Monarchs surge to fourth straight victory


Monday’s Boxscores

MANCHESTER 4, ALBANY 3
Manchester jumped to a 4-1 lead after two periods and held on for a 4-3 road win over Albany on Monday at the Times Union Center.

Rookie Justin Azevedo netted a pair of goals for the Monarchs, who captured their fourth straight victory and moved within one point of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Matt Moulson and Azevedo scored in the first period to give the Monarchs a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes.

After Albany’s Pat Dwyer cut it to 2-1 early in the second, Manchester responded with goals from Azevedo and Teddy Purcell to make it a 4-1 game. Purcell added an assist and now has a point in eight straight games (7-9-16).

The River Rats attempted a third-period comeback, as Harrison Reed scored at 11:45 and Jerome Samson followed at 14:58, with Dwight Helminen assisting on both. But Albany was unable to get the equalizer and dropped its second straight game.

Manchester goaltender Daniel Taylor earned the victory with 37 saves on 40 shots. The Monarchs now have 56 points for the season, one back of Lowell and Worcester for fourth place in the Atlantic Division race.


SAN ANTONIO 4, ROCKFORD 3
Kyle Turris continued the torrent start to his AHL career with two goals and an assist as San Antonio held off Rockford by a 4-3 count on Monday afternoon at the MetroCentre.

Turris, drafted third overall by Phoenix in 2007, has racked up four goals and seven points in three games for the Rampage since being assigned by the Coyotes last week.

Defenseman Dylan Reese registered his first goal of the season and added an assist for San Antonio, and Kevin Porter also had a goal and a helper.

Rampage goaltender Josh Tordjman earned the victory with 27 saves on 30 shots.

Rockford fell into a 4-1 hole but attempted a third-period comeback on a pair of goals by captain Tim Brent. Defenseman Danny Groulx also scored for the IceHogs.


HAMILTON 3, PHILADELPHIA 2
Hamilton rebounded from a loss in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday with a 3-2 road win over Philadelphia on Monday before 6,146 fans at the Wachovia Center, home of the NHL’s Flyers.

Rookies David Desharnais and Ben Maxwell netted goals to build a 2-1 lead for the Bulldogs, and Steve Gainey scored what proved to be a key insurance marker just 18 seconds into the third period.

Philadelphia’s Nate Raduns answered less than two minutes later, but the Phantoms were unable to tie it up. Defenseman Danny Syvret scored a power play goal earlier in the second period for Philadelphia.

Bulldogs goaltender Marc Denis earned the win with 27 saves, helping Hamilton improve to 5-1-0-0 in its last six contests.


HERSHEY 3, SYRACUSE 2
Hershey snapped a four-game losing skid with a 3-2 road win over Syracuse on Monday at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

Bears forward Andrew Gordon broke a 2-2 tie at 14:08 of the third period, scoring his 17th goal of the season. Quintin Laing and defenseman Sami Lepisto picked up the assists.

The teams traded goals through the first two periods, with Michael Blunden and Craig MacDonald scoring for the Crunch and Chris Bourque and Alexandre Giroux for the Bears.

AHL leading scorer Keith Aucoin chipped in a pair of assists for Hershey, and goaltender Daren Machesney secured the victory with 15 saves.

The Bears moved three points up on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for first place in the East Division but have played two more games than the Penguins.


LAKE ERIE 3, IOWA 2 (SO)
Lake Erie coughed up a 2-0 lead in regulation but emerged with a 3-2 road win over Iowa in a shootout at Wells Fargo Arena.

After a scoreless first period, Randy Rowe and Philippe Dupuis netted goals in the second period to give the Monsters their 2-0 advantage.

Iowa’s T.J. Trevelyan netted a power play goal midway through the second and then tied it for the Chops with just 5:16 to go in regulation.

Dupuis and Matt Hendricks tallied shootout markers for the Monsters, and goaltender Jason Bacashihua stopped four straight Iowa attempts after allowing a goal to rookie Matt Beleskey in the first round.

Lake Erie snapped a four-game losing skid, while the Chops are now without a win in their last four tilts (0-3-0-1).