HARTFORD 6, MANITOBA 3
Hartford scored twice in each period and matched a season high with six goals in a 6-3 road win over Manitoba on Tuesday in the opener of the teams’ two-game set at the MTS Centre.
Second-year pro Artem Anisimov tallied two power play goals in the opening frame to lead the Wolf Pack offense, while four other players potted one goal apiece.
After Anisimov gave Hartford a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, Greg Moore and defenseman Corey Potter followed with second-period markers to make it 4-0 entering the third.
Patrick Rissmiller and Mike Ouellette scored in the third frame to provide insurance for the Wolf Pack.
The extra scoring proved helpful, as the Moose received a pair of goals from Guillaume Desbiens and one from Nolan Baumgartner in the third to make it closer.
But the deficit was too large, and Hartford goaltender Miika Wiikman finished with 25 saves to pick up the win. Hartford defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti chipped in two assists in the victory, while Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau had three helpers.
Manitoba dropped to 1-5-0-2 in its last eight contests, which comes on the heels of a four-game winning streak.
HAMILTON 4, PHILADELPHIA 2
Hamilton scored twice in the first period and doubled up visiting Philadelphia by a 4-2 count on Tuesday at Copps Coliseum.
David Desharnais and Yanick Lehoux netted goals to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead after the opening period.
Steve Gainey added his first tally of the year in the second period, and T.J. Kemp registered a third-period goal in his Bulldogs debut after being acquired by the Montreal organization on Monday.
Hamilton goaltender Loic Lacasse earned the victory with 19 saves on 21 shots.
Sean Curry and Patrick Maroon lit the lamp for the Phantoms, who are now winless in seven straight contests (0-5-1-1) entering a two-game set at Grand Rapids this weekend.
SYRACUSE 3, LAKE ERIE 1
Syracuse took a 3-0 lead after two periods and went on to post a 3-1 road win over Lake Erie at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday.
Kevin Harvey gave the Crunch a 1-0 edge in the first period, while Tom Sestito and Derek MacKenzie registered goals in the middle frame.
Chris Mueller finally put the Monsters on the board with an unassisted shorthanded goal with 4:16 left in regulation, but Lake Erie would get no closer.
Crunch goaltender Dan LaCosta stopped 24 of 25 shots in the win, which was only Syracuse’s second since Nov. 28 (2-10-2-1).
