SPRINGFIELD 7, NORFOLK 6
Tyler Spurgeon’s first goal of the season came 12:50 into the third period and finally stood up as the game-winner as Springfield outlasted Norfolk by a 7-6 final in a wild game at the MassMutual Center.
Theo Peckham scored a pair of goals for the Falcons, while Gilbert Brule, Carl Corazzini, Derek Bekar, and Bryan Lerg also found the back of the net. Ryan Potulny chipped in a trio of assists, while Sebastien Bisaillon and Rob Schremp each had two helpers.
Brule and Corazzini tied an AHL single-team record by scoring goals just five seconds apart in the first period. The Worcester IceCats had been the most recent team to achieve the feat, in the third period of a game against Manchester on March 30, 2003.
Six different Admirals found the back of the net, led by a three-point performance (1-2-3) from defenseman Jamie Heward. Paul Szczechura chipped in a goal and a helper.
The teams combined for eight power play goals, as Norfolk went 5-for-9 and Springfield 3-for-8.
TORONTO 3, BINGHAMTON 0
Jeremy Williams scored two goals for the second straight game and added an assist as Toronto took a 3-0 road victory over Binghamton on Friday at the Broome County Arena. Toronto has now won two straight games.
Defenseman Staffan Kronwall also scored for the Marlies, and goaltender Adam Munro made 25 saves to earn his first shutout of the season.
All three of Toronto’s goals on the night came on the power play. Williams made it 1-0 at the 13:35 mark of the first period and extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:28 of the second.
Williams now shows a team-high eight goals on the campaign for Toronto, including the four that he has scored over his last two outings. The 24-year-old scored twice in the Marlies’ 5-2 win at Rochester on Wednesday.
Kronwall added his second goal of the season at 16:52 of the third stanza, with Williams picking up an assist.
Toronto wrapped up a five-game road swing at 2-3-0-0 and will return home to tangle with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday afternoon.
Binghamton suffered its third consecutive shutout. The Senators dropped 3-0 and 9-0 finals to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey, respectively, last weekend.
ALBANY 3, SYRACUSE 1
Mike Angelidis netted a pair of goals as Albany knocked off visiting Syracuse by a 3-1 final at the Times Union Center in the opener of a home-and-home between the in-state rivals.
Angelidis gave the River Rats a 2-0 lead late in the third period, and after Syracuse’s Kris Russell made it 2-1, he sealed the victory with an empty net goal at the 19:57 mark.
Jerome Samson also lit the lamp for Albany, and goaltender Justin Peters earned the victory with 28 saves on 29 shots.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3, GRAND RAPIDS 2 (SO)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton twice rallied from a one-goal deficit and eventually prevailed in a shootout by a 3-2 final over host Grand Rapids before 7,430 fans at Van Andel Arena.
Connor James and Chris Minard scored in regulation for the Penguins, the latter goal coming on the power play to tie the game with 5:29 left in the third period.
The Pens received shootout markers from Janne Pesonen and Mark Letestu, and goaltender Adam Berkhoel – who played for the Griffins last season – made 35 saves through regulation and overtime before stopping all four of Grand Rapids’ shootout attempts.
Darren Helm scored twice in regulation for the Griffins, who are now winless in three straight games (0-2-0-1).
LOWELL 4, HARTFORD 3 (SO)
Rookie defenseman Tyler Eckford scored twice in the shootout – including the game-winner in the sixth round – to give Lowell a 4-3 road win over Hartford at the XL Center.
Jon DiSalvatore scored in regulation and the shootout for the Devils, who also received shootout tallies from Ryan Murphy and Pascal Rheaume.
Lowell built a 3-1 lead by the 5:09 of the third period on goals by Michael Swift, DiSalvatore, and Alexander Vasyunov. But Hartford’s Artem Anisimov made it 3-2 at 13:38 and then tallied the equalizer on the power play with just 6.1 seconds left in regulation.
Anisimov also scored in the shootout for the Wolf Pack, as did Patrick Rissmiller, Tommy Pyatt, and Greg Moore.
Devils goaltender Jeff Frazee emerged with the victory after making 30 saves through the first 65 minutes. Lowell snapped a seven-game winless skid (0-5-1-1).
HERSHEY 5, PHILADELPHIA 2
Kyle Wilson tallied a pair of goals to lead Hershey over Philadelphia by a 5-2 count before 7,005 fans at the Wachovia Spectrum.
Alexandre Giroux posted a goal and an assist for the Bears, while Andrew Gordon and Francois Bouchard added goals.
Goaltender Simeon Varlamov earned the victory with 30 saves for the Bears, who won their fourth straight game and moved within a point of first-place Bridgeport heading into Saturday’s showdown with the Sound Tigers.
Patrick Maroon and Claude Giroux tallied goals for the Phantoms in the losing effort.
PROVIDENCE 3, PORTLAND 2 (SO)
Providence’s Peter Schaefer scored the only shootout goal for either side in the fourth round to give the Bruins a 3-2 win over visiting Portland before 6,279 fans at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Vladimir Sobotka and Byron Bitz scored in regulation for the Bruins, who snapped the Pirates’ winning streak at eight games.
Portland received regulation goals from Felix Schutz and Derek Whitmore, and each assisted on the other’s tally.
The Pirates are now 12-1-1-1 on the season, and two of the three non-wins have come at the hands of Providence.
Bruins goaltender Kevin Regan made 24 saves through the first 65 minutes before stuffing all five of Portland’s shootout tries.
MANCHESTER 4, ROCHESTER 2
Teddy Purcell’s power play goal 2:33 into the third period broke a 2-2 tie and sent Manchester on its way to a 4-2 road win over Rochester at the Blue Cross Arena.
Purcell assisted on rookie Justin Azevedo’s first professional goal, which also came on the power play and opened the game’s scoring at 2:45 of the first period. Viatcheslav Voynov and Andrew Campbell also scored for the Monarchs, the latter going into an empty net in the closing minute.
Monarchs goaltender Jonathan Quick earned the win with 21 saves, helping Manchester post consecutive victories for the first time this season.
Dan Collins netted his first two goals of the season for the Americans, who fell to 0-5-0-1 in their last six contests.
MILWAUKEE 3, IOWA 0
Antii Pihlstrom netted a pair of goals and Drew MacIntyre posted a 27-save shutout as Milwaukee took a 3-0 road win over Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena in the first of a two-game set between the teams.
Ryan Jones also lit the lamp for the Admirals, and Patric Hornqvist chipped in a pair of assists.
The Admirals secured their third consecutive win and improved to 7-1-0-0 in their last eight outings.
The Chops have now dropped consecutive games for just the second time this season.
QUAD CITY 2, CHICAGO 1
Kris Chucko broke a 1-1 tie at 10:26 of the third period to give Quad City a 2-1 win over visiting Chicago at the I Wireless Center.
David Van der Gulik also scored for the Flames, and goaltender Leland Irving secured the victory with 17 saves on 18 shots. Quad City improved to 5-2-0-0 in its last seven games.
Jordan LaVallee initially gave the Wolves a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal 4:49 into the contest, his fourth goal of the season.
Chicago wrapped up a season-high six-game road swing at 4-2-0-0 and returns to Allstate Arena to host Grand Rapids on Saturday night.
MANITOBA 4, SAN ANTONIO 1
Jason Jaffray netted a pair of goals to lead Manitoba over San Antonio by a 4-1 final before 7,659 fans at the MTS Centre.
Alexandre Bolduc netted a shorthanded goal and Mark Cullen also scored for the Moose, who swept their two-game set with the Rampage.
Manitoba goaltender Karl Goehring picked up the victory with 18 saves on 19 shots. The Moose captured their fifth straight victory overall and moved into a tie with Bridgeport for first place overall in the AHL with 28 points (14-3-0-0).
Chad Kolarik netted the lone goal on the night for the Rampage, who dropped their 12th consecutive outing (0-11-0-1).
PEORIA 3, ROCKFORD 1
Peoria scored a goal in each period en route to a 3-1 road win over Rockford at the MetroCentre, propelling the Rivermen into sole possession of second place in the West Division with 21 points (10-6-0-1).
Nicholas Drazenovic and Chris Conner each had a goal and an assist for the Rivermen, while Alexandre Imbeault also scored. Drazenovic scored shorthanded in the first period, Imbeault on the power play in the second, and Conner into an empty net late in the third.
Peoria goaltender Ben Bishop secured the victory with 30 saves on 31 shots.
Jack Skille netted a power play goal in the first period for the IceHogs’ lone score of the evening.
