📝 With files from Patrick Williams
Here is a look at Friday’s action around the AHL:
IOWA 4, GRAND RAPIDS 0
Jesper Wallstedt recorded 24 saves for his first AHL shutout as the Wild won their season-high fourth consecutive game. Nic Petan posted a goal and two assists while Steven Fogarty, Nick Swaney and Sammy Walker each had a goal and an assist. Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves in his fifth consecutive start for Grand Rapids.
HERSHEY 5, SPRINGFIELD 3
Ethen Frank’s third two-goal effort in his past eight games helped send the Bears past the Thunderbirds at Giant Center. Hershey outshot Springfield 18-4 in the opening period and scored three times in a 2:59 span to take a 3-0 lead. Joe Snively, Beck Malenstyn and former Thunderbird Henrik Borgstrom also tallied for the Bears, while Logan Day and Mike Sgarbossa contributed a pair of assists each. Brady Lyle and Mathias Laferriere had a goal and an assist for Springfield. The Bears finished the first half of their schedule at 24-8-3-1, their best start since 2009-10.
SYRACUSE 7, LAVAL 3
Simon Ryfors tallied an AHL career-high four points with a goal and three assists as the Crunch ended a five-game winless streak with a win over the Rocket. Philippe Myers also had three assists, Alex Barré-Boulet and Shawn Element supplied a goal and an assist apiece, and Syracuse went 3-for-4 on the power play in the contest. Alex Belzile and Rem Pitlick each provided a goal and an assist for Laval.
CLEVELAND 2, BELLEVILLE 1
Josh Dunne’s second goal of the night broke a 1-1 tie with 7:31 left in regulation as the Monsters slipped past the Senators at CAA Arena. Pavel Cajan made 32 saves for Cleveland, which concludes a six-game road stretch with a visit to Laval tonight. Mads Sogaard stopped 27 shots for Belleville and Scott Sabourin tied his career high with his 12th goal of the season.
BRIDGEPORT 4, LEHIGH VALLEY 3 (OT)
Aatu Raty scored 2:36 into overtime as the Islanders ended an 11-game winless streak with a victory over the host Phantoms. Otto Koivula scored the tying goal on a third-period power play after Bridgeport entered the third final frame down 3-2. Tyson Foerster scored twice and Jackson Cates once for Lehigh Valley, which has earned a point in four straight games (2-0-1-1).
PROVIDENCE 3, UTICA 2
Marc McLaughlin and Justin Brazeau scored 51 seconds apart early in the third period to snap a 1-1 tie and propel the Bruins to victory, ending the Comets’ 12-game point streak. Jakub Lauko also scored for Providence and Brandon Bussi made 35 saves. Tyce Thompson and Graeme Clarke had the goals for Utica, which lost in regulation for the first time since Dec. 14. Nico Daws posted 34 saves in the loss.
ROCKFORD 2, COLORADO 1 (OT)
Cole Guttman’s one-timer with 1:23 to go in overtime finished a comeback win for the IceHogs in their first-ever meeting with the Eagles. Spencer Smallman gave Colorado a 1-0 lead 8:16 into the game, and it held up until Brett Seney finally got Rockford on the board with 10:48 to go in regulation. Dylan Wells (21 saves) won for the sixth time in his past seven decisions for the IceHogs, while Justus Annunen made 22 stops for Colorado.
COACHELLA VALLEY 5, BAKERSFIELD 4 (OT)
Captain Max McCormick scored 45 seconds into overtime as the Firebirds fought off a late Condors rally to win at Acrisure Arena. Bakersfield scored twice in the third period, with Carter Savoie tying the game with just 20.6 seconds to play. Jesper Froden scored twice and Christopher Gibson finished with 34 saves for Coachella Valley, which is 9-0-0-1 in its last 10 games and a league-best 24-6-3-1 (.765) overall.
HENDERSON 3, CALGARY 1
Jiri Patera stopped 36 of 37 shots from the AHL’s league-leading offense to backstop the Silver Knights to victory over the Wranglers at Dollar Loan Center. Jonas Rondbjerg and Jake Bischoff gave Henderson a 2-0 lead before Connor Zary countered for Calgary in the second period. Rookie Brendan Brisson had two assists, and Spencer Foo secured the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute. Oskar Dansk had 27 saves for the Wranglers, who lost in regulation for only the fourth time in 27 games (22-4-1-0).
ONTARIO 3, SAN DIEGO 1
Martin Chromiak scored the go-ahead goal 5:14 into the third period and the Reign overcame a 35-save performance from Lukas Dostal to knock off the Gulls. Tyrell Goulbourne scored in his AHL season debut for Ontario and Jacob Moverare finished with a goal and an assist as the Reign outshot their hosts, 38-18. Michael Del Zotto scored a shorthanded goal for the only San Diego offense. The teams meet again tonight in Ontario.
MANITOBA 1, TORONTO 1 (susp., end 1st)
The game between the Moose and Marlies was suspended following a spectator medical emergency inside Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mikhail Abramov had scored for Toronto, and Alex Limoges answered for Manitoba. The game will be completed at a later date.
TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams has been on the American Hockey League beat for nearly two decades for outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, The Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM! Sports, and was most recently the co-host of The Hockey News On The ‘A’ podcast. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2016.
