Tue. roundup: Irving, Heat edge ‘Dogs

Tuesday’s AHL Boxscores

ABBOTSFORD 4, HAMILTON 3
Abbotsford goaltender Leland Irving made 21 saves for his league-leading 21st win of the season (21-16-2), and the Heat continued a season-high 10-game road trip by taking a 4-3 decision from Hamilton on Tuesday night at Copps Coliseum.

The Heat are now 4-4-0-1 on the journey, which concludes on Wednesday night in Rochester. Abbotsford halted a two-game losing skid and collected its first regulation win since its last home tilt, a 2-0 victory over Peoria on Jan. 19.

Irving, a former first-round draft pick by the Calgary Flames, also moved past Worcester’s Alex Stalock for the league lead in minutes played this season (2,420).

Abbotsford raced out to a 3-0 first-period advantage on goals by Ryan Stone (1:08), John Armstrong (3:39), and Jon Rheault (10:21). But Hamilton battled back to make it a 3-2 game heading into the third frame, receiving markers from Aaron Palushaj and Andrew Conboy.

Heat forward Bryan Cameron scored the eventual game-winning goal 2:41 into the third period to make it 4-2, and Gabriel Dumont tallied the contest’s final goal at 12:13.

The Bulldogs lost for the fourth time in five games (1-4-0-0) but remain just one point back of first-place Manitoba in the North Division race.

CHARLOTTE 4, PROVIDENCE 1
2011 AHL All-Star Jerome Samson scored a goal and added two assists, and Mike Murphy came up just over a minute short of a shutout as Charlotte took a 4-1 win over visiting Providence at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Checkers swept their two-game set with the P-Bruins and have now won three straight games overall for the first time since Dec. 12-18, which also included a win over the Bruins in Providence.

Samson potted his team-leading 26th goal of the year; Chris Terry reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time as a pro; and Brett Carson and Jon Matsumoto rounded out the Checkers’ offense.

Murphy (14-9-2) appeared bound for his – and Charlotte’s – first shutout of the season before Bruins rookie Antoine Roussel struck for his first professional goal with just 1:05 left in regulation.

But that was it for the Bruins, who have now lost three straight games and totaled only four goals in that span.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 4, MANITOBA 1
Four different players found the back of the net and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton exacted revenge on Manitoba with a 4-1 win over the visiting Moose on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The AHL-best Penguins (38-14-0-0) captured their second victory in as many days and earned a split of their recent two-game set with Manitoba after dropping a 3-2 decision last Friday.

Nick Johnson tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Penguins, and Wilkes-Barre received a goal and an assist apiece from Keven Veilleux, Chris Collins, and captain Ryan Craig. Brett Sterling contributed two helpers on the night.

The Moose took a quick 1-0 lead when rookie Jordan Schroeder scored 3:37 into the contest, but Johnson’s tying goal came less than two minutes later and the Penguins were able to roll from there.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender Brad Thiessen earned his 20th victory of the campaign (20-4-0) with 18 saves in net, as the Penguins held a final shots advantage of 32-19.

The Moose wrapped up their seven-game road trip at 3-4-0-0 and will return to MTS Centre to begin a six-game homestand on Friday and Saturday against San Antonio.

HOUSTON 4, TEXAS 1
Cody Almond and Patrick O’Sullivan posted a goal and an assist apiece, and captain Jon DiSalvatore had a game-high three points (0-3-3) to lead Houston past host Texas by a 4-1 count on Tuesday at the Cedar Park Center.

Jed Ortmeyer notched the eventual game-winning goal for the Aeros, and defenseman Justin Falk rounded out Houston’s offense.

Former AHL All-Star goaltender Anton Khudobin preserved the victory with 32 saves on 33 shots, helping the Aeros (30-19-1-3, 64 points) pull into a three-way tie with Milwaukee and San Antonio for first place in the West Division.

Colton Sceviour recorded the lone goal for the Stars, who wrap up a four-game homestand with a pair of contests this weekend against Rockford.