Ryan Potulny's Philadelphia Phantoms fell to Alex Goligoski's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-1 over the weekend, meaning the Penguins will meet the Portland Pirates for the Conference title.  John Curry has backstopped the Penguins, earning an 8-2 record in his first professional post-season.  Goligoski is the leading rookie scorer and scorer among defenseman in the playoffs with three goals and 11 assists in 10 playoff games.  The Penguins dropped game one of the series and went down three goals to none in Game two but came back to win that game and won four straight game to clinch the series.  Potulny has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers and is available to be inserted into their lineup during their Stanley Cup playoff run against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Potulny has been practicing with the Flyers since Saturday.  With Daniel Briere getting shaken up more than once on Sunday, there remains the possibility that Potulny could be inserted if there is an injury to a Flyers center.
 
According to newspaper reports Penguins' head coach Todd Richards called on old Gophers teammate Ken Gernander for a scouting report on the Pirates as the Hartford Wolf Pack head coach has faced the Portland club more recently than Richards' Baby Pens, and more often.  The Pirates knocked off Gernander's Pack before beating the Providence Bruins in the Quarterfinals to advance to face the Penguins. Another newspaper story revealed Richards showing his Minnesota colors in another way, calling player David Gove the "Al Newman" of the WB Penguins. Gove wasn't sure what to think, not knowing who the former Twins player was, until Richards explained who "Mr Utility" was to Gove.See the story here.

The Toronto Marlies have come back from a 3-1 deficit in their playoff series against the Syracuse Crunch to send it to a Game 7.  Nate DiCasmirro, Clay Wilson and Duvie Wescott are playing for the Crunch, and rank 5,6,7 respectively in playoff scoring for the club. Backstopping the Crunch is Apple Valley's Karl Goehring while the Marlies features Chris Harrington who has a goal and an assist in 11 playoff games.
 
Blake Wheeler recently announced that he will not return to the Golden Gophers for his senior season and will sign a professional contract but that does not mean that he will be signing with the Phoenix Coyotes.  Wheeler is likely using an interpretation of the Collective Bargaining agreement that would make him a free agent by August 15th if the Phoneix Coyotes do not tender a qualifying offer prior to that date.  Because Wheeler has graduated from the University Wheeler is likely invoking his free agency per Section 8.6 (a) (iii) of the CBA rather than what would have been his supposed free agency date in 2009.  Should Phoenix lose his rights they will receive a 5th pick in the second round of the 2010 draft.  The sticking point for the Coyotes in signing Wheeler is that he hasn't lived up to his development potential when they drafted him at the 5th position in the first round, but primarily because he was drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft, which means he would receive a much larger entry level contract ($295K signing bonus over three years) than would be signed by someone drafted after the lockout ($85K over three years).  Wheeler was was grandfathered under older CBA terms for signing bonus.  That affects the Coyotes in regard to their salary cap levels and with the number of prospects they already have performing at NHL levels and the blue chip prospects they have just signed, inluding Chad Kolarik, Hobey Baker winner Kevin Porter and Wisconsin Badger Kyle Turris so there is likely little room on the roster for Blake Wheeler.  They could attempt to trade Wheeler at the draft for a pick higher than the 2nd round pick they will receive as compensation, but it is doubtful anyone will be buyers at that price when they can just wait and sign him as a free agent for an entry level deal a few weeks later as a free agent.
 
The IIHF has acknowledged that it erred in allowing Finland's first goal against Team USA in qualification play in the World Championships in Quebec.  The goal scored by Ville Koistinen entered at the side of the net and should not have counted.  The US lost the game by one goal and the game ended in a melee with multiple ejections.  The video goal judge will not be allowed to work the remainder of the tournament but that will not help Team USA in seeding or qualification for the medal rounds.
 
Thomas Vanek has helped Austria win qualification back to the "A" group for next year's World Championships in Switzerland with a 7-3 victory over Poland in front of his hometown fans in Innsbruck.  Vanek finished the B Championships with 5 goals, including a hat trick against England, despite catching a terrible cold and taking a puck off the head.  He has returned home to Minneapolis to recuperate with his finanee Ashley and son Blake.  
 
Nick Anderson will play for REV Bremeraven in German next year after spending last year with EV Füssen.
 
Nick Angell has signed to play for HV 71 in Jönköping Sweden.  Angell was one of the leading scorers amongst defensemen in the Swedish Elitieren with Brynäs IF last season.  
 
Former Gopher and Wild draft pick Mike Erickson will play for Schwenninger Wild Wings in the DEL after playing last year with Nybro IF in Sweden.

 
Quick Speculation:
 
Quick Facts has odds on Scott Bell being named the next Gopher Assistant coach but the candidates are likely narrowed to Bell, Eric Rud and Eric Means.  What is interesting is that Scott Bell and Eric Rud were classmates at Simley High School, Means and Bell were teammates at the University of Minnesota, and Means' first coaching job was at Simley.  That is almost enough coincidence to be an 80's movie!
 
Claude Noel, Don Lever, Roy Sommer, John Anderson, Curt Fraser, Craig Hartsburg, Kevin Constantine.  Those are the names you are going to hear a lot with the number of NHL head coaching vacancies increasing by the day.  The success of so many AHL head coaches has made it more acceptable to give them the chance rather than recycle the old standby names (unless you're the foolish General Manager who keeps hiring Mike Keenan) though Pat Burns, now reportedly recovered from cancer treatments, could certainly resurface again.   The only names I can see being recycled are some young AHL coaches who may have started in the NHL too early or may not have been given a fair shot; names like Steve Stirling, Mike Sullivan or John Torchetti.  Someone like John Anderson, and even his General Manager boss Kevin Cheveldayoff are certain to break into the NHL ranks this year with all the vacancies.  And if they don't then there is some conspiracy afoot, just like the one that kept Ted Nolan out of the league for so long.  Should former Gopher Todd Richards win the Calder Cup with Wilkes-Barre this season he might get a few looks as he has been considered a rising star in the coaching ranks, as has his counterpart in Hartford Ken Gernander.  Recent AHL head coaches now coaching in the NHL include Dave Tippett, John Stevens, Bruce Boudreau, Mike Babcock, Randy Carlyle & Michel Therrien.
 
Quick Facts thinks the Minnesota Wild may consider signing free agent defenseman Jeff May, a former draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings.  May has formerly participated in a camp for the Wild.  May competed this spring with Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL playoffs but lost to Spokane for the Championship.  May would be a depth defenseman to help restock Houston.

 
Quick Quotes:
 
“I wouldn’t say I’ve taken anyone anywhere.  But it’s fun. I’m enjoying it a lot. We’re proud about what we’ve accomplished so far, but we’re only halfway there. We have a lot ahead of us.”

- John Curry on his first professional playoff run with the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins (Citizen's Voice)

 
“It’s always nice when the D can chip in.  When your defensemen score a couple goals, you usually won’t lose a lot of games.”

- Alex Goligoski on his contribution to the WB Penguins (Citizen's Voice)