BINGHAMTON 7, SYRACUSE 0
Binghamton matched its season high for goals in a game and continued its dominance of Syracuse with a 7-0 pounding of the visiting Crunch on Friday at the Broome County Arena.
Jim O’Brien, who had a goal and two assists for a game-high three points, was one of seven different Senators to score on the night.
Kaspars Daugavins and Zack Smith each registered a goal and a helper for Binghamton, while Colin Greening, Erik Condra, Bobby Butler, and Roman Wick also found the back of the net.
The Senators burst out to a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes before adding two goals in the second period and one in the first. Binghamton, which entered with the AHL’s fifth-best power play (20.8 percent), finished 3-for-4 on the man advantage.
Mike Hoffman and Corey Locke each recorded two assists in the victory, and goaltender Robin Lehner made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season, both against Syracuse.
It marked Binghamton’s third consecutive shutout over the Crunch overall. Barry Brust made 33 saves in a 4-0 win at Syracuse on Nov. 17, and Lehner stopped 33 shots in a 5-0 home-ice triumph on Nov. 7.
Syracuse’s lone victory in the season series came in the club’s first meeting, a 2-1 victory at the Onondaga County War Memorial on Oct. 16.
The Senators now have a point in four straight games (3-0-0-1), while the Crunch dropped their third straight outing.
SPRINGFIELD 6, BRIDGEPORT 3
Dane Byers scored twice and added an assist as Springfield doubled up host Bridgeport by a 6-3 count on Friday at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Rookie defenseman John Moore joined Byers in posting a season-high three points (1-2-3) for the Falcons (14-14-1-1), who have now won back-to-back games for the first time since sweeping a home-and-home set from Connecticut on Oct. 29 and 30.
Rookie defenseman David Savard netted his first pro goals in the victory, and the Falcons also got goals from forward Chris D’Alvise and rearguard Jonathan Sigalet en route to their highest offensive output since a 6-2 win over Portland on Oct. 22.
Trevor Frischmon chipped in two assists, and Springfield goaltender Gustaf Wesslau stopped 30 of 33 shots between the pipes.
Josh Bailey (1-1-2), Jeremy Colliton, and Michael Haley scored for the Sound Tigers, whose four-game points streak (3-0-0-1) was halted.
PEORIA 5, GRAND RAPIDS 2
Anthony Peluso entered the night with two goals in 40 career AHL games but doubled his total with a pair of markers as Peoria stayed red-hot with a 5-2 road win over Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena.
The Rivermen extended their points streak to 11 consecutive games (9-0-2-0) and have not suffered a regulation loss since a 3-1 setback to San Antonio on Nov. 17.
T.J. Hensick and veteran defenseman Dean Arsene each had a goal and an assist for Peoria, and Derek Nesbitt rounded out the Rivermen’s scoring with the eventual game-winning marker.
Nicholas Drazenovic chipped in two helpers, and rookie goaltender Jake Allen improved to 10-2-0 on the campaign with 26 saves on 28 shots.
Francis Pare recorded both goals for the Griffins, who will travel to Peoria on Saturday seeking revenge in the back end of the teams’ home-and-home set.
CONNECTICUT 3, WORCESTER 2
Chad Kolarik lit the lamp with just 30 seconds left in overtime as Connecticut ran its winning streak to six games with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over visiting Worcester at the XL Center on Friday.
The Whale, who started the season 6-11-2-2, now have a point in 10 straight games (8-0-0-2) since a 4-3 loss at Hershey on Nov. 21 and moved within two points of Worcester for third place in the Atlantic Division race.
Rookie Kelsey Tessier put Connecticut on top 5:40 into the contest, but the Sharks struck twice for a 2-1 advantage. Defenseman Matt Irwin scored on the power play in the closing seconds of the first period, and Brandon Mashinter notched an unassisted marker at 7:13 of the second.
But Whale forward Jeremy Williams netted his team-leading 16th goal of the season late in the second frame, and neither side scored in the third.
Goaltender Chad Johnson picked up the win with 28 saves in net for the Whale, who have Saturday off before visiting Syracuse on Sunday.
MANCHESTER 4, PORTLAND 3
Third-year pro Bud Holloway netted his first career AHL hat trick as Manchester edged visiting Portland, 4-3, on Friday at the Verizon Wireless Arena in the front end of a home-and-home set.
Holloway scored a pair of goals before the game was three minutes old and then completed his hat trick late in the second period. The 22-year-old now shows nine goals on the season and took over the team lead with 22 points in 31 contests.
Andrei Loktionov netted what turned out to be the game-winning goal shorthanded early in the third period for the Monarchs, who snapped a two-game losing skid and moved two points up on Portland for first place in the Atlantic Division race.
Monarchs goaltender Jeff Zatkoff turned aside 32 of 35 shots in the winning effort.
Mark Mancari notched his team-best 13th goal of the season for the Pirates, who also received markers from Marc-Andre Gragnani and Matt Ellis. Rookie Luke Adam assisted on all three goals in his first game back in Portland following an NHL stint with parent-club Buffalo.
The Pirates, who will host Manchester in a rematch Saturday, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 5, ABBOTSFORD 2
Reigning Reebok/AHL Player of the Week Eric Tangradi stayed red-hot with two more goals as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton collected a 5-2 win over Abbotsford on Friday, sweeping the Heat’s two-game visit to Mohegan Sun Arena this week.
The 21-year-old Tangradi boasts eight goals and 11 points in his last six games for the Penguins. A second-year pro, Tangradi now has 12 goals (12-5-17) on the season after totaling 17 markers in 65 games as a rookie for Wilkes-Barre in 2009-10.
Joe Vitale had a game-high three points (1-2-3) on the night, and Dustin Jeffrey, fresh off an NHL call-up to Pittsburgh, recorded a goal and a helper to give himself 32 points (14-18-32) in 26 games for the year.
Brett Sterling rounded out Wilkes-Barre’s scoring; Nick Johnson and defenseman Steve Wagner each collected two assists; and goaltender Brad Thiessen earned the victory with 30 saves in net.
The Penguins improved their AHL-best record to 23-6-0-0, which includes a perfect 8-0-0-0 mark against non-East Division opponents.
Jon Rheault and rookie Greg Nemisz scored for the Heat, who will conclude their four-game road trip on Saturday at Adirondack.
CHARLOTTE 6, PROVIDENCE 2
Charlotte continued its winning ways on the road and kept Providence skidding at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Friday with a 6-2 victory over the Bruins.
Oskar Osala scored twice to give himself nine points (4-5-9) in his last six games, and the Checkers also got goals from rookies Riley Nash and Zac Dalpe along with Chris Terry and Brett Sutter. Jerome Samson contributed a pair of assists.
Goaltender Justin Pogge made 28 saves in net for the Checkers, who collected their sixth straight road win and improved to 10-2-0-1 in their last 13 games overall.
Charlotte still has road games against Binghamton and Hershey remaining on the weekend.
David Ling and Brian McGrattan each scored for the Bruins, who fell to 2-7-0-0 in their last nine games overall and dropped to 3-11-1-1 on home ice this season, compared with an 8-2-1-0 mark on the road.
HAMILTON 3, OKLAHOMA CITY 0
Hamilton scored once in each period and opened up a four-game southern road trip on a positive note with a 3-0 victory over Oklahoma City on Friday at the Cox Convention Center.
Bulldogs goaltender Curtis Sanford made 22 of his 29 saves over the final two period and secured his first shutout of the season, also marking Hamilton’s first whitewash as a team in 2010-11.
Ben Maxwell, Dustin Boyd, and David Desharnais each tallied goals for the Bulldogs, with Boyd’s goal marking his first in the AHL this season after being reassigned by parent-club Montreal.
Hamilton won for the third time in its last four games (3-1-0-0) and still has stops in Texas (Saturday), San Antonio (Sunday), and Houston (Tuesday) on this trip prior to the Christmas break.
The Barons were shut out for the first time all season, and forward Alexandre Giroux remained stuck on 599 points for his AHL career.
ALBANY 4, NORFOLK 3 (OT)
Vladimir Zharkov potted his seventh goal of the season 2:19 into overtime as Albany rallied for a much-needed 4-3 overtime win over Norfolk on Friday in the opener of the teams’ two-game set at the Scope.
The Devils overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 in regulation to snap a three-game losing skid and emerge victorious for the first time in three tries vs. Norfolk on the year (1-2-0-0).
Albany received goals in the first and second periods, respectively, from Michael Swift and Tyler Eckford after the Admirals had built a 2-0 first-period advantage.
After Alex Berry put Norfolk back on top at 15:56 of the third frame, Devils forward Matt Anderson notched his team-leading 11th goal of the year to tie it up.
Devils captain Stephen Gionta picked up two assists on the night, and goaltender Jeff Frazee secured the victory with 30 saves on 33 shots.
Despite its fifth overtime loss of the season, the Admirals extended their current points streak to seven games (5-0-2-0) heading into Saturday’s rematch with the Devils.
ADIRONDACK 3, HERSHEY 1
Denis Hamel tallied the 299th and 300th goals of his impressive AHL career as Adirondack rallied for a 3-1 win over visiting Hershey on Friday at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
In just his 19th game with the club, Hamel became the first member of the Phantoms to reach 10 goals for the season (10-7-17) and helped Adirondack snap a three-game losing skid.
Adirondack rookie Shane Harper’s first goal of the year turned out to be the game-winner, and goaltender Nic Riopel stopped 25 of 26 shots to pick up the victory in net.
Brian Willsie notched a first-period power play goal for the Bears’ lone score of the night, and Keith Aucoin assisted on the play in his first game action since Nov. 7 at Charlotte. Aucoin had missed 16 contests due to injury.
Hershey has now dropped consecutive games for the first time since losing to Binghamton and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Nov. 19 and 20.
ROCHESTER 2, TORONTO 0
Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for his first career AHL shutout on Friday as Rochester edged visiting Toronto by a 2-0 count at the Blue Cross Arena.
Markstrom, a second-round draft pick by the Florida Panthers in 2008, turned aside 13 shots in the opening period and then seven apiece in the second and third frames en route to his 10th victory of the season (10-12-0).
Rookie A.J. Jenks provided all the offense Markstrom would need when he scored shorthanded 12:56 into the contest, and Jordan Knackstedt added insurance midway through the second frame with his first goal in an Americans uniform after scoring seven times for Providence this season.
The Amerks earned a point for the fifth time in their last six games (3-1-1-1) and will travel to Toronto for a rematch with the Marlies on Saturday afternoon.
Toronto went on a five-game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Dec. 4 but is just 1-4-0-0 in five outings since.\
TEXAS 3, SAN ANTONIO 0
Texas rookie goaltender Richard Bachman made a season-high 41 saves for his third shutout of the year as the Stars blanked division-leading San Antonio by a 3-0 count on Friday at the AT&T Center.
Bachman (10-4-1), whose previous two shutouts this season both came on home ice, withstood a first-period barrage which saw his club face an 18-7 deficit in shots yet emerge with a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard. The 23-year-old then made 12 stops in the second period and 11 more in the third.
Luke Gazdic, Francis Wathier, and Greg Rallo all tallied goals for the Stars, with Rallo’s going into an empty net. Wathier and Rallo each reached the 10-goal plateau on the season, two back of Travis Morin (12-14-26) for the club lead.
The Stars halted a brief two-game losing skid and will take on another first-place team when North-leading Hamilton visits Cedar Park Center on Saturday.
San Antonio suffered its first shutout since suffering a 3-0 loss to the Stars back on Oct. 10 in its second game of the season. Brent Krahn made 27 stops in that tilt for Texas.
MILWAUKEE 3, LAKE ERIE 0
Rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith made 31 saves for his first career AHL shutout to lead Milwaukee past visiting Lake Erie by a 3-0 final on Friday at the Bradley Center.
Smith made 17 of his 31 saves in the second period alone and improved to 5-3-0 for the Admirals this season. He surrendered just one goal in his most recent outing vs. Oklahoma City on Sunday and has now stopped 54 of 55 shots (.982) over his last two appearances.
Ryan Thang, Mark Santorelli, and Jamie Lundmark all netted goals for the Admirals, who earned their fourth shutout as a team this season and extended their current points streak to four games (3-0-1-0).
At 16-8-2-4 for the year, Milwaukee is just three points back of San Antonio for first place in the West Division and one point shy of Peoria for the second spot.
Lake Erie was blanked for the second time in its last four games (1-3-0-0) and for the fourth time overall on the season.
ROCKFORD 3, CHICAGO 2
Rockford built a 2-0 lead by early in the second period and then held on for an important 3-2 win over visiting Chicago on Friday at the MetroCentre.
IceHogs rookie forward Peter LeBlanc scored on the power play 7:03 into the opening period and then assisted on another man-advantage marker by Jeff Taffe at 3:15 of the middle frame.
Matt Davies brought the Wolves within 2-1 midway through the second period, but Rob Klinkhammer restored Rockford’s two-goal advantage at 14:27 of the third stanza. That goal proved decisive when Chicago’s Spencer Machacek scored in the closing minute with Wolves goaltender Peter Mannino off for an extra attacker.
Rockford held on for the victory, though, and brought an end to its three-game winless skid (0-1-1-1). The IceHogs are now nine points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference but still hold multiple games in hand on each team ahead of them.
Chicago dropped back to .500 on the season at 15-15-2-0.
MANITOBA 5, HOUSTON 3
Joel Perrault recorded a season-high three points with a goal and two helpers as Manitoba returned home and posted a 5-3 win over Houston before 7,906 fans at the MTS Centre on Friday.
Perrault assisted on goals by Shawn Weller and defenseman Mark Flood (1-1-2) – who registered his first of the season – before scoring one of his own on the power play 8:50 into the third period.
Former Calder Cup champion Guillaume Desbiens scored in his AHL season debut for the Moose after playing 12 games with parent-club Vancouver this year, and rookie Kevin Connauton rounded out Manitoba’s offense with a last-minute empty-netter.
Rookie goaltender Eddie Lack (9-6-2) earned the victory by making 26 saves on 29 shots for the Moose, who were playing the opener of a six-game homestand following four straight road contests.
Manitoba has now won back-to-back games for the first time since a season-best four-game run from Nov. 5-13.
Cody Almond scored twice and rookie Brandon Buck once for the Aeros, who dropped to 1-3-0-0 on their five-game road trip, which concludes in a rematch with the Moose on Saturday night.
