Williamsville native Andrew Poturalski was named the most valuable player of the American Hockey League playoffs as he led the Charlotte Checkers to the Calder Cup.

The Checkers clinched the Cup with a 5-3 win against the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night to win the series four games to one.

Poturalski scored two goals in the win and finished the postseason with 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) and a plus-15 rating in 18 games and was held off the score sheet in only three games.

The playoff MVP wins the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy.

The Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, won their first championship in nine seasons in the league to cap a 51-win regular season.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Poturalski told the team website. “Being here for three years and building this culture and having fun, we just expect to win and we went out and did it. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys in the room.

“We just kept finding a way to win. When new guys come in and they see that and see that we do whatever it takes to win, it’s pretty contagious. Everyone just buys in. We love each other in that room and it’s fun.”

He had a career-best regular season with 23 goals and 47 assists for 70 points in 70 games in his third season with the Checkers.

Poturalski spent two seasons in the United States Hockey League and another two at New Hampshire. Following his freshman year in 2015, he attended the Sabres’ development camp.

He signed with Carolina after scoring 22 goals and 52 points in 37 games in 2015-16 with UNH and played in 16 games at the end of the season.

He then signed his entry-level contract and has become a consistent scorer since for the Checkers.

“Every period he’s got both feet in a bucket with a broken foot,” coach Mike Vellucci said. “A special kid. An unsung hero and I don’t think he gets the accolades that he deserves. I can’t say enough about him. He’s a special kid and we have a great relationship off the ice. I’m very happy for him – he deserves it.”

Yes, a broken foot. He played through the injury throughout the postseason.

“I feel unbelievable right now but it’s definitely been a grind,” he said. “Everyone has bumps and bruises and I’m no different. You’ve just got to battle through and the guys next to you and that’s what playoff hockey is all about.”