AHL: Ryans Hope

The Rochester Americans swept the Hamilton Bulldogs to advance to the second round of the Calder Cup and we've got notes from the final two games. Ryan Miller's improved consistency might land him in Buffalo's net at the conclusion of the lockout, but in the meantime he's a driving force for the Amerks. Thomas Vanek is excellent in close and Derek Roy was huge in the finale of this series. We've also got game notes on Bulldogs players Tomas Plekanec, Trevor Daley, Ron Hainsey and Mike Komisarek.

Tomas Plekanec (Mtl), C, Hamilton Bulldogs

Bulldogs leading scorer this season .. shifty player with exceptional stick handling abilities who can move the puck at a high tempo .. has the ability to draw fans out of their seats at times .. silky, smooth skater with explosive first step .. able to drive defenseman to the outside and blow by them with great second gear acceleration .. does not deliver body checks but is chippy in the corners and after the whistle .. quick release and has tremendous shot power .. soft hands in close and is a true finisher .. tends to over-handle the puck .. prone to making bad decisions against stronger and more experienced defenseman who pressure him well.

Trevor Daley (Dal), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Led team defence in scoring with 34 points .. skating is his best asset with his quick feet and take off allowing him to join the rush freely .. strong and confident with the puck .. intimidates with his speed .. transitional game is quick as he can switch from defence to offence with a simple cut .. is able to pinch offensively because of his NHL-style skating .. his hard shot always seems to get through .. must learn to shoot more and set up at the point instead of charging deep behind the opposition's goal, which limits his effectiveness.

Ron Hainsey (Mtl), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Still adjusting to the speed of AHL game and needs a lot of work to be successful at next level .. overall mobility and movement is good .. he has a very well-placed wrist shot that he uses effectively at the point and actually scored the last goal of the Bulldogs' season like that .. decision-making needs considerable work .. able to make a nice first pass .. tries to man the puck up but it is clearly not his game .. makes far too many defensive lapses and coughs up the puck too often in the neutral zone .. had the worst plus/minus in the playoffs for his team.

Mike Komisarek (Mtl), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Already an established blueliner for the Canadiens next season .. plays an aggressive game and hits to hurt .. took Bartovic hard into the boards, causing Bartovic to miss the next few shifts .. positions himself effectively in both the defensive and offensive zone .. not much offensive upside, but he does possess a hard shot and can play the puck well on the PP .. long skating stride enables him to recover quickly .. foiled late game breakaway attempt by Vanek by using size and his stick to prevent the big Austrian from registering a shot .. plays in all situations and logged many minutes throughout playoffs.

Ryan Miller (Buf), G, Rochester Americans

Has all the tools to be a number one goalie in the NHL .. improved on his consistency this season, having been bothered by that problem earlier in his AHL career .. his tall and somewhat lanky frame covers a lot of net .. agile with quick pads and an even quicker glove hand .. he rarely gets caught out of position, angling the shooters well and recovering quickly .. able to cover top corners even when he's down because of his size .. not shy about playing the puck and is effective both on the backhand and forehand side .. gave up two quick goals in Game Three but then settled in nicely and made timely saves to give his team enough time to win .. stretched from post-to-post to stop a two-on-one led by Ward and Kostitsyn.. makes saves looks easy and frustrates forwards with his effortless style .. needs to put on a bit of weight as his stamina may be a concern at the next level.

Milan Bartovic (Buf), LW, Rochester Americans

Plays an honest game and competes every shift .. has explosive speed and uses it well in all three zones .. first step creates many scoring chances, usually getting a few strides ahead of opposing defenders .. super-quick release on a hard snap shot .. not incredibly physical but still gets involved .. pesky fore-checker who uses his speed to create turnovers .. creative with the puck but lacks finishing skills to be a top-six forward.

Derek Roy (Buf), C, Rochester Americans

Tremendous on-ice vision and playmaking skills .. does not buzz around the ice like he did in junior; seemingly more calculated in his actions .. NHL-calibre skating with explosive foot speed and first step .. aggressive in puck pursuit when he knows he can win the race .. needs to show a greater commitment to defensive zone coverage .. accurate wrist shot with a quick release .. able to spot open men and hit them with crisp passes that catch the opposition flat-footed .. jumps on loose pucks and has exceptional finishing skills .. scored 2G, 1A in the final game to eliminate Bulldogs.

Thomas Vanek (Buf), LW, Rochester Americans

Potential Rookie-of-the-Year scored 42 goals this season .. a natural goal scorer with a lightning fast release .. sucks in the opposition with his moves, then dishes off to suddenly open teammates .. big frame protects the puck well .. strong on his skates, rarely falls down and is extremely agile along the half-boards .. does not possess explosive speed but his skating style is deceptive because of large frame .. the puck always seems to find him .. deadly from in close .. big, talented and strong: should be a top-six forward in the Sabres organization for a long time.