. "Top Scorers - 2012-13 Regular Season - All Players". AHL.
3. "Top Goalies - 2012-13 Regular Season - Goals Against Average". AHL.
4. "In Brust we trust". AHL. November 24, 2012.
5. "DiSalvatore notches 500th career point". AHL. November 25, 2012.
6. "Aucoin reaches historic milestone". AHL. December 16, 2012.
7. "Milestone for IceHogs' St. Pierre". AHL. January 5, 2013.
8. "AHL Weekly Release". AHL. February 26, 2013.
9. "Kane reaches milestone with 500th point". AHL. March 23, 2013.
10. "Taffe hits milestone for Bears". AHL. April 20, 2013.

External links

• AHL official site

Preceded by 2011–12 AHL season	AHL seasons	Succeeded by 2013–14 AHL season