With his father in attendance all the way from Slovakia, Peter Budaj made an AHL season-high 50 saves as Hershey posted a 5-0 win over Norfolk on Sunday evening.
Carl Corazzini scored twice and Andre Savage had three assists for the Bears, but the story was Budaj, who recorded his second shutout of the season with 14 saves in the first period, 15 in the second and 21 in the third.
The 22-year-old Budaj improved to 8-9-0 on the year with the win, as Hershey moved to within two points of fifth-place Bridgeport in the East Division.
Elsewhere on Sunday:
Lawrence Nycholat had two assists for Hartford in a 3-2 win over Bridgeport… Yanick Lehoux took over the AHL scoring lead with a goal and an assist in Manchester’s 2-1 victory over Portland… Tomas Kurka scored in the opening minute of the third period, providing the final margin in Providence’s 3-2 win over Lowell… Denis Hamel had two goals and an assist and Jason Spezza added three assists as Binghamton beat Albany, 6-2… Ben Simon racked up two goals and an assist and Kari Lehtonen turned aside 45 shots as Chicago handed Milwaukee a 6-2 setback… Ilya Bryzgalov made 24 saves as Cincinnati held off Grand Rapids, 2-1… Kris Beech registered a goal and two assists as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton beat Philadelphia, 5-2.
