Western Conference notebook

	Dec. 9 vs. Peoria, W, 6-5 Dec. 10 at Iowa, L, 2-3 (SO) Dec. 11 vs. Peoria, W, 4-1	Dec. 14 vs. San Antonio, 7:00 Dec. 16 at Iowa, 7:05 Dec. 17 vs. Milwaukee, 7:00 Dec. 18 at Peoria, 6:00
Chicago defeated in-state rival Peoria twice last weekend, including Friday’s 6-5 victory in which the Wolves scored four times in the third period. Jani Hurme earned the win in relief on Friday, his first victory since 2003. Hurme missed the last two seasons due to several complications following a back injury, including a serious life-threatening staph infection. The Wolves have scored seven shorthanded goals in 22 games this season. The team didn’t score its first shorthanded goal of 2004-05 until its 27th game.

	Dec. 6 vs. Toronto, L, 2-4 Dec. 9 at Toronto, W, 5-2 Dec. 10 at Grand Rapids, W, 4-2 Dec. 11 vs. Houston, L, 1-4	Dec. 14 vs. Rochester, 7:05 Dec. 16 vs. Toronto, 7:05 Dec. 17 vs. Rochester, 1:05 Dec. 18 at Milwaukee, 5:00 ET
Cleveland is in the middle of a busy December, playing 16 games in 29 days. Mike Iggulden recorded three points, including the game-winning goal, in the Barons’ victory at Grand Rapids on Saturday night. Back from nearly two months in the NHL with San Jose, Nolan Schaefer got the call in net for Cleveland over the weekend, making his first three AHL appearances since Oct. 15.

	Dec. 7 vs. Hamilton, L, 1-4 Dec. 9 at Milwaukee, L, 2-5 Dec. 10 vs. Cleveland, L, 1-4	Dec. 14 at Toronto, 7:30 Dec. 16 at Rochester, 7:35 Dec. 17 at Toronto, 7:00 Dec. 18 at Syracuse, 5:00
Grand Rapids begins a five-game road trip on Wednesday with a visit to Toronto. The Griffins are coming off their first back-to-back regulation losses of the season, including Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to Cleveland. Eric Manlow skated in his 400th career AHL game in last Wednesday’s 4-3 win over Hamilton.

	Dec. 7 at Grand Rapids, L, 3-4 Dec. 9 vs. Syracuse, W, 2-1 (SO) Dec. 10 vs. Houston, W, 7-1	Dec. 16 at Philadelphia, 7:05 Dec. 17 at Hershey, 7:00 Dec. 18 at Toronto, 5:00
Fourteen of Hamilton’s 17 skaters recorded a point in Saturday’s 7-1 win over Houston, the teams’ first meeting since Game 7 of the 2003 Calder Cup Final. The Bulldogs set a franchise record in that game by scoring three times in a span of 57 seconds during the third period. Hamilton is on the road for four straight beginning this weekend, including a 1997 Calder Cup Final rematch in Hershey on Saturday.

	Dec. 9 at Rochester, W, 5-2 Dec. 10 at Hamilton, L, 1-7 Dec. 11 at Cleveland, W, 4-1	Dec. 16 vs. Peoria, 7:35 Dec. 17 vs. Peoria, 7:35
Houston returns home this weekend to begin a five-game homestand. The Aeros are 16-2-1-3 in their last 22 regular-season home games. Sixteen of Houston’s last 22 goals have come from the quartet of Erik Westrum, Kirby Law, Roman Voloshenko and Patrick O’Sullivan. The Aeros have killed off 48 of their last 49 shorthanded situations at Toyota Center.

	Dec. 6 vs. Milwaukee, L, 3-4 (OT) Dec. 9 vs. San Antonio, L, 1-2 Dec. 10 vs. Chicago, W, 3-2 (SO)	Dec. 16 vs. Chicago, 7:05 Dec. 17 at Omaha, 7:00 Dec. 18 vs. Omaha, 5:05
Iowa extended its points streak to six games (4-0-1-1) before dropping a 2-1 decision to San Antonio on Friday night. The Stars improved to 6-2-0-1 on Saturdays this season with a 3-2 shootout win over Chicago. Toby Petersen has tallied seven points in his last seven games for Iowa (4g, 3a).

	Dec. 7 at Philadelphia, W, 3-1 Dec. 9 at Wilkes-Barre, W, 3-1 Dec. 10 at Wilkes-Barre, L, 1-7	Dec. 13 vs. Syracuse, 7:30 Dec. 14 vs. Syracuse, 7:30 Dec. 16 vs. San Antonio, 7:30 Dec. 17 vs. San Antonio, 7:30
The Moose began a quick three-game road trip with a 3-1 win at Philadelphia on Wednesday in a game that began at 11:00 a.m. local time (10:00 back home in Winnipeg). Manitoba brought an end to Wilkes-Barre’s 20-0-2-1 start by handing the Penguins their first regulation loss of the season on Friday, 3-1. The Moose play eight in a row at home, beginning with two-game series against Syracuse and San Antonio this week.

	Dec. 6 at Iowa, W, 4-3 (OT) Dec. 9 vs. Grand Rapids, W, 5-2 Dec. 10 at Peoria, W, 5-2	Dec. 14 at Omaha, 7:00 Dec. 16 vs. Omaha, 7:00 Dec. 17 at Chicago, 7:00 Dec. 18 vs. Cleveland, 4:00
Darren Haydar tallied seven points in three games last week to lead the Admirals’ offense, which scored 14 goals in those contests. Rookie defenseman Shea Weber got the winning goal in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win over Iowa. Milwaukee’s .708 points percentage (16-6-1-1) is tops in the Western Conference.

	Dec. 7 at Peoria, W, 3-2 Dec. 10 vs. San Antonio, L, 1-3 Dec. 11 vs. San Antonio, L, 1-4	Dec. 14 vs. Milwaukee, 7:00 Dec. 16 at Milwaukee, 7:00 Dec. 17 vs. Iowa, 7:00 Dec. 18 at Iowa, 5:05
Omaha extended its road winning streak to three games with a 3-2 win in Peoria on Wednesday night. Justin Taylor scored both Knights goals in their two weekend losses to San Antonio. Omaha scored a power-play goal in 12 consecutive games, a string that was snapped on Sunday.

	Dec. 7 vs. Omaha, L, 2-3 Dec. 9 at Chicago, L, 5-6 Dec. 10 vs. Milwaukee, L, 2-5 Dec. 11 at Chicago, L, 1-4	Dec. 16 at Houston, 7:35 Dec. 17 at Houston, 7:35 Dec. 18 vs. Chicago, 6:00
Peoria played four games in five nights for the second week in a row and lost all four games. The Rivermen went 3-1-0-0 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4. Jon DiSalvatore is riding a five-game scoring streak, registering seven points in that span. Jason Bacashihua was recalled by the parent St. Louis Blues on Monday, and could make his NHL debut this week.

	Dec. 9 vs. Houston, L, 2-5 Dec. 10 at Binghamton, W, 6-2 Dec. 11 at Toronto, W, 3-1	Dec. 14 at Cleveland, 7:05 Dec. 16 vs. Grand Rapids, 7:35 Dec. 17 at Cleveland, 1:05 Dec. 18 vs. Binghamton, 6:05
Ryan Miller went 1-1-0 during his conditioning stint with Rochester over the weekend, losing to Houston on Froday and defeating Toronto on Sunday. Nathan Paetsch leads all AHL defensemen in scoring with 24 points this season. The Amerks scored three times in the final 4:29 of the game on Sunday to earn a 3-1 win over the Marlies.

	Dec. 9 at Iowa, W, 2-1 Dec. 10 at Omaha, W, 3-1 Dec. 11 at Omaha, W, 3-1	Dec. 14 at Chicago, 7:00 Dec. 16 at Manitoba, 7:30 Dec. 17 at Manitoba, 7:30
Brian Boucher earned a pair of victories over the weekend, his first wins in the AHL since the 1999 Calder Cup Playoffs. Steve Gainey collected one goal and six assists last week, earning a point on seven of the Rampage’s nine goals. San Antonio takes their three-game winning streak into Chicago on Wednesday, their first visit of the year to Allstate Arena.

	Dec. 9 at Hamilton, L, 1-2 (SO) Dec. 10 vs. Toronto, L, 1-4	Dec. 13 at Manitoba, 8:30 ET Dec. 14 at Manitoba, 8:30 ET Dec. 16 at Wilkes-Barre, 7:05 Dec. 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 Dec. 18 vs. Grand Rapids, 5:00
Despite a pair of losses last week, Syracuse has earned a point in seven of its last eight games (5-1-1-1). With Geoff Platt on NHL recall to Columbus, defenseman Aaron Johnson is the Crunch’s leading active scorer with 16 points on the year. Syracuse plays five games in six nights this week, beginning with a two-game trip to Winnipeg.

	Dec. 6 at Cleveland, W, 4-2 Dec. 9 vs. Cleveland, L, 2-5 Dec. 10 at Syracuse, W, 4-1 Dec. 11 vs. Rochester, L, 1-3	Dec. 14 vs. Grand Rapids, 7:30 Dec. 16 at Cleveland, 7:05 Dec. 17 vs. Grand Rapids, 7:00 Dec. 18 vs. Hamilton, 5:00
John Pohl was named the game’s first star last Tuesday in Cleveland, the third straight game he earned that honor. Tyler Beechey, who missed the early part of the year with a shoulder injury, scored his first two goals of the season last week. J.S. Aubin stopped 60 of 63 shots in his two weekend appearances, and was recalled by the parent Maple Leafs on Monday.