Norfolk tops River Rats behind Bochenski’s two goals


Thursday’s Boxscores

NORFOLK 5, ALBANY 4
Norfolk overcame a 2-0 deficit to edge Albany by a 5-4 count on Thursday as the AHL’s post-All-Star break schedule kicked off at the Scope. Brandon Bochenski tallied his first two-goal game since Dec. 6 for the Admirals, who snapped a four-game winless skid (0-2-1-1).

Defenseman Jonathan Paiement scored on the power play for his first AHL marker of the year to put the River Rats on top 6:03 into the game, and Joe Jensen made it 2-0 at 9:51.

The Admirals fought back to a draw heading into intermission, though, as Justin Keller lit the lamp at 11:37 and Bochenski followed with his first of the night at 13:06.

Norfolk’s Jay Rosehill put his team on top 5:25 into the second, only to have Albany’s Dwight Helminen re-tie the score with an unassisted marker with 1:11 to play in the frame.

Admirals captain Zenon Konopka and Bochenski then scored 42 seconds apart early in the third to make it 5-3 Norfolk. Joe Weston added a goal for the River Rats with 10:17 to play, but Albany could not get the equalizer.

Goaltender Mike McKenna made 29 saves on 33 shots to pick up the win for Norfolk. Albany’s Justin Peters made 45 saves in the loss, as the Admirals held a 50-33 advantage in shots on goal.


QUAD CITY 5, HOUSTON 0
Goaltender Kevin Lalande pitched a 24-save shutout in his AHL season debut and Quad City broke out of its offensive slump with a 5-0 road win over Houston at the Toyota Center.

Kyle Greentree (1-2-3) and Kris Chucko (2-0-2) paced the offense for the Flames, who entered the contest having combined to score once in their last three games.

Jamie Lundmark and Adam Cracknell also found the back of the net, and Brett Sutter chipped in a pair of assists.

The win snapped Quad City’s three-game winless skid (0-1-0-2) and marked Houston’s second consecutive defeat.


BINGHAMTON 2, SAN ANTONIO 1
Binghamton scored twice in the opening frame and held on for a 2-1 road win over San Antonio at the AT&T Center in the first-ever meeting between the teams.

Marc Cavosie and defenseman Derek Smith netted first-period markers for the Senators, the latter coming on the power play at the 17:23 mark.

The Rampage cut the deficit in half when captain Jeff Hoggan tallied his 18th of the season 5:40 into the second, but neither side would score the rest of the way.

Binghamton goaltender Martin Gerber stopped 36 of 37 shots in the winning effort, as the Sens snapped a brief two-game skid. San Antonio’s two-game winning streak also came to a halt.


CHICAGO 4, IOWA 3 (SO)
Iowa rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period and prevailed in a shootout over Iowa, 4-3, on Thursday at Allstate Arena.

Five of the game’s six regulation goals were scored on the power play, including all three by the Chops. Brian Salcido, Troy Bodie, and Adrian Veideman did the honors, with a Chicago even-strength goal from Mike Hoffman wedged in between.

Trailing 3-1, the Wolves received power play markers in the third frame from Brett Sterling just 30 seconds in, and then from Jordan LaVallee at the 14:08 mark.

After a scoreless overtime, Jeff Hamilton and Brett Skinner tallied shootout goals for the Wolves. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec stopped four of Iowa’s five tries after making 23 saves through the first 65 minutes.

The victory pulled Chicago into fourth place in the West Division, one point ahead of Peoria.


ROCKFORD 2, MANITOBA 1 (SO)
Rockford converted three of its four shootout tries en route to a 2-1 win over Manitoba before 6,535 fans in the opener of the teams’ two-game set at the MTS Centre.

Tim Brent, Judd Blackwater (signed earlier in the day), and Mike Radja all netted shootout goals for the IceHogs.

Goaltender Antti Niemi allowed goals on Manitoba’s first two attempts but then stopped the next three to earn the win. Niemi finished with 24 saves through regulation and overtime.

Blackwater scored his first career AHL goal in the opening period, but the Moose’s Raymond Sawada responded in the middle frame.

The shootout loss ended Manitoba’s winning streak at six games.