Thursday’s AHL Calder Cup Playoff Referees and Linesmen:
2023 Calder Cup Final
Hershey Bears vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds
Game 1 – 10:00 PM ET
Referee: Morgan MacPhee #43*
Referee: Carter Sandlak #47*
Linesman: Dan Kelly #98*
Linesman: Joseph Mahon #89*
MacPhee worked Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final betwen the Hersey Bears and the Rochester Americans (HER W 4-2), along with Western Conference Final Game 5 between the Coachella Valley Firebirds and the Milwaukee Admirals (CV W 2-1).
Sandlak saw quite a bit more action in the Conference Finals, handling Amerks/Bears Games 1 (HER L 1-5), 4 (HER W 4-2) , and 6 (HER W 1-0), as well as Game 6 of the Western Conference Final (CV W 4-3).
Sandlak – skating alongside ref Brandon Schrader – worked both of the series-deciding Games 6 in the Conference Finals; he also handled the quarterfinal series-clinchers for Amerks/Marlies (Game 3), Admirals/Stars (Game 5), and Firebirds/Wranglers (Game 5).
With one ref opening at the NHL level, are these big assignments an indicator that he – and Schrader – may be in the running for a full-time call-up?
* NHL/AHL Official
