Sunday roundup: Locke sends ‘Pack to OT win

Sunday’s AHL Boxscores

HARTFORD 3, MANCHESTER 2 (OT)
Corey Locke capped a three-point effort by scoring at 4:59 of overtime to lift Hartford past first-place Manchester by a 3-2 count on Sunday at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack earned their fourth win in five games and moved to 6-6-0-0 overall.

Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti picked up the lone assist on Locke’s team-leading eighth goal of the season and second game-winner.

The Wolf Pack took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by defenseman Ilkka Heikkinen and Sanguinetti, with Locke earning an assist on both.

But the Monarchs, who entered on a six-game winning streak, tied it in the second frame when Viacheslav Voynov and Richard Clune scored just 1:41 apart.

Hartford goaltender Chad Johnson shut the door after that and finished with 33 saves in the victory.

WORCESTER 4, SPRINGFIELD 1
Worcester continued its solid start to the season with a 4-1 win over visiting Springfield at the DCU Center on Sunday.

The Sharks took the lead just 37 seconds after the opening face-off when Andrew Desjardins converted a shorthanded opportunity, and Matt Jones made it 2-0 with a power play goal at 19:13.

Springfield’s Charles Linglet and Worcester’s Steven Zalewski exchanged shorthanded tallies in the second period, and Dan DaSilva closed the game’s scoring with an empty-netter for the Sharks late in the third.

Rookie goaltender Tyson Sexsmith made 14 saves in net for Worcester, which improved to 4-0-0-0 this season following a loss and 7-3-0-1 overall.

HAMILTON 5, PEORIA 2
A four-goal third period kept Hamilton perfect in regulation this season with a 5-2 win over visiting Peoria at Copps Coliseum.

The game was deadlocked at 1-1 entering the third period, but the Bulldogs received goals from Brock Trotter (2:44), Mathieu Darche (13:12), J.T. Wyman, and Shawn Belle (18:06 during the final 20 minutes. Derek Armstrong notched the Rivermen’s lone goal of the frame.

Darche initially gave Hamilton a 1-0 lead with a power play goal in the first period, but Nicholas Drazenovic tied it for Peoria nine minutes into the second. Rivermen rookie Lars Eller picked up two assists in the loss.

Defenseman P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber each earned two helpers for the Bulldogs, and goaltender Curtis Sanford made 26 saves in net.

At 7-0-1-3, Hamilton remains the AHL’s only team yet to suffer a regulation loss.

ABBOTSFORD 2, LAKE ERIE 1
Abbotsford wrapped up a six-game road trip with a 2-1 road win over Lake Erie on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena. The Heat finished 3-3-0-0 on the trip, winning the last three games after dropping the first three.

Colin Stuart netted a first-period goal for the Heat, and Mikael Backlund made it 2-0 in the second period.

Monsters forward David Marshall scored his second goal in as many days with 3:45 to play in regulation, spoiling the shutout bid of Abbotsford goaltender Leland Irving.

Irving wound up with 26 saves in the winning effort and improved to 6-3-1 on the campaign.

TORONTO 4, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 2
Toronto struck for a pair of third-period goals and doubled up visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday at Ricoh Coliseum.

Viktor Stalberg racked up two goals and two assists for the Marlies, and rookie Christian Hanson, who began the afternoon’s scoring in the opening period, netted the game-winning tally at 14:02 of the third.

Mike Zigomanis registered three assists in the win, giving him 10 helpers in just five games since joining the Marlies. Toronto goaltender James Reimer made 34 saves on 36 shots to earn the victory.

Tim Wallace and Ryan Bayda notched goals for the Penguins, each time tying the game after Toronto had taken a one-goal lead.

PROVIDENCE 4, BRIDGEPORT 3
Defenseman Jeff Penner registered a goal and two assists as Providence took a 4-3 win over visiting Bridgeport at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Jordan Knackstedt and Jeff LoVecchio each had a goal and a helper for the Bruins, and defenseman Alain Goulet also lit the lamp. Zach Hamill chipped in a trio of assists.

Bruins goaltender Dany Sabourin made 37 saves in net, helping his club snap a four-game winless skid (0-3-1-0).

Trevor Smith, Greg Mauldin, and Pascal Morency collected goals for the Sound Tigers. Morency, who entered the afternoon having totaled two goals in 68 career AHL contests, scored shorthanded in the game’s closing seconds.

ADIRONDACK 5, SYRACUSE 0
Johan Backlund made 20 saves for his first shutout and Adirondack scored a season-high five goals en route to a 5-0 win over visiting Syracuse at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Jon Matsumoto led the way with two goals and an assist for the Phantoms, who had totaled five scores in their previous three games and were coming off a 3-0 loss at Toronto on Friday.

Jason Ward posted a goal and an assist, while Garrett Klotz and Ryan Dingle rounded out the Phantoms’ scoring. Jared Ross and Matt Clackson each chipped in a pair of assists.

The Crunch were blanked for the second time in three games and fell to 1-5-0-1 on the road this season.

CHICAGO 3, ROCKFORD 1
Chris Chelios scored his first career AHL goal late in the third period, and Chicago went on to post a 3-1 win over Rockford at Allstate Arena on Sunday.

A veteran of more than 1,600 NHL games, Chelios broke a 1-1 tie with a power play marker with 4:07 left to play in regulation, giving him five points (1-4-5) in five games since joining the Wolves.

Tim Stapleton and Jason Krog – just reassigned by parent-club Atlanta – earned assists on the game-winner, and Arturs Kulda sealed the victory with a late empty-netter.

Joey Crabb also scored for the Wolves, and goaltender Drew MacIntyre picked up the win with 22 saves in net.

Bryan Bickell notched the IceHogs’ lone goal of the contest.

TEXAS 3, HOUSTON 1
Texas collected its third win in as many days on Sunday with a 3-1 triumph over in-state rival Houston at the Cedar Park Center.

After a scoreless first period, the Stars took a 2-0 lead in the second on goals by Travis Morin at 7:55 and Greg Rallo at 10:04. Brandon Rogers put the Aeros on the board just 1:09 after Rallo’s marker.

Neither side scored again until ex-Aero Mathieu Beaudoin bagged an empty-netter for the Stars in the game’s closing seconds.

Goaltender Matt Climie, another former Aero, earned the victory with 27 saves in net. Climie has surrendered just eight goals on 181 shots (.956) this season for the Stars, who extended their points streak to five games (4-0-0-1).