PHILADELPHIA 4, HERSHEY 3 (SO)
Denis Tolpeko scored pair of power play goals in regulation and added a tally in the shootout to lead Philadelphia past division-rival Hershey by a 4-3 final on Friday before 11,208 fans at the Wachovia Spectrum.
Rookie Kyle Greentree notched a goal and an assist in regulation and added the decisive goal in a shootout for the East Division-leading Phantoms.
Scott Barney scored twice for the Bears, including the game-tying goal at 9:37 of the third period.
Hershey’s Joe Motzko scored twice in regulation and once in the shootout.
Phantoms goaltender Brian Boucher picked up the win after making 25 saves through the first 65 minutes and stopping four of five attempts in the shootout.
ROCKFORD 4, CHICAGO 3
Bryan Bickell scored twice, part of a four-goal second period for Rockford on its way to a 4-3 victory over Chicago at the MetroCentre in a match-up of the West Division’s top two teams.
The IceHogs’ Martin St. Pierre and Bickell lit the lamp just 12 seconds apart in the second stanza, but Chicago forwards Jesse Schultz and Brett Sterling tied it with second-period goals of their own.
Rockford took the lead to stay on defenseman Ryan Stokes’ third goal of the season at 17:11, and Bickell added his second of the night at 18:29.
That would stand up as the game-winner, as Chicago’s Nathan Oystrick brought the Wolves within a goal at 1:53 of the third period.
IceHogs goaltender Corey Crawford made 27 saves in the winning effort.
MANCHESTER 4, LOWELL 0
Manchester goaltender Daniel Taylor made 32 saves for his third consecutive shutout as Manchester blanked visiting Lowell, 4-0, at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
2007 AHL All-Star Gabe Gauthier netted a pair of goals for the Monarchs, while Brian Boyle and Lauri Tukonen also scored.
Taylor posted shutouts over Milwaukee and Worcester in his last two starts and has stopped a total of 107 shots during his three-game run.
It marked Manchester’s first victory in the season series against Lowell (1-4-0-0).
HARTFORD 3, WORCESTER 1
Ryan Callahan tallied a pair of goals and added an assist to lead Hartford to a 3-1 win over visiting Worcester at the XL Center.
Callahan, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2007 AHL All-Star Game, notched his fourth and fifth goals of the campaign.
He broke a 1-1 tie at 11:16 of the second period and provided insurance at 14:09 of the third.
Dane Byers posted a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack, and goaltender Miika Wiikman picked up the win with 29 saves.
Patrick Traverse scored for the Sharks, who dropped to 0-6-0-0 against Hartford this season.
BINGHAMTON 3, TORONTO 2 (OT)
Matt Carkner notched a power play goal just 20 seconds into overtime to lift Binghamton past Toronto by a 3-2 final at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Denis Hamel and Geoff Waugh also scored for the Senators, who have won five straight games and are 7-0-1-1 in their last nine outings.
Binghamton goaltender Jeff Glass earned the win with 35 saves on 37 shots.
Jeremy Williams initially gave the Marlies a 1-0 lead in the first period, and Alex Foster netted a shorthanded marker in the middle stanza.
PROVIDENCE 4, SPRINGFIELD 3 (SO)
Wacey Rabbit posted a pair of goals and Providence went on to defeat visiting Springfield in a shootout, 4-3, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Providence won its fifth straight game, matching a season high set on three previous occasions.
Rookie defenseman Kevin Schaeffer netted his first career AHL goal for the Bruins, while Matt Hendricks, Brett Skinner, and Jeff Hoggan tallied shootout goals.
Ryan O’Marra, Marc Pouliot, and Liam Reddox lit the lamp for the Falcons, with all three goals coming in a 7:03 span during the second period.
PORTLAND 2, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 1
Drew Miller scored both goals as Portland rallied past visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by a 2-1 count at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
Nathan Smith put the Penguins on top with his 11th goal of the season at 6:28 of the opening period.
Miller tied it at 15:06 of the second period and notched the game-winner at 7:54 of the third.
Portland goaltender Mike McKenna made 26 saves in the win, helping the Pirates move to 7-1-0-1 in its last nine games and 12-2-1-2 in their last 17.
ALBANY 3, NORFOLK 2 (SO)
Jakub Petruzalek scored once each in regulation and the shootout as Albany edged host Norfolk by a 3-2 final at the Scope.
Jamie Johnson also scored in the shootout, and 2008 AHL All-Star goaltender Michael Leighton denied four of five attempts after making 36 saves through regulation and overtime.
Brandon Nolan also scored in regulation for the River Rats, who moved to 3-0-0-1 against Norfolk this season.
The Admirals received regulation goals from Karl Stewart and Paul Szczechura, and Stewart also scored in the shootout.
The teams will square off for a rematch at the Scope on Saturday night.
MANITOBA 3, SYRACUSE 1
Brad Moran scored the game-winning goal on the power play at 14:31 of the third period, and Manitoba defeated visiting Syracuse by a 3-1 count at the MTS Centre.
The Moose, who had lost their six straight games entering Thursday, swept a two-game set against the Crunch and moved to 12-3-1-0 in home games against North Division foes this season.
Juraj Simek scored in the second period for the Moose, and Alexandre Bolduc added an empty-netter in the game’s closing minute.
2008 AHL All-Star goaltender Drew MacIntyre picked up the win for Manitoba, making 27 saves on 28 shots.
Tom Sestito scored Syracuse’s lone goal.
MILWAUKEE 4, GRAND RAPIDS 0
Mike Santorelli tallied a pair of goals and added an assist to lead Milwaukee to a 4-0 win over visiting Grand Rapids at the Bradley Center.
Goaltender Pekka Rinne, a 2008 AHL All-Star, made 15 saves for his third shutout of the season. The Admirals held a 35-15 advantage in shots.
Kelsey Wilson also scored for Milwaukee, who went 3-for-7 on the power play in the contest.
PEORIA 3, IOWA 1
Peoria scored once in each period on its way to a 3-1 win over host Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena, which marked the Rivermen’s 11th victory in their last 13 games (11-2-0-0).
Martin Kariya factored into all three goals, scoring once and posting a pair of helpers.
Charles Linglet contributed a goal and an assist for the Rivermen, and goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu picked up the win with 15 saves.
Chris Conner netted a goal for the Stars in the losing effort.
LAKE ERIE 4, ROCHESTER 3 (SO)
Lake Erie overcame a 3-0 first-period and went on to defeat Rochester in a shootout by a 4-3 final before 8,203 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Chris Stewart, David Jones, and Philippe Dupuis netted regulation goals for the Monsters, all coming in the second period.
Lake Erie’s Jamie Lundmark scored in the shootout, while goaltender Tyler Weiman made 25 saves through regulation and overtime and denied all four Rochester tries in the shootout.
Stefan Meyer netted a pair of goals for the Americans, and Drew Larman also scored.
QUAD CITY 4, HAMILTON 0
Quad City goaltender Curtis McElhinney stopped all 26 shots he faced as the visiting Flames blanked Hamilton, 4-0, at Copps Coliseum.
Krys Kolanos scored a pair of goals for the Flames, his 17th and 18th tallies of the campaign.
Quad City’s Carsen Germyn and Derek Couture also notched goals in the win.
SAN ANTONIO 3, HOUSTON 1
San Antonio netted a pair of goals just 55 seconds apart in the first period, and it was enough for a 3-1 win over host Houston at the Toyota Center.
Enver Lisin had a goal and an assist for the Rampage, while Bill Thomas and 2008 AHL All-Star Joey Tenute also lit the lamp.
Rampage goaltender Josh Tordjman made 25 saves to pick up the victory.
The Aeros received their lone goal from 2008 AHL All-Star defenseman Erik Reitz.
The two Texas rivals will play again at the Toyota Center on Saturday night.
