PORTLAND 6, ROCHESTER 3
Portland erupted for four goals in the second period and ended Rochester’s 11-game winning streak with a 6-3 triumph over the Amerks on Thursday at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. Rookie Philip Gogulla was one of three Pirates with a goal and an assist on the night.
Cody McCormick and two-time AHL All-Star Mark Mancari also posted a goal and a helper for the Pirates, who received additional goals from Paul Byron, Derek Whitmore, and Kyle Wanvig.
Mancari initially put the Pirates on top with a power play goal at 17:24 of the first period. But Rochester’s Jeff Taffe tied it just 17 seconds later, and Jamie Johnson gave the Americans a 2-1 lead at the 19:32 mark.
That set the stage for the Pirates’ monster second period, which began with a shorthanded goal by Byron at 4:43. Gogulla and Whitmore scored just 51 seconds apart later in the frame, and McCormick added another marker at the 19:56 mark.
Rochester’s Chris Taylor and Portland’s Wanvig traded third-period tallies, with the latter going into an empty net at 18:43.
Tyler Ennis picked up two assists in the win, and Pirates goaltender Jhonas Enroth earned the victory with 23 saves in his first AHL appearance since Oct. 31.
The Americans, who were bidding for a franchise-record 12th straight win, lost for the first time since a 6-1 setback at Albany on Oct. 10.
MILWAUKEE 4, ABBOTSFORD 1
Four different Milwaukee skaters found the back of the net as the Admirals took a 4-1 win over visiting Abbotsford at the Bradley Center on Thursday.
The Admirals snapped a brief two-game winless skid overall and salvaged one victory in their season series with the Heat after dropping the teams’ first three match-ups of the campaign.
Dave Scatchard, Triston Grant, Hugh Jessiman, and defenseman Mark Matheson all scored for the Admirals, and Ben Guite picked up a pair of assists.
Milwaukee goaltender Mark Dekanich earned the victory with 22 saves in net, and Abbotsford potted its only goal courtesy of a successful penalty shot attempt by Carsen Germyn late in the opening period.
The Admirals now embark on an eight-game road swing beginning this weekend on Friday in Grand Rapids and Saturday in Peoria.
