Friday’s Boxscores
HARTFORD 6, NORFOLK 2
Hartford converted on four of six power plays and cruised to a 6-2 win over visiting Norfolk on Friday at the XL Center.
Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson notched a game-high five points (1-4-5) for the Wolf Pack and now has 14 points in his last seven contests (6-8-14). Hartford, which sits second in the Atlantic Division, is 16-3-2-2 over its last 23 games.
Lauri Korpikoski netted a pair of goals for the Wolf Pack, giving the second-year North American pro five goals in his last three contests (5-0-5).
Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau had a goal and two assists, while Artem Anisimov and Greg Moore rounded out the Hartford offense.
Wolf Pack goaltender Miika Wiikman secured the victory with 16 saves. Hartford held a final shots advantage of 41-18.
Blair Jones and Rob Klinkhammer lit the lamp for Norfolk. Admirals goaltender Marc Denis picked up the lone assist on Jones’ goal after giving the second-year pro a strong outlet pass on the right wing.
BINGHAMTON 3, PHILADELPHIA 2 (SO)
Josh Hennessy tied the game with 1:44 left in regulation and added a shootout marker to lift Binghamton over host Philadelphia, 3-2, before 9,755 fans at the Wachovia Spectrum.
Niko Dimitrakos provided the decisive shootout marker for the Senators, scoring in the seventh round. Binghamton captain Denis Hamel also lit the lamp in regulation.
Sens goaltender Brian Elliott made 36 saves through regulation and overtime, and denied six of seven Phantoms in the shootout.
The Phantoms received regulation goals from Lars Jonsson and Kyle Greentree, while Darren Reid netted their lone shootout marker.
PORTLAND 6, LOWELL 3
Portland scored three times in the third period to pull away with a 6-3 victory over visiting Lowell at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
With the score tied 3-3 entering the final 20 minutes, the Pirates received goals in the stanza from Stephen Dixon, Michal Birner, and Simon Ferguson, with the latter going into an empty net.
Geoff Platt, Tyler Bouck, and Bruno St. Jacques also scored for the Pirates, while Jason King, Drew Miller, Brian Salcido, and Bobby Ryan each chipped in a pair of assists.
Portland netminder Mike McKenna stopped 23 of 26 shots in the victory.
Barry Tallackson netted a pair of goals for the Devils, and Benoit Mondou also scored.
BRIDGEPORT 3, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 2
Rookie Trevor Smith broke a 2-2 tie with 3:01 left in regulation, giving Bridgeport a critical 3-2 victory over host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the Wachovia Arena.
Smith now has a nine-game scoring streak (6-5-11) for the Sound Tigers, who pulled within three points of the Penguins for the East Division’s final playoff spot.
Bridgeport’s Ben Walter and Tim Jackman also netted goals in the contest, while Mark Wotton posted a pair of helpers. Goaltender Joey MacDonald picked up the win with 35 saves on 37 shots.
Nathan Smith and Kurtis McLean scored for the Penguins, who have lost three of their last four.
IOWA 6, HAMILTON 0
Six different skaters lit the lamp, and goaltender Tobias Stephan made 23 saves for his AHL-leading sixth shutout of the season as Iowa cooled off Hamilton with a 6-0 road victory at Copps Coliseum.
James Neal paced the Stars with three points (1-2-3), while Trevor Byrne and Marty Sertich notched a goal and an assist apiece. Iowa went 2-for-3 on the power play.
Stephan improved his season record to an even 21-21-2. Four of his six shutouts were recorded in the month of February.
The loss ended Hamilton’s points streak at eight games (7-0-1-0).
ALBANY 4, SPRINGFIELD 3
Pat Dwyer’s shorthanded goal at 6:09 of the third period lifted Albany to a 4-3 victory over host Springfield at the MassMutual Center.
The Falcons initially took a 2-0 lead on a pair of power play goals by Viacheslav Trukhno and Grant Potulny.
But the River Rats scored three times in the third period to take a 3-2 advantage. Kiel McLeod and Marc Cavosie each tallied their first AHL goals since the 2005-06 season, when both were with Philadelphia, and Jamie Johnson also scored.
Springfield’s Stephane Goulet tied it with a power play goal early in the third, setting the stage for Dwyer’s game-winner.
River Rats goaltender Justin Peters made 28 saves in the victory, which was Albany’s season-high fifth in a row.
SYRACUSE 2, TORONTO 1 (OT)
Duvie Westcott’s first AHL goal since the 2002-03 campaign came at 3:58 of overtime and sent Syracuse to a 3-2 victory over visiting Toronto at the Onondaga County War Memorial.
The Crunch took a 1-0 lead in the first period on Derek Dorsett’s seventh goal of the campaign. The lead would hold up until the Marlies’ Peter Tsimikalis scored at 7:58 of the third.
Westcott’s overtime winner was assisted by Derick Brassard and goaltender Karl Goehring.
Goehring earned the victory with 32 saves on 33 shots.
PROVIDENCE 3, MILWAUKEE 1
Providence netted a goal in each period on its way to a 3-1 victory over host Milwaukee at the Bradley Center in the first of a five-game swing through the West Division.
Aaron Slattengren, Nate Thompson, and Wacey Rabbit scored for the B’s, and Matt Lashoff chipped in a pair of assists.
Admirals defenseman Alexander Sulzer put his club on the board with a power play goal at 7:31 of the third period, ending Providence goaltender Tuukka Rask’s shutout bid.
Rask finished with 13 saves on the night, helping the league-leading Bruins to their fourth consecutive victory.
GRAND RAPIDS 4, PEORIA 2
In his first game back following an NHL stint with Detroit, defenseman Kyle Quincey notched the eventual game-winner as Grand Rapids doubled up host Peoria, 4-2, at the Carver Arena.
Quincey scored at 5:12 of the third period to give the Griffins a 3-1 advantage. After Peoria’s Trent Whitfield netted a power play goal at 15:12 to make it a one-score game, Griffins center Mark Cullen sealed the victory with an empty-netter in the closing seconds.
Ryan Oulahen and Carl Corazzini also scored for Grand Rapids, and 2008 AHL All-Star goaltender Jimmy Howard matched a season high with 41 saves between the pipes.
Julian Talbot netted the Rivermen’s other goal. Peoria finished 1-9-0-1 for the month of February.
SAN ANTONIO 3, CHICAGO 2 (SO)
Mike Zigomanis netted both San Antonio goals in regulation, and the Rampage went on to a 3-2 shootout win over visiting Chicago at the AT&T Center.
The teams alternated goals through regulation. Chicago’s Colin Stuart started the scoring with an unassisted, shorthanded goal 5:44 into the contest, but Zigomanis tied it at 6:23 of the second.
After Jesse Schultz put the Wolves back on top midway through the third, Zigomanis tallied the equalizer again at 15:00. Matt Murley assisted on both of Zigomanis’ markers.
Zigomanis also scored in the shootout for the Rampage, as did Brendan Bell. Goaltender Al Montoya made 22 saves in his debut for San Antonio and denied all four Chicago shootout attempts.
Wolves goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made 40 saves in the losing effort.
WORCESTER 2, MANCHESTER 1
Tom Cavanagh’s goal at 3:35 of the third period proved to be the difference as Worcester eked out a 2-1 victory over visiting Manchester before 7,048 fans at the DCU Center.
Derek Joslin also scored for the Sharks, and J.D. Forrest assisted on both goals. Worcester moved within five points of Manchester for fifth place in the Atlantic Division and nine back of Springfield for fourth.
Sharks goaltender Thomas Greiss earned the victory with 28 saves on 29 shots.
The Monarchs initially took a 1-0 lead at 10:59 of the second period on defenseman Jeff Likens’ first goal of the season, a power play marker.
LAKE ERIE 7, ROCKFORD 4
Brent Kelly notched a hat trick and Wyatt Smith tallied a game-high four points (2-2-4) as visiting Lake Erie rolled over Rockford by a 7-4 count at the MetroCentre.
Rookie T.J. Hensick posted a goal and an assist for the Monsters in his second game back after a month-long stint in the NHL with Colorado.
Eric Healey also scored for the Monsters, and Brad Richardson contributed three assists in the victory. Monsters goaltender Mike Wall earned the win with 25 saves, helping Lake Erie snap a three-game losing streak.
Derek Nesbitt paced the IceHogs with two goals and an assist, while Kris Versteeg and Bryan Bickell also lit the lamp.
