University of Minnesota Athletics
Potulny, O'Brien Help Lead Senators to Calder Cup
6/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
The Senators, who joined the AHL in 2002-03 as the top development team of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, missed the playoffs each of the last five seasons. This year they earned Binghamton's first championship in 29 years of hosting an American Hockey League franchise.
Potulny, who played for Minnesota from 2003-06, led the league in playoff goals (14) and points (26) in 23 games. He finished the playoffs with a +6 rating and had at least one point in 15 of his 23 games. Potulny had five power-play goals and two game-winning goals during Binghamton's championship run.
"I'm proud of these guys that we have in the locker room," Potulny told the Elmira Star-Gazette after the game. "I can't say enough about these guys. I'm proud of our coaching staff. I'm proud of the city of Binghamton. They've been really wanting this for a while, and it's a pretty good feeling to be the team to bring it back home to them. Our name is going on that Cup, and they can't take it off."
Potulny, who was traded from Chicago to Ottawa at the NHL trade deadline, played for four different teams this past season. He had three goals and five assists in 13 games for Binghamton in the regular season and also played in 58 games for the AHL's Rockford franchise where he had 18 goals and 23 assists. He also played in seven NHL games with Ottawa and three with Chicago.
O'Brien, who played for the Gophers during the 2006-07 season, had three goals and four assists in 23 playoff games. He had two game-winning goals in the playoffs, which included the overtime game-winner in Game 2 of the finals to even the series at a one game apiece.
O'Brien had 24 goals and 32 assists in 74 regular-season games with the Senators this past season. He also skated in six NHL games with Ottawa.
