PROVIDENCE 4, CONNECTICUT 2
Providence rookie Maxime Sauve tied the game on a power play goal at 6:16 of the third period and then scored another man-advantage goal just over four minutes later, sending the Bruins to a 4-2 road win over Connecticut at the XL Center on Tuesday.
Jeremy Reich capped the victory with a late empty-netter, as Providence has now defeated the Whale twice in 11 days after getting outscored 12-3 in losing the teams’ first three meetings this season.
The Bruins entered the night with the AHL’s worst power play, having converted just 21 times on 197 opportunities (10.7 percent) through their first 44 games.
But Providence went 2-for-6 on this night, and Sauve, who tallied his 11th and 12th goals overall, moved into the league lead by nabbing his sixth game-winning tally of the year. The rookie has registered four multi-goal games on the campaign.
Kirk MacDonald registered a goal and an assist for the Bruins, and goaltender Nolan Schaefer made 27 saves to pick up his second straight win on the heels of a personal four-game losing skid.
MacDonald’s marker initially gave Providence a 1-0 lead in the opening period, but Connecticut grabbed a 2-1 second-period edge on a pair of goals by Dale Weise, in his first game back with the Whale following an NHL stint with the parent N.Y. Rangers.
2011 AHL All-Star Jeremy Williams assisted on both scores for the Whale, who dropped to 2-4-0-0 in their last six contests.
PORTLAND 2, NORFOLK 1
Goaltender Jhonas Enroth stopped 27 of 28 shots in net to backstop Portland past visiting Norfolk by a 2-1 final at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
Enroth won his third straight game – one shy of the four in a row he won to begin the season – and helped the Pirates to their fourth consecutive victory overall. The Pirates are now 10-2-0-0 in their last 12 games and have opened a three-point lead on Manchester atop the Atlantic Division.
Portland forward Derek Whitmore tallied a first-period goal, and then reigning Reebok/AHL Player of the Week Mark Mancari tallied his league-leading 27th goal of the season midway through the second period, a marker which stood up as the game-winner.
Mancari extended his points streak to 12 games (13-7-20), which is now just one shy of Hamilton David Desharnais for the longest in the AHL this year. Desharnais, currently in the NHL with Montreal, began 2010-11 by finding the scoresheet in 13 straight outings.
Norfolk pulled within 2-1 with 7:36 left in regulation when 2011 AHL All-Star Johan Harju notched his team-best 16th goal of the season, but the Admirals could not get the equalizer.
The Admirals wrap up a four-game road trip on Wednesday in Manchester.
ALBANY 6, BRIDGEPORT 4
Chad Wiseman snapped a 4-4 tie with 1:33 left in regulation, and Stephen Gionta tacked on an empty-net goal as Albany rallied for a 6-4 road win over Bridgeport at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
The Devils battled back from a 2-0 first-period deficit en route to the victory, which snapped a three-game losing skid.
Rookie Jacob Josefson (2-1-3) and 2011 AHL All-Star Matt Anderson (1-2-3) led the way with three points apiece for the Devils, while Wiseman, Gionta, and rookie Adam Henrique all finished with a goal and a helper on the night.
Defenseman Dan Kelly chipped in an assist and was plus-4 in the victory, and Albany goaltender Mike McKenna stopped 29 of 33 shots between the pipes.
Justin DiBenedetto scored twice and Jesse Joensuu and Tomas Marcinko once apiece for the Sound Tigers, who fell to 1-7-2-1 in their last 11 contests.
PEORIA 3, ROCKFORD 2
Peoria scored once in each period and eked out a 3-2 win over visiting Rockford on Tuesday at the Carver Arena and gave itself a slight amount of breathing room in the West Division race.
Three-time AHL All-Star T.J. Hensick, one of three Rivermen headed to next week’s showcase in Hershey, put his club ahead for good with his 11th goal of the season at 16:54 of the third period.
Hensick assisted on a second-period strike by Anthony Peluso, and Chris Porter opened the game’s scoring for Peoria. On both occasions, however, rookie Brandon Pirri responded to pull the IceHogs even.
Hensick’s game-winner was assisted by Graham Mink and Derek Nesbitt, and it made a winner out of Rivermen goaltender Ben Bishop, who stopped 35 of f37 shots in net.
By winning for just the second time in its last seven games (2-5-0-0), West Division-leading Peoria moved to 27-15-2-1 overall (59 points) and now holds a three-point advantage on the four teams – Milwaukee, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Houston – who are all deadlocked at 56 points apiece.
Rockford (19-18-1-4) has now lost three straight games in regulation for the first time this season, and it comes on the heels of a three-game winning streak.