Chris Bourque Sets AHL All-Time Playoff Assist Record

Chris Bourque is a really good hockey player. He’s also been consistently one of the best Calder Cup Playoff performers in the history of the league. That is why on Sunday afternoon in Providence he became the American Hockey League’s all-time Calder Cup playoff assist leader with 81 helpers.

The record we all thought was originally broken last Sunday became reality when Bourque fed defenseman Madison Bowey a pass in overtime. Bowey sent home a wrister from the point to give Hershey a 3-2 series lead over the Providence Bruins.

The assist pushed Bourque past Darren Haydar for first all-time. Following Haydar are Jason Krog (76), and three former Hershey Bears: Keith Aucoin (72), Willie Marshall (71), and Mike Nykoluk (62).

Recently, Bourque has been scoring the puck more than he has been assisting on goals. Bourque scored two goals in Hershey’s game three victory, including the overtime game-winner, and scored the opening goal in Sunday’s victory as well.

“Bourquey was determined like a lot of our offensive minded guys,” said Troy Mann. “As one of our leaders, he was engaged from the start. His goal came from going inside the dots – nice deflection – sets up the winner and breaks the all-time AHL record. He’s played with every center, and I’ve moved him around the lineup quite a bit this year. But when we needed a great game from him, and we needed a good game from the team. Going back to last year, when I put Stephenson, Mitchell, and Bourquey together, they come through.”

Bourque also passed former Hershey Bears captain Mike McHugh for all-time AHL playoff goals with his 34th goal Sunday night. He is now tied for 15th with former Providence Bruin Peter Ferraro.