CHARLOTTE 5, NORFOLK 3
Riley Nash netted a hat trick as the Charlotte Checkers upended the Norfolk Admirals 5-3 in both teams’ preseason opener at Norfolk Scope Arena on Friday night.
Nash scored two third-period goals – including the eventual game-winner just 0:19 into the frame. Norfolk’s Matt Fornataro had cut Norfolk’s deficit to one goal with a shorthanded breakaway goal with 3:06 left in regulation. However, Nash cemented the victory just under a minute later with an insurance tally.
After a scoreless first period, Nash opened scoring in the game 1:11 into the second period. The second period also saw Zack Boychuk and Oskar Osala score for Charlotte while Stefano Giliati and Vladimir Mihalik tallied for Norfolk.
Jaroslav Janus (25 shots, 21 saves) took the loss and played the entire game for Norfolk. Bobby Goepfert (12 shots, 10 saves) earned the win for Charlotte after entering the game in the middle of the second period and playing 24:54. Mike Murphy (17 shots, 16 saves) did not receive a decision after playing the opening 32:02 for the Checkers.
The teams will now travel to Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, NC, for a second exhibition game on Sunday. The puck will drop for that game at 1:30 p.m.
TORONTO 7, ROCHESTER 3
The Toronto Marlies defeated the Rochester Americans, 7-3, in AHL preseason action in Bradford, Ont., on Friday night. Though the score indicates a landslide, this game was a lot closer than once might think.
The two teams exchanged both goals and the lead through the first 40 minutes of play. Rochester opened the scoring on a goal by Michal Repik, and Maple Leafs draft pick Mikhail Stefanovich’s tying goal being the last scored in the first two frames to tie the game at 3 goals apiece. As the Marlies entered the third period, the ice began to tilt in their favour as Marcel Mueller, Stefanovich, Drew Paris and Kyle Rank would all score.
The Maple Leafs’ sixth-round selection in 2009 and 2010 World Junior Championship gold medal winner Jerry D’Amigo collided knee-on-knee with the Amerks’ Eric Selleck during the final period. Though helped to the dressing room, D’Amigo would later appear to sign autographs for the 700 fans in attendance with no visible signs of pain.
James Reimer, who is yet to lose in regulation to the Rochester Americans, was the winning goaltender, and Marcel Mueller’s three-point effort (two goals, one assist) would earn him the first star. Stefanovich also scored a pair of goals for the Toronto Marlies, and Etobicoke native Dale Mitchell scored one and assisted on a couple more.
HARTFORD 5, BRIDGEPORT 1
Hartford scored five times in the third period and skated off with a 5-1 win over Bridgeport on Friday at Quinnipiac University’s TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Conn.
Ryan Garlock and Kelsey Tessier each recorded a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack, while Marc-Olivier Vallerand, Bretton Cameron, and Brendan Connolly also scored in the victory. All five goals were scored at even strength.
Wolf Pack forward Brandon Wong, coming off a stellar four-year college career at Quinnipiac, went scoreless but finished plus-1 in his return to Hamden.
Chad Johnson earned the victory in the Hartford net with 20 saves on 21 shots, surrendering only a third-period goal to Sound Tigers forward Anton Kharin.
WORCESTER 2, SPRINGFIELD 1
A pair of second-period goals stood up as Worcester escaped with a 2-1 road win over Springfield on Friday in preseason action at the MassMutual Center.
Sharks forward Steven Zalewski netted a power play goal 6:40 into the middle frame to make it a 1-0 game, and Garet Hunt followed at even strength 6:09 later. Cory McGillis put Springfield on the board at 5:21 of the third period, but the Falcons could not get the equalizer.
Goaltender Alex Stalock, coming off an outstanding rookie season in 2009-10, stopped all 21 shots he faced over two periods for the Sharks, and Carter Hutton turned aside eight of nine shots in the final frame.
MILWAUKEE 3, ROCKFORD 2 (SO)
Milwaukee earned a 3-2 road shootout win over Rockford on Friday in preseason action at the MetroCentre.
All four goals were scored in the second period, with Milwaukee bookending the scoring.
Early in the second period Milwaukee converted on the power play. IceHogs goaltender Alec Richards fended off a Chris Mueller blast but Wes Cunningham fired the rebound to the back of the net to put Milwaukee up 1-0. Michael Bartlett also factored in on the play at 1:56.
The IceHogs responded with a power-play goal of their own to tie it up at 1-1. Ben Smith pounded home a Ryan Stanton blast from the point at 9:44 in the second period. Chris DiDomenico was also credited with a helper.
Peter Leblanc gave the IceHogs a brief lead at the 13:09 mark when he drove to the net and chipped in his own rebound past Jeremy Smith. Brian Connelly and Ivan Vishnevskiy had the assists.
Milwaukee came back 29 seconds later and tied it up at 2-2. Richards couldn’t cover a loose puck in the IceHogs zone and Conner Shields slapped it to the back of the net.
After Jeff Taffe tallied for Rockford in round one of the shootout, Smith held Rockford off the board the rest of the way. Chris Mueller (round two) and Mark Van Guilder (round four) beat Richards as the Admirals out did Rockford 2-1 in the shootout.
CHICAGO 3, PEORIA 2
The Peoria Rivermen and Chicago Wolves won’t meet until the end of November during the regular season but met in an exhibition matchup at the Hoffman Estates Park District Ice Arena on Friday night. The Wolves used a strong special-teams performance to edge the Rivermen 3-2 in a game in which Peoria outshot Chicago 35-23.
Jared Allen made his Rivermen debut in goal and made 20 saves while Peter Mannino (23/24) and Chris Corrozzi (10/11) combined for the win.
The Wolves scored the only goal of the first period just 14 seconds into a four minute Rivermen power play, as Mike Siklenka beat Allen at 13:33.
T.J. Hensick tied the game briefly at 5:08 of the second frame. After Dean Arsene hit a streaking Hensick with a 50-foot pass, Hensick fooled Mannino with a shot along the ice. The Wolves responded with a power-play marker from Darren Haydar at 7:48 and scored the eventual game-winner at 9:57 of the second on an Andre Deveaux shot from the point.
Adam Cracknell put the Rivermen back within one with only 5:36 left in regulation, with Hensick and Evans assisting on the play.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 4, HERSHEY 3 (SO)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender John Curry denied all four shootout attempts by Hershey as the Penguins eked out a 4-3 win over the arch-rival Bears in preseason action at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday.
Keven Veilleux and Nick Petersen notched shootout goals for the Penguins, who earned their first preseason victory after consecutive losses to Syracuse earlier in the week.
The Pens jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Nick Johnson and Nick Petersen, but Hershey’s Brian Willsie and Kyle Greentree scored in the second to make it a 2-2 game after 40 minutes.
Chris Collins regained Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead with a power play goal 10:31 into the third period, only to see defenseman Zach Miskovic knot it up once more with an unassisted, shorthanded goal 2:15 later.
Curry finished with 25 saves on 28 shots through regulation and overtime.
ALBANY 2, ADIRONDACK 1
David McIntyre scored 4:30 into overtime to lift the Albany Devils past Adirondack by a 2-1 count on Friday at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
The game was scoreless through the first two periods before Phantoms defenseman Luke Pither snapped the deadlock at 2:06 of the third period, with assists going to Dan Jancevski and Cullen Eddy.
Devils forward Michael Swift tied it on the power play just 2:01 later, and the game remained 1-1 until McIntyre’s heroics in the extra session.
Defenseman Tyler Eckford assisted on both Albany goals, and netminder Jeff Frazee picked up the victory with 29 saves on 30 shots in net.
Phantoms goaltender Brian Stewart took the loss despite making 27 saves on 29 shots.
MANITOBA 3, ABBOTSFORD 2
Manitoba struck for three goals in the first 11:33 of action and then held on for a 3-2 preseason win over visiting Abbotsford at the MTS Centre.
Shawn Weller (7:51), Matt Pope (9:53), and Jordan Schroeder (11:33) provided the Moose’s early offensive attack, with the latter two goals coming on the power play. Pope, Weller, and Schroeder each added an assist on the night.
The Heat clawed back into it in the second period, though, as J.D. Watt scored at 7:12 and Giffen Nyren followed on the power play at the 18:27 mark.
Neither team scored in the third period, however, despite Abbotsford holding a 14-2 edge in shots on goal during the frame.
Moose goaltender Tyler Weiman earned the victory with 29 saves on 31 shots, while Abbotsford’s Matt Keetley took the loss with 17 saves on 20 shots.
