WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 6, HERSHEY 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton rallied for the final five goals of the game – including three on the power play – to take a 6-2 win over visiting Hershey on Sunday before 6,475 fans at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.
Rookie Nick Johnson tallied a pair of goals for the Penguins, and Janne Pesonen racked up a game-high four points (1-3-4) in the winning effort.
Hershey initially took a 1-0 lead when Alexandre Giroux lit the lamp on the power play 4:36 into the contest, extending his goal-scoring streak to 11 games.
The Penguins’ Bill Thomas tied it at 7:49, but the Bears reclaimed the lead at 14:35 when Kip Brennan tallied his first AHL goal of the season.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took control from that point, scoring three times in the second period and twice more in the third.
Johnson had a pair of goals, while Pesonen, Danny Richmond, and Jean-Michel Daoust each lit the lamp once as part of the offensive onslaught.
Luca Caputi (0-3-3) and Mark Letestu (0-2-2) each contributed multiple assists, and goaltender John Curry made 15 saves to earn the victory.
Hershey has now lost consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 11-13.
SPRINGFIELD 4, PORTLAND 1
Springfield took a 2-0 lead after the first period and cruised to a 4-1 win over Portland, giving the Falcons a split of the teams’ two-game set at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
Tyler Spurgeon, Mike Gabinet, Carl Corazzini, and captain Tim Sestito all netted goals for the Falcons, while Colin McDonald and Derek Bekar each chipped in a pair of assists.
Springfield goaltender Devan Dubnyk earned the victory with 33 saves on 34 shots.
Derek Whitmore scored the Pirates’ lone goal of the afternoon.
LOWELL 5, PROVIDENCE 2
Five different players scored to help Lowell to a 5-2 road win over Providence before 6,380 fans at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Petr Vrana, Patrick Davis, Barry Tallackson, Michael Swift, and Matthew Corrente all lit the lamp for the Devils, who scored the game’s final three goals after it was tied 2-2.
Defenseman Mark Fraser contributed two assists, and All-Star goaltender Jeff Frazee stopped 33 of 35 shots in the winning effort. Lowell is now 7-2-0-0 in its last nine games.
Wacey Rabbit and Jeff Penner netted goals for the Bruins.
LAKE ERIE 3, PHILADELPHIA 0
Goaltender Tyler Weiman made 31 saves for his third shutout of the season as Lake Erie blanked visiting Philadelphia by a 3-0 count at the Quicken Loans Arena.
After a scoreless first period, the Monsters received second-period goals from T.J. Galiardi and defenseman Darcy Campbell to claim a 2-0 advantage.
Nathan Smith, who assisted on Campbell’s goal, provided further insurance by scoring with 5:42 remaining in regulation.
The Phantoms concluded a five-game road trip at 1-4-0-0.
MANITOBA 4, PEORIA 3
Manitoba withstood a late Peoria rally to emerge with a 4-3 road win over the Rivermen on Sunday at Carver Arena.
After a scoreless first period, the Moose took a 3-0 lead in the second on a pair of goals by Michael Grabner and one from Jason Krog.
But the Rivermen fought back in the third, as Jonathan Filewich lit the lamp on the power play at 3:46, and defenseman Steve Wagner followed at 7:43.
The teams then exchanged goals in the closing minute, with Jason Jaffray scoring an empty-netter for Manitoba at 19:41 and Peoria’s Steve Regier responding 12 seconds later.
Moose goaltender Karl Goehring held on for the victory, finishing with 24 saves on 27 shots.
ROCHESTER 6, HAMILTON 5
Defenseman Jason Garrison racked up a game-high four points (1-3-4) as Rochester edged visiting Hamilton by a 6-5 count at the Blue Cross Arena.
Shawn Matthias (2-1-3) and defenseman Cory Murphy (1-2-3) each had three points in the victory, while Stefan Meyer and Karl Stewart also netted goals for the Amerks.
The six goals marked a season high for the Americans and moved them to 8-3-0-1 in their last 12 games. Amerks goaltender Mike Brodeur made 29 saves in the victory.
Yanick Lehoux scored twice for the Bulldogs, who also received goals from Mike Glumac (1-1-2) and Steve Gainey in the loss.
HOUSTON 4, CHICAGO 1
Jesse Schultz, who won the Calder Cup with Chicago last spring, tallied a goal and two assists against his former team to help Houston take a 4-1 win over the Wolves at Allstate Arena.
Ryan Hamilton, Corey Locke, and Matt Beaudoin also scored for the Aeros, who snapped a six-game winless skid (0-4-0-2) and finished 2-4-0-2 on their eight-game road trip.
Peter Olvecky recorded three assists in the victory, and Houston goaltender Nolan Schaefer stopped 24 of 25 shots between the pipes.
Spencer Machacek scored for the Wolves, who are now winless in seven straight games (0-6-1-0).
