GRAND RAPIDS 1, QUAD CITY 0 (SO)
Grand Rapids emerged with a 1-0 shootout win over visiting Quad City in a duel of goaltenders before 9,370 fans at Van Andel Arena on Saturday.
The Griffins’ Jimmy Howard made 43 saves through regulation and overtime before going 5-for-5 in the shootout, giving Grand Rapids its league-leading eighth shutout of the season.
After battling to a scoreless draw through 65 minutes, neither side was able to score during the first three shootout rounds.
Griffins rookie Cory Emmerton then finally found twine in the fourth round. Howard denied Quad City’s Jamie Lundmark on the ensuing attempt, sealing the Griffins’ victory.
Flames goaltender Matt Keetley made 34 saves through regulation and overtime and also received credit for a shutout, his second of the campaign.
Grand Rapids enters the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak and five-game points streak (4-0-1-0). At 28-9-6-3 overall, the Griffins already sit just three wins and five points shy of their totals from 2007-08.
ALBANY 3, ROCHESTER 0
Albany goaltender Justin Peters made 23 saves for his second shutout of the season as the River Rats captured a 3-0 win over visiting Rochester at the Times Union Center.
Dwight Helminen posted a goal and an assist for the River Rats, while AHL All-Star Michael Ryan and Jerome Samson also lit the lamp.
Ryan registered his second consecutive game-winning goal and his fourth of the season.
Rochester suffered its second shutout against in its last three games.
PROVIDENCE 3, SPRINGFIELD 1
Vladimir Sobotka tallied a goal and assisted on the game-winner as Providence took a 3-1 road win over Springfield before 6,789 fans at the MassMutual Center.
AHL All-Star defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored a power play goal for the Bruins, and rookie Brad Marchand added an empty-netter in the closing seconds.
Providence goaltender Tuukka Rask earned the victory with 21 saves on 22 shots.
AHL All-Star Ryan Potulny netted the Falcons’ lone goal, and Devan Dubnyk made 35 saves in the losing effort.
PORTLAND 2, BRIDGEPORT 1 (OT)
Mathieu Darche scored 2:24 into overtime to lift Portland over visiting Bridgeport by a 2-1 count on Saturday, giving the Pirates a sweep of the teams’ two-game set at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
After a scoreless opening period, Trevor Smith gave the Sound Tigers a 1-0 lead with a power play marker at 18:59 of the middle frame.
Portland’s Tyler Bouck tied it just 1:46 into the third, and neither side scored for the rest of regulation. Tim Kennedy and Mike Kostka assisted on Darche’s overtime winner.
Pirates rookie goaltender Jhonas Enroth earned the victory with 36 saves on 37 shots.
LOWELL 6, WORCESTER 4
A four-goal second period lifted Lowell over visiting Worcester on Saturday before 5,522 fans at Tsongas Arena.
Rod Pelley scored three times in the middle frame for the Devils, with Barry Tallackson picking up a helper on all three scores.
Ryan Murphy posted a goal and a helper in the win, while Patrick Davis and defenseman Mark Fraser also lit the lamp. Nicklas Bergfors chipped in a pair of assists.
AHL All-Star goaltender Jeff Frazee made 38 saves in the victory, which was Lowell’s third in a row following a three-game skid.
Cory Larose and Patrick Traverse each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, and rookies Matt Fornataro and Jamie McGinn also scored. AHL All-Star Ryan Vesce posted an assist to extend his scoring streak to 13 games (7-13-20).
HERSHEY 2, MANCHESTER 1
AHL All-Star Alexandre Giroux broke a 1-1 tie with his league-leading 36th goal of the season at 9:26 of the third period to give Hershey a 2-1 win over visiting Manchester before 10,649 fans at the Giant Center.
Fellow AHL All-Star Keith Aucoin tallied a power play marker in the first period for the Bears. Giroux assisted on that goal and now has a point in 22 straight games (27-16-43).
Bears goaltender Michal Neuvirth earned the win with 29 saves on 30 shots. Hershey enters the All-Star break with a league-leading 67 points (32-12-0-3).
Defenseman Alec Martinez scored for the Monarchs, who have lost three straight and six of seven (1-6-0-0).
HARTFORD 4, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 1
A three-goal third period lifted Hartford over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by a 4-1 count before 7,017 fans at the XL Center.
AHL All-Star Artem Anisimov snapped a 1-1 tie for the Wolf Pack at 1:37 of the third, and Mike Ouellette followed at the 7:52 mark. Both goals came on the power play.
Greg Moore added an empty-netter in the closing minute, Brodie Dupont and Brian Fahey each chipped in a pair of assists.
Wolf Pack goaltender Miika Wiikman secured the win with 32 saves, upping his season record to 16-14-3.
The Penguins’ Mark Letestu extended his goal-scoring run to give games with a first-period score, initially giving his team a 1-0 lead.
TORONTO 3, CHICAGO 1
Defenseman Staffan Kronwall snapped a 1-1 tie 2:19 into the third period, a goal that held up as the game-winner as Toronto downed visiting Chicago by a 3-1 count at Ricoh Coliseum.
Kyle Rogers and Boyd Devereaux also scored for the Marlies, the latter going into an empty net.
Marlies goaltender Justin Pogge made 21 saves in the victory, which came in Toronto’s first home game since Jan. 3. The Marlies went 2-3-2-2 on a nine-game road swing.
Colin Stuart initially gave the Wolves a 1-0 lead with a power play score just 2:30 into the contest. Chicago dropped consecutive road games this weekend after posting a three-game winning streak.
PHILADELPHIA 3, LAKE ERIE 2
Philadelphia rallied for a pair of third-period goals en route to a 3-2 triumph over visiting Lake Erie in front of 8,278 fans at the Wachovia Spectrum.
The Phantoms trailed 2-1 entering the stanza, but rookie Patrick Maroon tied it at the 10:30 mark. Jonathan Matsumoto assisted on that goal and then tallied the game-winner at 19:41.
John Laliberte initially gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead just 25 seconds after the opening face-off, but Bryan Marshall and defenseman Wes O’Neill responded with second-period scores for the Monsters.
Phantoms goaltender Scott Munroe earned the victory with 30 saves on 32 shots, helping Philadelphia roll into the All-Star break on a 6-1-0-0 run.
HAMILTON 5, BINGHAMTON 3
Hamilton scored four straight goals after falling behind 1-0 and held on for a 5-3 road win over Binghamton at the Broome County Arena.
Kyle Chipchura and Ben Maxwell each posted a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs, while Ryan White, Mathieu Aubin, and AHL All-Star defenseman Yannick Weber also scored.
Rookie David Desharnais chipped in a pair of assists, and rookie goaltender Cedrick Desjardins made 32 saves for his second win in as many nights.
Josh Hennessy scored twice for the Senators, and Ilya Zubov registered a goal and a helper.
MANITOBA 3, SYRACUSE 2 (OT)
Shaun Heshka scored 2:25 into overtime to give Manitoba a 3-2 road win over Syracuse on Saturday at the Onondaga County War Memorial.
Dusty Collins and Maxime Fortunus netted goals to give the Moose a 2-0 lead, but the Crunch answered with goals from AHL All-Star Derek MacKenzie and Craig MacDonald, the latter coming at 19:13 of the third period.
Moose goaltender Karl Goehring earned the victory with 24 saves on 26 shots, improving his season record to 14-9-2.
Manitoba enters the All-Star break on a six-game winning streak and is 10-1-0-0 in its last 11 contests. Syracuse, meanwhile, saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.
SAN ANTONIO 3, IOWA 1
San Antonio scored three unanswered goals and took a 3-1 road win over Iowa before 7,167 fans at the Wells Fargo Arena.
AHL All-Star Brett MacLean and defenseman David Schlemko netted second-period power play goals for the Rampage, and Joel Perrault added an unassisted shorthanded marker in the third.
San Antonio goaltender Josh Tordjman earned the victory with 20 saves. The Rampage enter the All-Star break having posted a record of 18-7-0-0 since the beginning of December.
Drew Miller initially gave the Chops a 1-0 advantage at 6:44 of the second period.
MILWAUKEE 4, ROCKFORD 2
Milwaukee scored twice in the third period to double up host Rockford by a 4-2 final at the MetroCentre.
Ryan Jones and AHL All-Star Mike Santorelli each had a goal and an assist for the Admirals. Jones tallied the eventual game-winner at 3:49 of the third, and Cal O’Reilly added an insurance marker at 13:13.
Kelsey Wilson also netted a goal in the victory, and goaltender Drew MacIntyre made 31 saves between the pipes.
Rob Klinkhammer and Dan Bertram scored for the IceHogs, and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson assisted on both markers.
PEORIA 3, HOUSTON 2
Peoria took a 2-0 lead into the third period and held on for a 3-2 road win over Houston on Saturday before 8,696 fans at the Toyota Center.
Chris Porter, Steve Regier, and defenseman Steve Wagner each scored once for the Rivermen, and Trent Whitfield assisted on all three goals.
Rivermen goaltender Chris Holt earned the victory with 31 saves on 33 shots, helping Peoria avenge a 2-0 loss to the Aeros on Friday.
Benoit Pouliot and AHL All-Star Corey Locke tallied power play goals for the Aeros. Pouliot’s marker was his first in the AHL this season after being reassigned by parent-club Minnesota on Jan. 15.
