Saturday’s AHL Boxscores II Mirabito Outdoor Classic roundup
PEORIA 5, GRAND RAPIDS 3
After spotting their hosts a 3-0 lead, Peoria scored five times in the second period – including three goals in 75 seconds – en route to a 5-3 win over Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena on Saturday.
Rookie Brett Sonne scored twice for the Rivermen, who halted a five-game losing skid and collected just their second in their last 11 contests (2-7-0-2).
Prior to Saturday, Sonne had tallied two goals in his previous 26 games and six in 51 tilts on the season
Chris Porter and Cam Paddock each registered a goal and an assist for Peoria, and goaltender Hannu Toivonen made 13 of his 27 saves in the third period to preserve the victory.
Jamie Tardif and Logan Pyett had a goal and an assist each and Cory Emmerton tallied a goal for the Griffins, who have lost 14 of their last 16 home games.
TORONTO 2, MANITOBA 0
Viktor Stalberg and Kyle Calder scored first-period goals and James Reimer made 31 saves for his first career AHL shutout as Toronto blanked Manitoba, 2-0, at Ricoh Coliseum.
Reimer improved to 8-2-1 in 12 AHL appearances this season, with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.
Stalberg opened the scoring 4:50 into the game with his 12th goal of the season, and Calder added his sixth on a power play with 2:14 left in the first period.
Reimer finished with seven saves in the first, 13 in the second and 11 in the third.
Daren Machesney (30 saves) took the loss for the Moose, who fell to the Marlies for the third time in eight days.
ALBANY 2, ADIRONDACK 1
Jerome Samson recorded a goal and an assist as Albany continued its dominance over its Northway rivals with a 2-1 win over visiting Adirondack on Saturday.
The River Rats are 7-1-1-0 against the Phantoms this season with three meetings remaining.
Samson assisted on Zach Boychuk‘s goal in the first period, then snapped a 1-1 tie early in the second. Albany’s leading scorer, Samson now has 24 goals and 23 assists in 56 games on the year.
Justin Peters made 30 saves for his 20th win of the year.
Coming off a three-point night on Friday, David Laliberte scored the only Adirondack goal of the game. John Grahame (2-10-0) made 22 saves in defeat.
ABBOTSFORD 1, BRIDGEPORT 0
Keith Seabrook snapped a scoreless tie with 1:38 left in regulation to send Abbotsford to a 1-0 win over Bridgeport at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Matt Keetley earned his second shutout of the year with 23 saves, including a stop of a Greg Mauldin shorthanded breakaway moments before Seabrook’s winning goal.
The Heat moved to 4-1-0-0 on their nine-game road trip, which continues Sunday in Providence.
Scott Munroe stopped 31 of 32 shots for the Sound Tigers.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 1, LOWELL 0
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Luca Caputi broke a scoreless tie at 5:49 of the third period, and the Penguins went on to a 1-0 road win over Lowell at Tsongas Arena.
Caputi’s team-leading 22nd goal of the season, which came on the power play, was assisted by Nick Johnson and Mark Letestu.
Rookie goaltender Brad Thiessen made 24 saves to pick up his second shutout in his last three appearances and help the Penguins to their season-high fifth straight win.
The Devils were shutout for the fourth time in their last 12 games and dropped to 3-6-1-2 in that span.
MANCHESTER 4, PROVIDENCE 0
Goaltender Jonathan Bernier made 40 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season as Manchester took a 4-0 decision from visiting Providence before 9,007 fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday.
Bernier (24-15-5) made 30 of his 40 stops over the second and third periods as the Bruins tried to get back into the game.
Richard Clune registered a goal and an assist for the Monarchs, Marc-Andre Cliche scored shorthanded, and Dwight King rounded out Manchester’s offense. Defenseman Drew Bagnall chipped in two assists.
The Monarchs collected the shutout just one night after being blanked themselves by a 5-0 final in Lowell.
Providence has now been shut out in each of its last four clashes with Manchester since a 5-4 win over the Monarchs on Nov. 22.
HERSHEY 4, LAKE ERIE 1
Hershey tied an American Hockey League record on Saturday with its 19th consecutive home win, a 4-1 decision over Lake Erie before 10,695 fans at the Giant Center.
The Bears, who have not lost at home since a 5-4 shootout setback to Adirondack on Nov. 28, tied the record previously held by the 1996-97 Philadelphia Phantoms. Hershey can break the mark on Sunday when it hosts Albany.
Andrew Joudrey (1-1-2), Oskar Osala, Jay Beagle, and Andrew Gordon all scored for the Bears, while Kyle Wilson contributed two helpers.
Hershey goaltender Jason Bacashihua earned the victory against his former team, stopping 24 of 25 shots between the pipes.
Brian Willsie notched a power play goal for the Monsters’ lone score.
HARTFORD 4, WORCESTER 2
Hartford struck for a trio of first-period goals and held on for a 4-2 win over visiting Worcester at the XL Center on Saturday.
Dale Weise scored twice for the Wolf Pack, who also received markers from Derek Couture and Corey Locke. Weise’s shorthanded goal at 9:13 of the first period held up as the game-winner.
Hartford goaltender Matt Zaba made 31 saves on 33 shots, surrendering late third-period goals to Worcester’s Dwight Helminen and Cory Quirk.
The Wolf Pack improved to 4-0-0-0 this season against the first-place Sharks, whose four-game winning streak overall came to an end.
PORTLAND 4, ROCHESTER 3
Portland set a new franchise record with its 11th straight win, rallying for a 4-3 road decision over Rochester at the Blue Cross Arena on Saturday.
The Pirates spotted the Amerks a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Jamie Johnson and defenseman Clay Wilson but evened up when Felix Schutz and Philip Gogulla scored power play goals in the second frame.
Shawn Matthias restored Rochester’s one-goal edge late in the second period, only to watch Gogulla tie it up once more 2:15 into the third. That set the stage for Portland’s Derek Whitmore to score the eventual game-winner at 6:17.
Defenseman T.J. Brennan recorded three assists for the Pirates, and goaltender Jhonas Enroth earned the win with 23 saves in net.
Portland, which has not lost since Jan. 23, will square off for a rematch with the Americans on Sunday afternoon.
NORFOLK 3, SPRINGFIELD 2 (SO)
Juraj Simek broke through in the sixth round of a shootout to give Norfolk a 3-2 win over Springfield and a sweep of their two-game weekend set with the Falcons.
Springfield’s Chris Minard and Norfolk’s Mark Parrish traded tallies in the shootout’s first round, and neither side scored again until Simek’s conversion.
Ty Wishart and Brandon Bochenski notched regulation goals for the Admirals, who moved to 13-2-1-1 since the All-Star break and remained two points back of Albany for second place in the East Division race.
Admirals rookie goaltender Dustin Tokarski earned the win, stopping 30 shots through the first 65 minutes before turning aside five more in the shootout.
Charles Linglet tallied both regulation goals for the Falcons, who participated in their first shootout since Nov. 28.
CHICAGO 7, HOUSTON 1
Chicago matched an AHL season high with six first-period goals on its way to a 7-1 win over visiting Houston before 14,104 fans at Allstate Arena.
The West Division-leading Wolves extended their winning streak to seven games, their points streak to 13 games (11-0-0-2), and improved to 18-1-0-2 in their last 21 outings.
Defenseman Jamie Hunt scored twice as part of the opening-period onslaught, fellow rearguard Paul Postma posted a goal and an assist, while Spencer Machacek and Matt Anderson also lit the lamp for Chicago.
Machacek tacked on a third-period goal, Kevin Doell chipped in two assists, and Wolves goaltender Drew MacIntyre secured the victory with 31 saves in net.
Defenseman Maxim Noreau notched the lone goal for the Aeros, who have been outscored 12-1 during their current three-game losing streak – their longest skid in regulation since dropping three straight from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
ROCKFORD 3, SAN ANTONIO 2
A night after tallying a hat trick against San Antonio, Matt Keith broke a 2-2 tie in the third period to send the IceHogs to another win over the Rampage, this time a 3-2 decision at the MetroCentre.
The IceHogs trailed 2-1 entering the final 20 minutes before 2010 AHL All-Star Jack Skille scored his second goal of the night, a power play marker, 4:14 into the third frame.
Evan Brophey assisted on that goal and then picked up another helper on Keith’s game-winner at 8:41.
Pete MacArthur also chipped in two assists for Rockford, and goaltender Joe Fallon made 29 saves for his first win since Jan. 30.
The IceHogs collected their third straight triumph overall and remained three points back of first-place Chicago in the West Division.
Kevin Porter and Matt Watkins scored for the Rampage, who have dropped three straight games in regulation for the first time since Jan. 12-15.
