AHL Quick Hits: Monarchs host Falcons in key clash

For Immediate Release
March 21, 2008


LOOKING BACK:
In Thursday’s AHL action, Jannik Hansen tallied a goal and three assists as Manitoba posted its eighth straight win, a 4-2 decision over San Antonio… Anton Khudobin made 26 saves for his first career AHL shutout in Houston’s 1-0 win over Chicago… On Wednesday, P.A. Parenteau’s overtime goal pushed Hartford past Philadelphia, 5-4.

Wed 3/19
SYRACUSE 3, Hamilton 1
ALBANY 6, Hershey 2
Toronto 2, GRAND RAPIDS 1
HARTFORD 5, Philadelphia 4 (OT)
Providence 7, NORFOLK 0
SPRINGFIELD 4, Manchester 3
WORCESTER 4, Bridgeport 2
W-B/SCRANTON 3, Lowell 1
Quad City 3, HOUSTON 2
MANITOBA 3, San Antonio 2

Thu 3/20
Rochester 5, LAKE ERIE 4 (OT)
HOUSTON 1, Chicago 0
MANITOBA 4, San Antonio 2


LOOKING AHEAD:
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes its franchise record-tying nine-game winning streak into weekend games against division-rival Albany and league-leading Providence… The Penguins, who also won nine in a row from Dec. 15-Jan. 2, sit three points up on the River Rats in the East Division and just one point in back of Philadelphia for first place… Tim Brent leads the Pens with 52 points this season (15-37-52), while Kurtis McLean paces the active roster with 21 goals, including a team-record eight game-winners… Jonathan Filewich has a point in five of his last six games (1-6-7) for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton… Rookie goaltender John Curry, who has won eight straight starts, is tied with Albany’s Michael Leighton for the league lead in GAA (2.04)… River Rats forwards Jamie Johnson (2-1-3) and Pat Dwyer (1-2-3) are both coming off three-point efforts in Wednesday’s 6-2 win over Hershey.

Milwaukee, winners of six straight overall and five straight at home, hosts Iowa on Friday before traveling to Rockford on Saturday… Cal O’Reilly ranks third in the AHL with 71 points (14-57-71) on the season, including six points in his last three games… Matt Ellison has a team-high 21 goals, including five in his last five outings… Janne Niskala leads all AHL defensemen with 18 goals (18-22-40)… Two-time AHL All-Star Pekka Rinne has played in 60 of Milwaukee’s 67 games and leads the league with 33 wins (33-23-2)… Tobias Stephan has appeared in 53 of Iowa’s last 60 games, and ranks second in the AHL to Rinne in minutes played… Konstantin Pushkarev boasts an eight-game scoring streak (5-8-13) for the Stars, who are 5-2-1-0 in that span… Iowa rookie Tommy Wandell has a point in five straight (2-5-7).

Toronto can clinch a spot in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs as soon as Saturday night if it can put together a home-and-home sweep of provincial rival Hamilton this weekend… The Marlies have won three straight on the heels of a five-game losing skid, and have taken six of nine from the Bulldogs on the year… Colin Murphy boasts a four-game scoring streak (1-4-5) for Toronto, which lost Alex Foster and Staffan Kronwall to recall by the parent Maple Leafs this week… David Ling leads the Marlies with 50 points (12-38-50)… Scott Clemmensen is 4-2-0 (1.51, .944) against Hamilton this season… Corey Locke has a team-high 22 goals, 32 assists and 54 points for the Bulldogs, who have dropped seven straight… Duncan Milroy leads all scorers on both sides with seven points in the season series with Toronto.

(all times Eastern)
Fri 3/21
Springfield @ Portland, 7:05
Bridgeport @ Worcester, 7:05
Hartford @ Philadelphia, 7:05
Providence @ Binghamton, 7:05
Albany @ W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Lowell @ Norfolk, 7:15
Toronto @ Hamilton, 7:30
Grand Rapids @ Rochester, 7:35
Iowa @ Milwaukee, 8:00
Lake Erie @ Peoria, 8:00
Quad City @ Rockford, 8:30
Chicago @ Houston, 8:35

Sat 3/22
Hartford @ Springfield, 7:00
Philadelphia @ Hershey, 7:00
Hamilton @ Toronto, 7:00
Manchester @ Portland, 7:05
Albany @ Worcester, 7:05
Providence @ W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Rochester @ Binghamton, 7:05
Lowell @ Norfolk, 7:15
Grand Rapids @ Syracuse, 8:00
Iowa @ Peoria, 8:00
Chicago @ San Antonio, 8:00
Milwaukee @ Rockford, 8:05
Lake Erie @ Quad City, 8:05

Sun 3/23
Springfield @ Manchester, 4:05
Lowell @ Hershey, 5:00
Houston @ San Antonio, 6:00

Mon 3/24
Rockford @ Milwaukee, 8:00

Tue 3/25
Manitoba @ Lake Erie, 7:00
Peoria @ Houston, 8:05


ALUMNI WATCH:
On Thursday, two-time AHL All-Star Peter Harrold scored his second career NHL goal in Los Angeles’ 6-5 shootout win over Phoenix… 2007 Calder Cup champion Andrei Kostitsyn posted a goal and an assist as Montreal doubled up Boston, 4-2… Thomas Vanek, a member of the AHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2004-05, tallied a natural hat trick in the third period to lead Buffalo to a 7-4 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday.


AHL CHAT ROOM:
Providence Bruins center and team captain Nate Thompson will enter the AHL Chat Room on Tuesday, Mar. 25, to answer fans’ questions… Visit theahl.com for more details.


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.