The 1972 Calder Cup playoffs of the
American Hockey League began on April 4, 1972.[1] The eight teams that qualified played
best-of-seven series for Division Semifinals and Finals. The division champions played a best-of-seven series for the
Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on May 15, 1972, with the
Nova Scotia Voyageurs, in their inaugural season in
Nova Scotia, defeating the
Baltimore Clippers four games to two to win the Calder Cup for the first time in team history. The Voyageurs also became the first Canadian team to win the Calder Cup.[2]
Baltimore and
Cincinnati set an AHL playoff record for most goals scored by both teams in one game with 18, when Baltimore beat Cincinnati 10-8 in game 5 of the Southern division final.[3] Baltimore's
Howie Menard set an AHL record for most
points in one playoff game with 7 against
Cleveland in game 5 of their Southern division semifinal. Two players have tied this record since then.[4] Nova Scotia's
Michel Plasse set an AHL record for lowest
goals against average in one playoff, posting a 1.25 GAA.[4]
Playoff seeds
After the
1971–72 AHL regular season, the top three teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The
Boston Braves finished the regular season with the best overall record, winning the head-to-head tiebreaker with
Nova Scotia.[5]
In each round, the higher seed receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.[6]
Division Semifinals
Note: Home team is listed first.
Eastern Division
(1) Boston Braves vs. (4) Providence Reds
April 4
Boston Braves
8 - 1
Providence Reds
April 8
Boston Braves
2 - 1
Providence Reds
April 9
Providence Reds
6 - 2
Boston Braves
April 11
Providence Reds
4 - 5
OT
Boston Braves
April 15
Boston Braves
3 - 2
Providence Reds
Boston won series 4 – 1
(2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs vs. (3) Springfield Kings
April 4
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
4 - 0
Springfield Kings
April 7
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
6 - 0
Springfield Kings
April 8
Springfield Kings
3 - 2
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 9
Springfield Kings
2 - 5
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 12
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
11 - 1
Springfield Kings
Nova Scotia won series 4 - 1
Western Division
(1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (4) Cleveland Barons
April 6
Baltimore Clippers
3 - 5
Cleveland Barons
April 7
Baltimore Clippers
6 - 0
Cleveland Barons
April 8
Cleveland Barons
1 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
April 11
Cleveland Barons
5 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
April 12
Baltimore Clippers
10 - 1
Cleveland Barons
April 14
Cleveland Barons
1 - 4
Baltimore Clippers
Baltimore won series 4 - 2
(2) Hershey Bears vs. (3) Cincinnati Swords
April 5
Hershey Bears
4 - 5
OT
Cincinnati Swords
April 8
Hershey Bears
2 - 5
Cincinnati Swords
April 9
Cincinnati Swords
7 - 2
Hershey Bears
April 11
Cincinnati Swords
3 - 1
Hershey Bears
Cincinnati won series 4 - 0
Division Finals
Eastern Division
(1) Boston Braves vs. (2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 17
Boston Braves
1 - 4
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 22
Boston Braves
0 - 2
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 24
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
4 - 2
Boston Braves
April 26
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
5 - 2
Boston Braves
Nova Scotia won series 4 - 0
Western Division
(1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (3) Cincinnati Swords
April 18
Baltimore Clippers
7 - 4
Cincinnati Swords
April 19
Baltimore Clippers
4 - 3
Cincinnati Swords
April 21
Cincinnati Swords
3 - 2
OT
Baltimore Clippers
April 23
Cincinnati Swords
4 - 1
Baltimore Clippers
April 28
Baltimore Clippers
10 - 8
Cincinnati Swords
April 29
Cincinnati Swords
1 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
Baltimore won series 4 - 2
Calder Cup Final
(W1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (E2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs
The 1972 Calder Cup playoffs of the
American Hockey League began on April 4, 1972.[1] The eight teams that qualified played
best-of-seven series for Division Semifinals and Finals. The division champions played a best-of-seven series for the
Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on May 15, 1972, with the
Nova Scotia Voyageurs, in their inaugural season in
Nova Scotia, defeating the
Baltimore Clippers four games to two to win the Calder Cup for the first time in team history. The Voyageurs also became the first Canadian team to win the Calder Cup.[2]
Baltimore and
Cincinnati set an AHL playoff record for most goals scored by both teams in one game with 18, when Baltimore beat Cincinnati 10-8 in game 5 of the Southern division final.[3] Baltimore's
Howie Menard set an AHL record for most
points in one playoff game with 7 against
Cleveland in game 5 of their Southern division semifinal. Two players have tied this record since then.[4] Nova Scotia's
Michel Plasse set an AHL record for lowest
goals against average in one playoff, posting a 1.25 GAA.[4]
Playoff seeds
After the
1971–72 AHL regular season, the top three teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The
Boston Braves finished the regular season with the best overall record, winning the head-to-head tiebreaker with
Nova Scotia.[5]
In each round, the higher seed receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.[6]
Division Semifinals
Note: Home team is listed first.
Eastern Division
(1) Boston Braves vs. (4) Providence Reds
April 4
Boston Braves
8 - 1
Providence Reds
April 8
Boston Braves
2 - 1
Providence Reds
April 9
Providence Reds
6 - 2
Boston Braves
April 11
Providence Reds
4 - 5
OT
Boston Braves
April 15
Boston Braves
3 - 2
Providence Reds
Boston won series 4 – 1
(2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs vs. (3) Springfield Kings
April 4
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
4 - 0
Springfield Kings
April 7
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
6 - 0
Springfield Kings
April 8
Springfield Kings
3 - 2
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 9
Springfield Kings
2 - 5
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 12
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
11 - 1
Springfield Kings
Nova Scotia won series 4 - 1
Western Division
(1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (4) Cleveland Barons
April 6
Baltimore Clippers
3 - 5
Cleveland Barons
April 7
Baltimore Clippers
6 - 0
Cleveland Barons
April 8
Cleveland Barons
1 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
April 11
Cleveland Barons
5 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
April 12
Baltimore Clippers
10 - 1
Cleveland Barons
April 14
Cleveland Barons
1 - 4
Baltimore Clippers
Baltimore won series 4 - 2
(2) Hershey Bears vs. (3) Cincinnati Swords
April 5
Hershey Bears
4 - 5
OT
Cincinnati Swords
April 8
Hershey Bears
2 - 5
Cincinnati Swords
April 9
Cincinnati Swords
7 - 2
Hershey Bears
April 11
Cincinnati Swords
3 - 1
Hershey Bears
Cincinnati won series 4 - 0
Division Finals
Eastern Division
(1) Boston Braves vs. (2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 17
Boston Braves
1 - 4
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 22
Boston Braves
0 - 2
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
April 24
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
4 - 2
Boston Braves
April 26
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
5 - 2
Boston Braves
Nova Scotia won series 4 - 0
Western Division
(1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (3) Cincinnati Swords
April 18
Baltimore Clippers
7 - 4
Cincinnati Swords
April 19
Baltimore Clippers
4 - 3
Cincinnati Swords
April 21
Cincinnati Swords
3 - 2
OT
Baltimore Clippers
April 23
Cincinnati Swords
4 - 1
Baltimore Clippers
April 28
Baltimore Clippers
10 - 8
Cincinnati Swords
April 29
Cincinnati Swords
1 - 3
Baltimore Clippers
Baltimore won series 4 - 2
Calder Cup Final
(W1) Baltimore Clippers vs. (E2) Nova Scotia Voyageurs