Bochenski powers Norfolk past Hershey

The Norfolk Admirals avenged Saturday’s loss to Hershey with a 5-4 win at Scope Arena on Wednesday night, with Brandon Bochenski recording a hat trick for the second consecutive game.

Bochenski scored the winning goal with 6:36 to go in regulation and also added an assist for four points on the night, while teammate Martin St. Pierre registered three assists against Hershey for the second game in a row.

Dustin Byfuglien and defenseman Cam Barker tallied the other goals for the Admirals, who play Hershey for the third straight time on Friday. Corey Crawford became the AHL’s first 20-game winner this season by stopping 16 shots on the night.

Matt Hendricks recorded three points (1g, 2a) in the Bears’ loss.

Norfolk closed to within four points of first-place Hershey in the East Division and improved to 17-1-2-0 on home ice this season.

Bochenski is the first AHL player to record hat tricks in consecutive games in nearly four years, since Eric Healey accomplished the feat for the Manchester Monarchs on Feb. 15-17, 2003.


HOUSTON 5, CHICAGO 3
Mattias Weinhandl continues to put points on the board for the Aeros, registering a goal and an assist in Houston’s 5-3 win over Chicago.

Weinhandl has five goals and 11 points in eight games since joining the Aeros on Dec. 14.

Defenseman Erik Reitz also scored a goal and an assist for Houston, which earned its second straight win at Allstate Arena.

Josh Harding backstopped the Aeros in the win, recording 31 saves on 34 shots on the night.

After returning from his NHL recall to the Atlanta Thrashers, Darren Haydar extended his record-breaking scoring streak to 37 games by tallying a pair of goals for the Wolves. Haydar leads the AHL with 76 points on the year.


HARTFORD 4, PROVIDENCE 1
The Wolf Pack scored three goals late in the third period and Al Montoya continued to shut down opponents as Hartford defeated Providence by a score of 4-1.

Dane Byers snapped a 1-1 tie with 4:33 left in regulation to send Montoya (28 saves) to his fifth straight win and propel the Pack into a fifth-place tie in the Atlantic Division while dropping the Bruins to seventh.

Byers and Brad Isbister each had a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack. Rookie Kris Versteeg recorded the lone goal for Providence in the loss.


WORCESTER 5, SPRINGFIELD 3
Mike Iggulden netted a pair of goals and Mathieu Darche and Riley Armstrong each had two assists as Worcester defeated the Springfield Falcons, 5-3, at the DCU Center.

Rookie netminder Thomas Greiss won his fourth consecutive start by stopping 21 of 24 shots for the Sharks, who play their next six games on the road.

Eric Healey scored a pair of goals and added an assist while Norm Milley recorded two assists on the night for Springfield, which has dropped two straight games.


PEORIA 3, OMAHA 2 (OT)
Mike Glumac had a pair of goals and Trent Whitfield played the hero by scoring just 11 seconds into overtime in Peoria’s 3-2 win over division rival Omaha at Carver Arena.

Jon DiSalvatore and defenseman Jeff Woywitka each had a pair of assists for Peoria, which won its third consecutive game.

Chris Beckford-Tseu also won his third straight start for the Rivermen, stopping 21 of 23 Omaha shots on the night.

Carsen Germyn and Cam Cunning tallied for the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights in the loss.

Peoria, which has defeated Omaha 12 straight times over the past two seasons, now trails the second-place Knights by just one point in the West Division.


HAMILTON 4, IOWA 3 (OT)
The Bulldogs scored the final three goals of the game to complete their 4-3 comeback win in overtime at home over the Iowa Stars.

Maxim Lapierre tallied the game winner at 2:29 into the extra frame while teammate Andrei Kostitsyn recorded a goal and an assist and a plus-3 rating for Hamilton, which ended a three-game losing skid.

Scott May, Janos Vas and Mark Fistric registered goals for Iowa in the loss.