AHL Quick Hits: Bears, Monsters clash in Cleveland

LOOKING BACK:
On Tuesday night, 2008 AHL All-Star Alexandre Picard scored the decisive shootout goal and netminder Brian Boucher made 43 saves as Philadelphia edged Syracuse, 4-3… Adrian Foster had a goal and three assists and Peter Olvecky scored twice to lead Houston past Peoria, 7-1… Brad Moran posted two goals and an assist as Manitoba doubled up Iowa, 6-3.

Mon 2/11
No games scheduled

Tue 2/12
PHILADELPHIA 4, Syracuse 3 (SO)
Houston 7, PEORIA 1
MANITOBA 6, Iowa 3


LOOKING AHEAD:
Atlantic Division rivals kick off a home-and-home set on Wednesday as Springfield heads down Interstate 91 to visit Hartford at the XL Center… The Falcons are riding a three-game winning streak but are winless in three trips to Hartford this season (0-2-0-1)… 2008 AHL All-Star Rob Schremp, Edmonton’s first-round draft pick in 2004, leads Springfield with 46 points (12-34-46) in 49 games… Marc Pouliot has a three-game scoring streak (3-2-5) and a team-high 15 goals for the season (15-17-32)… Second-year pro Patrick Thoresen ranks second on the Falcons with 13 goals in 25 games and has also skated in 17 NHL games with the Oilers this season… The Wolf Pack are 10-1-2-1 in their last 14 games, with the only regulation loss coming at Springfield on Jan. 18… Hartford captain Andrew Hutchinson has eight points in his last five games (4-4-8) and now leads all AHL defensemen in scoring with 41 points… Miika Wiikman ranks third in the AHL with a 2.08 GAA (13-4-2).

Chicago takes its four-game winning streak into a clash with Houston at the Allstate Arena on Wednesday… The Wolves’ surge has pushed them into first place in the West Division, two points ahead of Rockford with five games in hand… AHL leading scorer Jason Krog (24-48-72) boasts a seven-game scoring streak (4-8-12) for Chicago, and he has found the scoresheet in 23 of his last 26 games… Two-time AHL All-Star Brett Sterling’s 24 goals are tied with Krog for the team lead, and Jesse Schultz has a team-high five points (1-4-5) in two games against Houston this season… Ondrej Pavelec (18-8-0) has stopped 51 of 52 shots (.981) over his last two games, and his 18 wins are tied for the most among AHL rookies… Houston is playing the finale of a six-game road trip (4-1-0-0)… Adrian Foster leads the Aeros with 32 points (13-19-32) after posting four points on Tuesday at Peoria… Barry Brust, who made 27 saves in Tuesday’s victory, is 4-0-1 in his last five decisions.

Two of the most storied cities in AHL history meet again on Thursday when the Hershey Bears visit Cleveland to face the Lake Erie Monsters… Both towns can boast nine Calder Cup championships since the old Cleveland Barons won their first in 1939… Reigning Rbk/AHL Player of the Week Andrew Gordon had seven points in three games last week, and netted a hat trick in Hershey’s 6-4 win over Lake Erie on Jan. 12… Two-time AHL All-Star Joe Motzko paces the Hershey offense with 18 goals and 38 points… Bears goaltender Daren Machesney is 10-1-1 in his last 12 decisions and ranks second in the league with a .926 save percentage… The Monsters, 5-1-3-1 in their last 10, are led in scoring by rookie David Jones (14-15-29), but he is scoreless in three straight games following a 10-game scoring streak… Fellow rookie Chris Stewart, Colorado’s first-round draft pick in 2006, has a team-high 15 goals and ranks second with 27 points.

(all times Eastern)
Wed 2/13
Springfield @ Hartford, 7:00
Binghamton @ Albany, 7:00
Manchester @ Providence, 7:05
W-B/Scranton @ Norfolk, 7:15
Worcester @ Bridgeport, 7:30
Toronto @ Hamilton, 7:30
Houston @ Chicago, 8:00
Iowa @ Manitoba, 8:30

Thu 2/14
Hershey @ Lake Erie, 7:00
Chicago @ Milwaukee, 8:00


ALUMNI WATCH:
In Tuesday’s action, 2008 AHL All-Star Jeff Tambellini added his first NHL goal of the season to his AHL-leading 28 tallies in the N.Y. Islanders’ 4-3 win over Philadelphia… 2007 AHL All-Star Clarke MacArthur posted a goal and an assist and 2005 AHL All-Rookie forward Thomas Vanek netted a hat trick as Buffalo dropped Ottawa, 5-1.


BY THE NUMBERS:
0.67 — Albany goaltender Michael Leighton’s goals-against average in three games against Binghamton this season, all wins… The River Rats and Senators, tied for fourth in the East Division, meet on Wednesday in Albany.


AHL ON B2 NETWORKS:
B2 Networks brings AHL action to your computer all season long with live video webcasts of every AHL game… Visit theahl.com for details.