PROVIDENCE 4, SPRINGFIELD 3 (OT)
Vladimir Sobotka scored 25 seconds into overtime to lift Providence to a 4-3 home-ice victory over division-rival Springfield on Sunday afternoon at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Sobotka finished with a goal and an assist in the winning effort, as did rookie Mikko Lehtonen and three-time AHL All-Star Martin St. Pierre. Providence improved to 2-0-0-0 on the season.
St. Pierre opened the game’s scoring with a power play marker at 4:49 of the first period, and Martins Karsums made it 2-0 at 7:39 of the second.
After Springfield’s Theo Peckham scored on the power play at 12:34, Lehtonen responded for the P-Bruins with a man-advantage goal of his own at 14:01.
The Falcons battled back from their 3-1 deficit in the final stanza, receiving tallies from Gilbert Brule just one minute in and from Peckham – his second of the game – at 12:04.
That set the stage for Sobotka’s overtime winner, on which Lehtonen picked up the lone assist.
Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask stopped 25 of 28 shots in the winning effort, while Springfield’s Devan Dubnyk took the loss with 28 saves.
HARTFORD 2, BRIDGEPORT 1 (SO)
Hartford eked out a 2-1 shootout victory over in-state rival Bridgeport at the XL Center.
The teams traded first-period goals, with defenseman Corey Potter scoring for the Wolf Pack at 7:35 and Sound Tigers blueliner Andrew MacDonald responding at the 12:23 mark.
Neither side could find the back of the net during the final two periods and overtime.
Brodie Dupont and Artem Anisimov tallied shootout goals for the Wolf Pack, and goaltender Miika Wiikman denied four of Bridgeport’s five tries. Wiikman made 19 saves through regulation and overtime in the winning effort.
Kurtis McLean netted Bridgeport’s lone shootout marker in the second round.
LAKE ERIE 4, TORONTO 3
Nathan Smith scored his first goal in Lake Erie uniform with 57 seconds left in regulation on Sunday, breaking a 3-3 tie and giving the Monsters a 4-3 win over visiting Toronto at the Quicken Loans Arena.
T.J. Hensick tallied three points (1-2-3) for the Monsters, while Jesse Boulerice and Brian Willsie also scored to help give Lake Erie a 3-1 lead entering the third period.
But the Marlies’ Richard Petiot scored just 24 seconds into the final stanza, and Darryl Boyce’s shorthanded marker at 13:11 made it a 3-3 contest.
Smith, who reached the Calder Cup Finals last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, scored the game-winner at 19:03, with assists going to Chris Durno and Mike Vernace.
Monsters goaltender Tyler Weiman earned the victory with 40 saves on 43 shots.
ROCKFORD 2, IOWA 1
Adam Berti’s power play goal at 10:43 of the third period broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Rockford to a 2-1 win over visiting Iowa at the MetroCentre.
Defenseman Cam Barker gave the IceHogs a 1-0 lead with a power play marker 2:25 into the contest, but the Chops’ T.J. Trevelyan tied it at 10:23 of the second.
Rockford goaltender Antti Niemi stopped 27 of 28 shots in the winning effort.
The Chops suffered their first loss in franchise history after posting victories on both Friday and Saturday.
PEORIA 3, QUAD CITY 2 (OT)
Steve Regier’s second goal of the night came 3:31 into overtime to give Peoria a 3-2 road win over Quad City on Sunday at the I Wireless Center.
After a scoreless first period, the two teams traded goals in both the second and third stanzas.
Peter Vandermeer and Ryan Wilson tallied goals for the Flames, while Regier and Brad Winchester lit the lamp for the Rivermen.
Peoria’s Nikolay Lemtyugov chipped in two assists, and rookie goaltender Ben Bishop earned the victory with 33 saves on 35 shots.
BINGHAMTON 3, ROCHESTER 1
Zack Smith registered a goal and an assist to help Binghamton post a 3-1 road win over Rochester at the Blue Cross Arena.
Ryan Shannon, Ilya Zubov, and Smith all scored to give the Senators a 3-0 lead by the 2:34 mark of the second period.
Tanner Glass finally put the Amerks on the board with 4:59 left in the game, but Binghamton held on for the victory.
B-Sens goaltender Brian Elliott earned the victory with 33 saves on 34 shots.
