SPRINGFIELD 6, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3
Chad Wiseman set an AHL season high with six points – including four goals and two assists – as Springfield rolled into the All-Star break with a 6-3 win over visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday at the MassMutual Center.
Wiseman, who entered the night with 24 points (9-15-24) in 33 games this season, eclipsed the five points in a game achieved by three players in the league this season, most recently Hershey’s Alexandre Giroux on Friday. His four goals tied a league season high originally established by Lowell’s Tim Sestito on Oct. 17 at Worcester.
Wiseman tallied one goal in the first period, two more in the second to give the Falcons the lead for good, and capped off his afternoon with an empty-net marker late in the third frame.
2010 AHL All-Star Charles Linglet racked up four points (1-3-4) in the win, and Liam Reddox (1-1-2) also found the back of the net. Goaltender Jean-Philippe Levasseur earned the win with 34 saves between the pipes.
The Falcons, who captured a 5-2 win at Binghamton on Saturday, have won back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 15-18.
Eric Tangradi, Chris Conner (1-1-2), and 2010 AHL All-Star Dustin Jeffrey (1-1-2) each scored for the Penguins, who enter the All-Star break on a season-high four-game losing skid.
WORCESTER 4, BRIDGEPORT 2
Second-year forward Jamie McGinn put up a goal and two assists as Worcester doubled up Bridgeport by a 4-2 count on Sunday at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
2010 AHL All-Stars Logan Couture (1-1-2) and Danny Groulx (0-3-3) combined for five points on the afternoon for the Sharks, while Steven Zalewski (1-1-2) and rookie Cory Quirk also found the back of the net.
Couture enters the break atop the AHL’s rookie scoring list with 42 points (16-26-42) in 31 games, and he leads the entire AHL with eight game-winning goals on the campaign.
The Sharks head into the All-Star break 18-4-1-1 in their last 24 games and in second place in the Atlantic Division, two points back of Manchester for the top spot.
Worcester goaltender Alex Stalock, also a 2010 AHL All-Star, made 30 saves on 32 shots to pick up his league-leading 23rd victory of the season (23-10-1).
Sean Bentivoglio and Greg Mauldin notched goals for the Sound Tigers, who are now winless in four straight outings (0-2-1-1).
MANCHESTER 4, HARTFORD 1
Manchester struck for three goals before the game was 11 minutes old and cruised to a 4-1 win over visiting Hartford on Sunday at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Rookie Corey Elkins put the Monarchs on top for good just 36 seconds after the opening face-off, and then Tom Cavanagh and John Zeiler scored 17 seconds apart midway through the period.
Jordan Owens put the Wolf Pack on the board before the opening frame was out, and it remained a 3-1 game until Bud Holloway restored Manchester’s three-goal advantage 1:04 into the third period.
Monarchs All-Star goaltender Jonathan Bernier (18-10-4) picked up the win with 35 saves on 36 shots, helping his club snap its brief two-game losing skid.
CHICAGO 3, PEORIA 1
Chicago rolled into the All-Star break on a season-high six-game winning streak after taking a 3-1 decision over visiting Peoria on Sunday before 6,912 fans at Allstate Arena.
Matt Anderson and Tim Stapleton each posted a goal and an assist for the Wolves, with Stapleton’s marker 19 seconds into the second period standing up as the game-winner.
Kevin Doell also lit the lamp in the victory, and Chicago goaltender Peter Mannino stopped 31 of 32 shots in net.
Adam Cracknell netted the Rivermen’s lone goal of the contest, as Peoria’s modest two-game winning streak was halted.
ROCKFORD 4, GRAND RAPIDS 3
Jake Dowell broke a 3-3 deadlock at 10:02 of the third period, and Rockford held on for a 4-3 road win over Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena.
2010 AHL All-Stars Mark Cullen and Jack Skille each tallied a goal for the IceHogs, and Kyle Greentree registered scored unassisted for his 15th marker of the season.
IceHogs goaltender Joe Fallon stopped 27 of 30 shots in the winning effort. Rockford heads into the All-Star break riding a five-game points streak (4-0-0-1).
Defenseman Jakub Kindl posted a goal and an assist for the Griffins, while Michael Nylander and Kris Newbury also found the back of the net.
Grand Rapids fell to 3-10-0-0 in its last 13 contests.
SAN ANTONIO 5, CHICAGO 2
San Antonio skated into the All-Star break on a high note with a 5-2 win over visiting Toronto on Sunday at the AT&T Center.
The Rampage fell behind 1-0 but then scored three consecutive goals to take control of the game. Ryan Hollweg, Chad Kolarik, and Sean Zimmerman did the honors for San Antonio, and then 2010 AHL All-Star Sean Sullivan and Mikkel Boedker followed with third-period marker.
Rampage goaltender Justin Pogge, who spent much of the last three seasons with the Marlies, defeated his old team with 29 saves between the pipes.
Ashton Rome and Greg Scott scored for struggling Toronto, which is now winless in seven consecutive outings (0-5-2-0).
ALBANY 4, PROVIDENCE 1
Albany forward Jacob Micflikier tallied a hat trick as the River Rats wrapped up the weekend with a 4-1 road win over Providence before 7,257 fans at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Jerome Samson put the River Rats on top 1-0 with a goal 11:43 into the opening period. Micflikier made it a 2-0 game at 5:40 of the second frame and scored again early in the third.
After Jeff LoVecchio put the Bruins on the board midway through the period, Micflikier tallied a power play goal at 13:15 to complete his hat trick.
Defenseman Jamie McBain registered three assists in the victory, which was Albany’s fourth in its last five games (4-1-0-0). 2010 AHL All-Star goaltender Justin Peters stopped 29 of 30 shots between the pipes.
The Bruins fell back under the .500 mark for the season at 20-21-3-0.
HERSHEY 4, SYRACUSE 3
The AHL’s best team rode into the All-Star break after a perfect weekend, as Hershey edged visiting Syracuse by a 4-3 count before 9,588 fans at the Giant Center.
The Bears swept their three games this weekend and are 15-1-0-0 in their last 16 outings overall. Hershey is a league-best 32-9-0-2 (66 points) for the season and holds a 16-point lead on second-place Albany in the East Division.
Keith Aucoin (1-1-2) and Alexandre Giroux both tallied goals for the Bears, and the pair will enter this week’s AHL All-Star Classic each riding 11-game scoring streaks.
Chris Bourque (1-1-2) and Kyle Wilson also scored in the victory, and rookie goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 16 of 19 shots between the pipes.
The Crunch, who were also playing their third game in as many nights, received goals from Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman, Derek MacKenzie, and Maksim Mayorov.
