Moulson shines as Monarchs outlast Norfolk in shootout

Saturday’s Boxscores

MANCHESTER 7, NORFOLK 6 (SO)
Matt Moulson tallied two goals and an assist in regulation and added the decisive shootout goal as Manchester outlasted Norfolk by a 7-6 final in a see-saw battle on Saturday before 7,019 fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Monarchs forward Gabe Gauthier, a 2008 AHL All-Star, scored with just 7.6 seconds left in regulation to send the contest to overtime.

The Monarchs staked themselves to a 4-1 lead after one period on goals by Brian Boyle, John Zeiler, Moulson, and David Meckler.

But the Admirals came storming back with three second-period tallies, led by Norm Milley, who scored twice in that stanza and finished with three points on the night.

Norfolk’s Blair Jones and Paul Szczechura each scored in the third period to give the Admirals one-goal leads, but Manchester rallied for the equalizer both times.

Moulson tallied his 20th goal of the season at 5:45 to make it a 5-5 game, and Gauthier’s tying goal at 19:52 was also his 20th of the campaign.

Boyle, Meckler, and Moulson all netted shootout goals for Manchester, with Moulson’s fifth-round conversion providing the difference.

The Monarchs’ top-ranked power play went 3-for-4 in the game, and goaltender Daniel Taylor picked up the 10th victory of his rookie campaign (10-4-2).


TORONTO 5, BINGHAMTON 1
Five different skaters netted goals as Toronto posted a 5-1 win over visiting Binghamton in a Saturday afternoon matinee at Ricoh Coliseum.

2008 AHL All-Star Derrick Walser was one of three Marlies to post a goal and an assist, while John Mitchell tallied a game-high three points (1-2-3). The North-leading Marlies improved to 6-2-0-0 in their last eight contests.

Walser and Tyler Doig netted first-period goals for the Marlies, a stanza in which Toronto held an 11-1 advantage in shots.

After Binghamton’s Matt Kinch made it 2-1 at 8:31 of the second, the Marlies scored three unanswered goals the rest of the way.

Mitchell lit the lamp late in the second period, while Jeremy Williams and David Ling notched third-period markers.

Marlies goaltender Justin Pogge only had to make 12 saves in the victory, which upped his season record to 20-5-4.


ALBANY 2, LOWELL 1 (OT)
Joe Jensen netted a goal just 56 seconds into overtime to lift Albany over visiting Lowell by a 2-1 final at the Times Union Center.

Lowell’s Stephen Gionta, who scored an overtime winner on Friday in Worcester, netted his 14th of the season at 14:39 of the first period to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.

The River Rats tied it on a goal by Mark Flood late in the middle stanza. Jamie Johnson assisted on that goal and picked up the lone helper on Jensen’s winning marker.

Albany goaltender Justin Peters made 24 saves in the victory, which moved the Rats three points ahead of both Bridgeport and Binghamton for fourth place in the East Division.


HARTFORD 5, BRIDGEPORT 2
Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau was credited with the game-winning goal and added an assist as Hartford fought out a 5-2 win over visiting Bridgeport before 6,333 fans at the XL Center.

The Wolf Pack took 1-0 and 2-1 leads on goals by Lauri Korpikoski and Andrew Hutchinson, but Bridgeport fought back to a draw both times. Steve Regier and Trevor Smith provided the Sound Tigers’ offense.

Parenteau scored the eventual game-winner at 14:15 of the second period when a Bridgeport wraparound deflected off the boards, off goaltender Joey MacDonald and into the net. Corey Potter provided insurance at 7:50, and Korpikoski added an empty-netter in the closing minute.

Wolf Pack goaltender Miika Wiikman earned the victory with 22 saves on 24 shots. Hartford snapped a four-game winless skid against the Sound Tigers (0-2-0-2).


PROVIDENCE 4, SPRINGFIELD 1
Providence put 41 shots on goal and took a 4-1 road victory over Springfield at the MassMutual Center

Jonathan Sigalet and Chris Collins provided all the offense the Bruins would need with goals in the first period. Nate Thompson assisted on both markers.

Martins Karsums and Matt Lashoff also scored for the B’s, and goaltender Tuukka Rask made 27 saves in the victory, which was Providence’s third straight.

Rob Schremp scored in the losing effort for Springfield, giving him two goals in as many nights.


PHILADELPHIA 5, HERSHEY 3
Boyd Kane notched a game-high four points (2-2-4) as Philadelphia stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat host Hershey by a 5-3 count before 10,699 fans at the Giant Center.

The Bears took their 3-0 lead on first-period goals by Kyle Wilson, Jay Beagle, and Andrew Joudrey. Defenseman Josef Boumedienne posted a pair of assists, which extended his scoring streak to 16 games, a new AHL season high.

Philadelphia matched the three-goal effort in the second period, receiving a pair of markers from Kane and one from Chad Anderson, his first career AHL goal.

Martin Grenier notched his first of the season for Philadelphia 5:31 into the third stanza, and Jared Ross provided insurance just 37 seconds later.

2008 AHL All-Star Alexandre Picard had a pair of assists in the win, and goaltender Scott Munroe made 29 saves between the pipes.


GRAND RAPIDS 1, MANITOBA 0
Francis Lemieux’s first-period goal stood up as the game’s only scoring, lifting Grand Rapids to a 1-0 victory over visiting Manitoba before a sellout crowd of 10,834 fans at the Van Andel Arena.

Lemieux’s third goal of the season came at 13:46 of the opening stanza and was assisted by Evan McGrath and Jamie Tardif.

Griffins goaltender Adam Berkhoel stopped all 18 shots sent his way for his first shutout of the campaign.

The victory allowed Grand Rapids a split of its two-game weekend set with the Moose, who took a 4-1 win on Friday.


HOUSTON 2, HAMILTON 1 (OT)
Joel Ward’s goal at 2:56 of overtime lifted Houston to a 2-1 road win over Hamilton at the Copps Coliseum.

Erik Reitz and Ryan Hamilton assisted on the game-winner, which moved Houston to 2-0-0-0 on a four-game road swing against North Division foes.

The Bulldogs struck first in regulation on Greg Stewart’s 10th goal of the season late in the second period. Aeros winger Cal Clutterbuck netted an unassisted, shorthanded goal midway through the third to tie it.

Houston goaltender Barry Brust stopped 27 of 28 shots in the victory.


PORTLAND 6, WORCESTER 1
Portland struck for three goals apiece in the first and second periods and cruised to a 6-1 victory over host Worcester at the DCU Center.

Jason King and 2008 AHL All-Star Bobby Ryan paced the Pirates with a goal and two assists each, and a total of six different Portland skaters lit the lamp.

Pirates goaltender Mike McKenna made 30 saves in the win, as Portland wrapped up a seven-game road stretch at 4-2-0-1. The Pirates will play seven of their next eight contests at the Cumberland County Civic Center, beginning on Sunday against Norfolk.

Worcester’s Tom Cavanagh avoided the shutout with a third-period goal, but the Sharks still saw their franchise-record winless skid extend to six games (0-5-1-0). Worcester has scored six goals over its last five games combined.


SYRACUSE 1, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 0
Former Penguin Zenon Konopka’s goal at 13:57 of the third period broke a scoreless deadlock and gave Syracuse a 1-0 win over visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before 6,176 fans at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

Joakim Lindstrom and Adam Pineault assisted on the game’s lone goal, as the Crunch defeated the Penguins for the first time in six tries this season (1-5-0-0).

Crunch goaltender Karl Goehring, another ex-Pen, made 21 saves and earned his first shutout of the season. Syracuse is now three points back of Hamilton for the North Division’s third and final guaranteed playoff spot.