Dean McAmmond had a goal and three assists to help Albany to a wild 7-5 win over Norfolk on Monday evening at the Pepsi Arena.
The River Rats have now won six of their last seven games and are 8-2-1-0 in their last 11.
Quintin Laing opened the scoring for the Admirals just 31 seconds into the contest. Ivan Khomutov and McAmmond answered some six minutes later with goals 43 seconds apart, chasing starting goaltender Michael Leighton.
Adam Munro replaced Leighton and faced just two shots over the final 13:17 of the first period, as Albany held onto a 2-1 lead.
Leighton returned to the cage to start the second, and Pascal Rheaume greeted him with his 18th goal of the season just 15 seconds in. Matt Keith made it 3-2 at the 1:09 mark, but Aaron Voros reinstated the two-goal lead only 23 seconds after that.
Matt Ellison and Pavel Vorobiev would score 1:38 apart for Norfolk to knot the score at 4-4, but Ahren Nittel‘s power-play goal put Albany back in front just past the midway point of the game. That lead would last all of 45 seconds, however, as Rene Bourque struck at the 10:48 mark to make it 5-5.
Ken Magowan, making his River Rats season debut, scored his first career AHL goal with 1:38 left on the clock, ending a wild eight-goal period and sending Albany to the locker room with a 6-5 lead.
Scott Clemmensen would make this lead stand up, stopping 13 shots in the third period and finishing with 35 saves on the night. Ryan Murphy‘s shorthanded empty-net tally provided the final margin for the Rats.
Zach Parise recorded three assists for Albany. Matt Ellison led Norfolk with a goal and two assists.
UTAH 2, HOUSTON 1 (SO)
Jamie Storr continued to provide Utah with timely goaltending, making 35 saves in the Grizzlies’ 2-1 shootout win over Houston on Monday afternoon.
Storr improved to 3-1-0 in four starts since joining Utah, stopping all 26 shots he faced over the first two periods. He then denied four of the Aeros’ six attempts in the shootout.
Fredrik Sjostrom scored the Grizzlies’ goal in regulation, and Erik Westrum clinched the win by converting in the sixth shootout round.
Stephane Veilleux scored and former Grizz goalie Mike Smith made 29 saves for the Aeros.
It was Utah’s sixth shootout win of the season. The Grizzlies improved to 4-1-0-1 in their last six home games.
The teams meet again Wednesday night at The “E” Center.
