ROCHESTER 5, BINGHAMTON 4
2010 AHL All-Star Graham Mink tallied a pair of goals on the night, and Rochester scored four times in the second period en route to a 5-4 road win over Binghamton at the Broome County Arena.
It marked the first multiple-goal game of the season for Mink, who now shows 15 goals and 27 points in 41 games for the Americans this year.
Defenseman Clay Wilson posted a goal and an assist for Rochester, while forwards Michael Duco and Kenndal McArdle also lit the lamp.
2010 AHL All-Star goaltender Alexander Salak (23-8-0) made an AHL season-high 53 saves on 57 shots to pick up the victory in net.
Josh Hennessy scored twice for the Senators, and Zack Smith and Kaspars Daugavins added goals on the night. Binghamton fell to 1-5-0-0 in its last six contests.
ALBANY 7, SPRINGFIELD 6 (OT)
Drayson Bowman tallied his 10th goal of the season at 2:16 of overtime as Albany escaped with a 7-6 win over visiting Springfield on Saturday at the Times Union Center.
The seven goals marked a season high for the River Rats, who snapped a three-game losing skid.
Jerome Samson and Jacob Micflikier each tallied a pair of regulation goals for the River Rats, while Yannick Tifu and Milan Gajic also found the back of the net.
Defensemen Jamie McBain (0-3-3) and Bryan Rodney (0-2-2) each chipped in multiple assists in the winning effort.
Albany built a 6-3 lead by the 6:19 mark of the third period, but Springfield came roaring back to take a standings point out of the night.
Charles Linglet tallied a power play goal at 10:03, Liam Reddox followed just 32 seconds later, and then Reddox tallied the equalizer with 3.4 seconds to play in regulation.
But Albany goaltender Mike Murphy emerged with the victory after making 39 saves between the pipes.
LAKE ERIE 5, ROCKFORD 3
Lake Erie staked itself to a 3-0 lead by the 32-second mark of the second period and held on for a 5-3 win over visiting Rockford at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The Monsters earned a split of their two-game weekend set with the IceHogs and moved a point ahead of Abbotsford for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division.
Lake Erie forward Randy Rowe opened the game’s scoring at 7:55 of the first period, and T.J. Hensick struck less than two minutes later to make it 2-0. Hensick scored again 32 seconds into the second frame, registering his 12th goal of the season.
Matthew Ford and Darren Haydar also tallied goals for Lake Erie, the latter going into an empty net. Haydar finished with three points (1-2-3) on the afternoon, while defenseman Travis Gawryletz chipped in a pair of assists.
Monsters goaltender Billy Sauer only had to make 15 saves to secure the win in net.
Adam Hobson, Pete MacArthur, and Kyle Greentree all scored for the IceHogs, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
HAMILTON 2, TORONTO 1
Mike Glumac tallied a pair of goals early in the second period, and Hamilton hung on for a 2-1 road win over Toronto on Saturday before 5,868 fans at Ricoh Coliseum.
2010 AHL All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban assisted on both goals for the Bulldogs, who extended their season-high winning streak to seven games.
At 34-23-3-4 (75 points) overall, the Bulldogs enjoy a 13-point cushion atop the AHL’s North Division.
Hamilton goaltender Curtis Sanford made 11 saves in the winning effort, as his club enjoyed a 43-12 advantage in shots on goal.
Andre Deveaux scored for the Marlies, who dropped to 1-4-0-2 in their last seven contests.
PORTLAND 4, LOWELL 3 (SO)
Making his first appearance since Jan. 10, Portland goaltender J.P. Lamoureux made 25 saves and denied all four shootout tries against him as the Pirates eked out a 4-3 road shootout win over Lowell before 5,304 fans at Tsongas Arena.
Tyler Ennis and Marc-Andre Gragnani tallied shootout goals for the Pirates, who collected their sixth straight win and moved within three points of Lowell for third place in the Atlantic Division.
After Nick Palmieri gave the Devils a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, Portland built a 3-1 advantage by early in the third frame on the strength of goals by Kyle Rank, Mark Mancari, and Kyle Wanvig.
But Lowell scored twice to tie it, as Nathan Perkovich lit the lamp at 8:39 of the third period and Palmieri followed with his second of the night at 11:59.
Devils goaltender Mike McKenna wound up with 26 saves in the losing effort, as Lowell is now winless in three straight games (0-1-1-1).
HOUSTON 3, GRAND RAPIDS 2
Houston rallied from a 2-0 second-period deficit to claim a 3-2 road win over Grand Rapids on Saturday before 7,034 fans at Van Andel Arena.
Petr Kalus began the Aeros’ comeback at 17:24 of the second period, rookie Cody Almond potted the equalizer on the power play 6:41 into the third frame, and Pete Zingoni scored the game-winner unassisted at the 12:24 mark.
The comeback made a winner of Houston goaltender Barry Brust, who stopped 20 of 22 shots between the pipes. The Aeros improved to 4-1-0-0 in their last five contests.
Francis Pare and Jeremy Williams tallied goals for Grand Rapids.
BRIDGEPORT 6, MANCHESTER 4
Bridgeport’s highest offensive output since Dec. 11 resulted in a 6-4 win over visiting Manchester on Saturday before 5,386 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
The Sound Tigers trailed by a 4-3 count entering the third period but scored three unanswered goals to take the victory. Mark Flood tallied a power play goal at 3:06, Greg Mauldin tallied his team-leading 17th goal of the season at 11:32, and Matt Martin provided insurance at the 13:34 mark.
Mauldin and Jesse Joensuu each finished with a goal and two assists for the Sound Tigers, while Robin Figren, and Trevor Smith (1-1-2) also found the back of the net.
Bridgeport goaltender Martin Biron earned the victory with 27 saves on 31 shots between the pipes.
Justin Azevedo and Bud Holloway each posted a goal and two assists for the Monarchs, who also received tallies from John Zeiler and defenseman David Kolomatis.
Manchester has dropped three straight games in regulation for the first time all season.
PROVIDENCE 5, WORCESTER 3
Providence rallied for a trio of third-period goals to take a 5-3 road win over Worcester on Saturday in front of 6,319 fans at the DCU Center.
The Bruins, who trailed 3-2 entering the final 20 minutes, received the equalizer off the stick of 2010 AHL All-Star Mikko Lehtonen at 6:05 of the third frame, a power play goal.
Trent Whitfield’s second goal of the night put Providence ahead at 12:45, and Lehtonen scored into an empty net with 1:09 to play.
Craig Weller registered a goal and an assist for the P-Bruins, and Brad Marchand chipped in a pair of assists as Providence bounced back from a 3-0 loss to Portland on Friday.
Bruins goaltender Dany Sabourin earned the win with 29 saves in net.
Steven Zalewski (1-1-2), Benn Ferriero, and ex-Bruin T.J. Trevelyan all scored for the Sharks, whose eight-game points streak (7-0-1-0) came to an end.
HARTFORD 5, NORFOLK 1
Derek Couture tallied a pair of goals as Hartford collected a 5-1 road win over Norfolk on Saturday, earning a split of the teams’ two-game weekend set at the Scope.
The Admirals grabbed an early 1-0 lead when Justin Keller scored 3:17 into the contest, but Couture tied it up just 37 seconds later.
It was all Wolf Pack from that point. Justin Soryal put Hartford up for good at 18:32 of the first period, and Couture’s second tally of the night provided insurance 5:03 into the second frame.
Dane Byers and Kenny Roche also scored for the Wolf Pack, while Corey Locke and defenseman Corey Potter each chipped in three assists on the night.
Hartford goaltender Matt Zaba earned the victory with 33 saves on 34 shots between the pipes.
Norfolk suffered its first regulation loss since Jan. 16 and watched its nine-game points streak (7-0-1-1) come to an end.
SYRACUSE 5, ADIRONDACK 0
Syracuse matched an AHL season high by tallying five goals in the third period en route to a 5-0 win over visiting Adirondack on Saturday before 6,149 fans at the Onondaga County War Memorial.
Jared Aulin and defenseman Jonathan Sigalet each scored twice for the Crunch, and Alexandre Picard recorded a goal and an assist in the winning effort. Mike Radja chipped in a pair of assists on the night.
The Crunch matched the five third-period goals scored by Binghamton on Nov. 28 in a 5-0 victory over Rochester.
Goaltender Kevin Lalande earned the shutout with 22 saves in net for Syracuse, which extended its winning steak to six games and improved to 11-4-0-1 in its last 16 contests.
TEXAS 5, PEORIA 0
Texas scored on five of its 15 shots, and goaltender Matt Climie pitched a 41-save shutout as the Stars claimed a 5-0 win over visiting Peoria on Saturday before 5,529 fans at the Cedar Park Center.
Mathieu Beaudoin paced the Stars’ offensive attack with a goal and two assists on the night. Travis Morin posted a goal and a helper, while Raymond Sawada, Sergei Korostin, and Mathieu Tousignant also lit the lamp.
Scott McCulloch contributed two assists for Texas, which halted a brief two-game losing skid and earned a split of its two-game set with the Rivermen this weekend.
Peoria suffered its first shutout since a 1-0 blanking at the hands of Houston on Nov. 18.
MANITOBA 4, SAN ANTONIO 3 (SO)
Manitoba converted on all three of its shootout tries and prevailed over San Antonio by a 4-3 count on Saturday before 8,800 fans at the MTS Centre.
Marco Rosa, Dan Sexton, and Michael Grabner all tallied shootout goals for the Moose, who extended the game beyond regulation when Guillaume Desbiens tied it at 3-3 with 6:07 to play in regulation.
Desbiens registered a pair of goals on the night, and forward Nikita Kashirsky also scored for Manitoba.
Moose goaltender Cory Schneider secured the win with 23 saves on 26 shots in net.
Chad Kolarik, Kyle Turris, and Matt Watkins potted regulation goals for the Rampage, and Turris scored in the shootout. San Antonio is now 3-1-0-2 thus far on its 14-game road trip, which continues next weekend with a pair of games in Peoria and one in Milwaukee.
