BRIDGEPORT 4, ALBANY 3
Jeff Tambellini netted a hat trick, including the game-winning goal, to lead Bridgeport past visiting Albany by a 4-3 score on Sunday at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Tambellini scored a goal of each variety in the win – even strength, power play, and shorthanded. A first-round draft pick in 2004, he now leads the Sound Tigers with 11 goals and 25 points in 23 games.
Tambellini’s third goal came at 16:30 of the third period, breaking a 3-3 tie and sending Bridgeport to the victory.
Coincidentally, the hat trick was Tambellini’s first in exactly one calendar year. His last three-goal game came in a 6-4 win over Lowell on Dec. 16, 2006.
Darryl Bootland also scored for the Sound Tigers, and Ben Walter chipped in with a pair of assists.
Bridgeport goaltender Mike Morrison earned the victory with 23 saves, improving to 7-5-0 on the campaign.
Jerome Samson scored a pair of goals for the River Rats, and defenseman Joey Mormina notched his first tally of the season.
WORCESTER 5, MANCHESTER 1
Rookie forward T.J. Fox netted a pair of goals and added an assist as Worcester completed a perfect weekend with a 5-1 road win over Manchester at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
The three-point effort was Fox’s first multiple-point showing as a professional.
The Sharks went 3-0-0-0 on their first three-in-three stretch of the season and moved back over .500 at 11-10-1-2.
Tom Walsh, Riley Armstrong, and Lukas Kaspar also scored for Worcester, and rookie goaltender Taylor Dakers stopped 28 of 29 shots in net.
Trevor Lewis netted a goal for the Monarchs.
PORTLAND 1, SPRINGFIELD 0
Ryan Carter’s shorthanded goal at 1:06 of the third period was the game’s only scoring and gave Portland a 1-0 win over visiting Springfield at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
Bruno St. Jacques picked up the goal’s lone assist, helping the Pirates sweep their two-game set against the Falcons and move to 4-1-0-0 in their last five games.
Goaltender Gerald Coleman (5-5-0) made 25 saves to earn his second shutout of the season.
Springfield netminder Jeff Deslauriers stopped 27 of 28 shots in the losing effort.
PROVIDENCE 4, HOUSTON 1
David Krejci scored a pair of goals to help league-leading Providence to a 4-1 victory over Houston at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Matt Hunwick and Matt Hendricks also scored for the Bruins, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 23-4-2-0 on the season.
Rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask picked up the win with 22 saves on 23 shots in his first game since being reassigned from parent-club Boston.
Defenseman Paul Albers scored for the Aeros, who finished a four-game New England swing at 1-2-0-1.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3, PHILADELPHIA 2
Kurtis McLean’s goal with 1:09 left in regulation lifted Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 3-2 road victory over Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center.
The Penguins finished 2-1-0-0 on a three-game weekend, all away from home.
Chris Minard and Mark Ardelan also netted goals for the Penguins, and Tim Brent notched a pair of helpers.
Rookie goaltender David Brown picked up his first career AHL victory with 27 saves on 29 shots.
Ryan Parent and Steve Downie scored for the Phantoms, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
SAN ANTONIO 4, ROCKFORD 3 (SO)
Joey Tenute and Brendan Bell each scored in regulation and added a shootout goal as San Antonio prevailed over visiting Rockford, 4-3, at the AT&T Center.
Bill Thomas netted a pair of regulation goals for the Rampage, who moved to 5-3-1-0 on an 11-game homestand.
San Antonio goaltender David LeNeveu stopped 27 of 30 shots through regulation and overtime, and he denied all three Rockford attempts in the shootout.
Michael Blunden tallied a goal and a helper for the IceHogs, who also received goals from Troy Brouwer and Jordan Hendry.
Blunden’s goal came with 58 seconds left in the third period, sending the game to overtime and giving Rockford a standings point for a 10th straight game (7-0-0-3).
