GRAND RAPIDS 6, LAKE ERIE 3
Darren McCarty, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings, netted a hat trick in his home debut and fourth game overall with Grand Rapids to lead the Griffins past Lake Erie by a 6-3 final on Friday before 10,062 fans at the Van Andel Arena. McCarty tallied a goal in all three periods and added an assist for his first career four-point game.
McCarty is a veteran of 742 regular-season NHL games, including 643 as a member of Detroit. He hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 1997, 1998, and 2002.
His only other professional hat trick came as a Red Wing in Game 1 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against Colorado.
Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson had a goal and an assist for the Griffins, who also received goals from Mark Hartigan and Ryan Oulahen. Cleve Kinley posted a pair of assists, his first career AHL points.
Grand Rapids goaltender Adam Berkhoel made 21 saves in the victory.
Wyatt Smith (1-1-2) and Johnny Boychuk (0-2-2) both had two points for the Monsters, while Dan DaSilva and Eric Healey also scored.
BRIDGEPORT 6, ALBANY 3
Bridgeport used a four-goal second period and 46 saves from goaltender Joey MacDonald to post a 6-3 win over host Albany at the Times Union Center.
Tim Jackman and Jason Pitton posted a goal and two assists apiece for the Sound Tigers. Kyle Okposo and Steve Regier each contributed a goal and a helper.
The rookie Okposo now has a goal in four straight games, totaling seven points in that span (4-3-7).
The River Rats held a 49-29 advantage in shots and posted 21 in the second period alone. Jakub Petruzalek, Nicolas Blanchard, and Mike Angelidis lit the lamp for Albany.
With the win, the Sound Tigers moved within two points of Albany for fifth place in the East Division and just three back of Binghamton for the fourth and final playoff spot.
LOWELL 4, MANCHESTER 3 (SO)
Lowell fell into a 3-0 by the game’s mid-point but rallied for a 4-3 shootout win over host Manchester at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
The victory ended the Devils’ 12-game winless skid and improved their record to 5-1-0-0 against the Monarchs this season.
David Meckler, Kevin Westgarth, and Lauri Tukonen all scored to give Manchester a 3-0 advantage by the 11:05 mark of the second period.
But Erik Rasmussen’s first AHL goal since the 1998-99 season brought Lowell within a pair of scores at 13:30, and Petr Vrana and Barry Tallackson followed with markers of their own.
Grant Marshall and Rod Pelley netted shootout goals for the Devils, making a winner of goaltender Frank Doyle, who made 32 saves in the contest.
PORTLAND 4, PROVIDENCE 2
Portland tallied three goals in the second period on its way to a 4-2 road victory over Providence at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Jason King paced the Pirates with a pair of goals, giving him nine goals and 12 points in his last 10 games. King has 21 goals for the season.
Andrew Ebbett and Bobby Ryan also scored for Portland, and goaltender Mike McKenna picked up the victory with 29 saves.
Providence received goals from Martins Karsums and Pascal Pelletier, as the B’s both opened and closed the game’s scoring.
The league-leading Bruins fell to 1-3-0-0 in their last four outings.
PHILADELPHIA 1, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 0
Brian Boucher posted a 23-save shutout as visiting Philadelphia defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 1-0, at the Wachovia Arena for its fourth straight win.
Defenseman Lars Jonsson provided the game’s only offense, notching a power play goal at 13:24 of the second period. Stefan Ruzicka and Alexandre Picard garnered the helpers.
Boucher improved his personal winning streak to three games, and he has stopped 107 of 112 shots (.955) over that span.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves in goal for the Penguins and took the tough-luck loss.
NORFOLK 4, WORCESTER 2
Norfolk scored four straight goals to double up visiting Worcester, 4-2, in a physical affair at the Scope Arena.
After Tom Walsh gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead early in the first period, Norfolk received goals from Mario Scalzo, Kyle Wanvig, Paul Szczechura, and Norm Milley to make it a 4-1 score.
Worcester rookie Nate Raduns closed the scoring with a power play late in the third period. The Sharks dropped their third consecutive game.
The teams combined for 166 penalty minutes in the game, all but 12 of those occurring in the third period.
HARTFORD 6, SPRINGFIELD 1
Six different skaters scored as Hartford dropped host Springfield by a 6-1 count at the MassMutual Center.
Rookies Brodie Dupont, Artem Anisimov, and Mike Ouellette all scored for the Wolf Pack, as did Greg Moore, Dane Byers, and Lauri Korpikoski.
Hartford’s penalty kill was successful on nine of 10 shorthanded situations, and goaltender Al Montoya made 34 saves in the victory.
The Wolf Pack won their fourth straight and moved to 12-1-2-1 in their last 16 contests.
Springfield defenseman Theo Peckham broke up Montoya’s shutout bid at 13:53 of the third period.
SYRACUSE 4, BINGHAMTON 1
Defenseman Marc Methot netted a pair of goals as Syracuse downed visiting Binghamton by a 4-1 final at the Onondaga County War Memorial.
Derek MacKenzie added a goal and an assist for the Crunch, who picked up a standings point for a fifth straight game (3-0-0-2).
Syracuse goaltender Dan LaCosta earned the victory with 28 saves on 29 shots.
Alexander Nikulin potted the Senators’ lone goal in the second period. Binghamton completed a four-game road swing at 2-2-0-0.
HAMILTON 7, TORONTO 4
Mikhail Grabovski netted a hat trick and added an assist, part of a season-high seven-goal attack for Hamilton in a 7-4 win over visiting Toronto before 6,585 fans at Copps Coliseum.
The victory allowed the Bulldogs to finish their stretch of three straight games against Toronto at 1-2-0-0.
Grabovski, who was a member of the Bulldogs’ Calder Cup championship team last season, tallied his first three AHL goals of the current campaign.
Mathieu Carle lit the lamp twice for Hamilton, and Matt D’Agostini posted a goal and two assists. Goaltender Yann Danis picked up the victory with 24 saves.
Brent Aubin paced the Marlies with a pair of goals, but Toronto’s three-game winning streak came to an end.
ROCHESTER 4, HERSHEY 2
Yannick Tifu and Anthony Stewart each posted a goal and an assist as Rochester doubled up visiting Hershey by a 4-2 count before 7,424 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Dan Collins and Marek Zagrapan also scored for the Americans, and goaltender Adam Dennis made 29 saves between the pipes.
Rochester secured its third consecutive victory and moved to 4-1-0 in its last five outings.
2008 AHL All-Star Joe Motzko tallied both of the Bears’ goals, while defenseman Josef Boumedienne extended his scoring streak to 12 games with an assist.
PEORIA 4, SAN ANTONIO 3 (SO)
Peoria ended a seven-game winless skid (0-6-0-1) with a 4-3 shootout victory over visiting San Antonio at the Carver Arena.
Nikolay Lemtyugov and Julian Talbot netted shootout goals for the Rivermen, and goaltender Hannu Toivonen denied four of five Rampage attempts.
Lemtyugov also scored in regulation, as did Charles Linglet and 2008 AHL All-Star Micki DuPont.
Chris Durno notched a pair of regulation goals for the Rampage, and Matt Murley tallied three points (1-2-3) in his first game back following an NHL stint with Phoenix.
QUAD CITY 4, ROCKFORD 3 (SO)
2008 AHL All-Star defenseman Adam Pardy scored in the fifth round of a shootout to lift Quad City over host Rockford, 4-3, at the MetroCentre.
The Flames received regulation goals from Eric Nystrom, David Van der Gulik, and Warren Peters, who tied the score with 6:49 left in the final stanza.
Carsen Germyn also tallied a shootout goal for Quad City, and goaltender Curtis McElhinney denied all four Rockford shooters after making 34 saves through regulation and overtime.
Quad City moved within a point of Houston for fifth place and the last possible playoff spot in the West Division.
Bryan Bickell, Danny Richmond, and Colin Fraser lit the lamp in regulation for the IceHogs, who are now winless in six straight games (0-4-1-1).
IOWA 1, HOUSTON 0
Mark Bomersback netted the game’s only goal in the second period as Iowa posted a 1-0 victory at Houston in the first of a two-game set with the Aeros.
Stars goaltender Steve Silverthorn earned the shutout, stopping all 19 shots sent his way.
Bomersback’s goal at 11:23 of the middle stanza was assisted by James Neal. Iowa improved to 3-1-0-0 in its last four contests.
