Bruins’ Arniel is AHL Rookie of the MonthDecember 1, 2009

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Providence Bruins center Jamie Arniel has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for November. Arniel registered seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 13 games during the month.

After being held to just four points over the first 15 games of the season, Arniel came alive in mid-November and found the net in six consecutive games from Nov. 14-25. He recorded a goal and an assist each in three straight contests: Nov. 14 at Lowell, Nov. 15 at Worcester and Nov. 20 vs. Springfield. After scoring again on Nov. 21 vs. Worcester, Arniel notched two more two-point efforts, helping the Bruins to wins over Manchester on Nov. 22 and Hershey on Nov. 25. His six-game goal-scoring streak is the longest in the AHL this season and ties a franchise record, last accomplished by Jason Krog in March 2000.

In recognition of his achievement, Arniel will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bruins home game.

A fourth-round draft choice by the Boston Bruins in 2008, Arniel, who turned 20 on Nov. 16, is tied for second on the team with seven goals and ranks third with 15 points in 23 games for Providence this season. The native of Kingston, Ont., made his pro debut with Providence during the 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs, tallying one goal in eight contests last spring. Arniel is the nephew of former NHL forward and current Manitoba Moose head coach Scott Arniel.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month include Adirondack defenseman Joonas Lehtivuori, Albany center Stefan Chaput, Binghamton defenseman Craig Schira, Chicago left wing Andrew Kozek, Grand Rapids left wing Tomas Tatar, Hamilton defenseman P.K. Subban, Hartford goaltender Chad Johnson, Hershey goaltender Michal Neuvirth, Houston goaltender Anton Khudobin, Houston center Chad Rau, Lowell right wing Nathan Perkovich, Manchester center Corey Elkins, Manitoba right wing Eric Walsky, Milwaukee goaltender Chet Pickard, Norfolk goaltender Dustin Tokarski, Portland center Tyler Ennis, Rochester goaltender Alexander Salak, Rockford defenseman Brian Connelly, San Antonio center Colin Long, Texas right wing Sergei Korostin, Toronto right wing Christian Hanson, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Brian Strait and Worcester left wing John McCarthy.

Silva facing month outSunday roundup: Krahn stonewalls Rampage

Baumgartner, Mink named All-Star captainsDecember 3, 2009

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced today that Nolan Baumgartner of the Manitoba Moose and Graham Mink of the Rochester Americans will serve as playing captains for the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic, to be held January 18-19 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.

Captains for the American Hockey League All-Star teams are selected by the league president in recognition of their outstanding service and leadership to the AHL.

A first-round draft choice by the Washington Capitals in 1994, defenseman Nolan Baumgartner is in his 14th professional season and 13th in the American Hockey League. Baumgartner has played 306 of his 739 career AHL games with Manitoba and has also spent time in Iowa, Philadelphia, Norfolk and Portland, where he spent his first four campaigns with the Pirates. Previously an AHL All-Star in 2005 and 2007, Baumgartner also has 131 career NHL contests to his credit, skating for Dallas, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Washington. A native of Calgary, Alta., Baumgartner will captain the Canadian AHL All-Star team.

Graham Mink also began his AHL career in Portland, skating for the Pirates from 2001-05. The ninth-year pro went on to win two Calder Cups with the Hershey Bears (2006, 2009) before signing with the Florida Panthers and joining the Rochester Americans in 2009-10. Mink has totaled 190 goals and 190 assists in 522 career AHL games, and has appeared in seven NHL contests, all with the Washington Capitals. The native of Stowe, Vt., will be making his first AHL All-Star Classic appearance and will captain the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team.

Previous players honored as AHL All-Star team captains include Bryan Helmer, Rory Fitzpatrick, Denis Hamel, Keith Aucoin, Mike Keane, Eric Healey, Craig Darby, Travis Richards, John Slaney, Randy Cunneyworth, Ken Gernander, Rob Murray, Peter Laviolette, current Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Stevens and American Hockey League Hall of Famers Jody Gage and Tim Tookey.

Of the 488 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Dan Boyle, Danny Briere, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Rick DiPietro, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Bobby Ryan, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Tomas Vokoun.

The 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic will feature the 2010 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Monday, January 18 (8:00 p.m. ET) and the 2010 AHL All-Star Game on Tuesday, January 19 (6:00 p.m. ET), and will be televised live nationally in the United States and Canada.

Tickets for the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic – which include admission to both the Skills Competition and the AHL All-Star Game as well as an official commemorative All-Star Classic event program – are $49 (rows 1-12 in all sections) and $42 (rows 13-24 in all sections). To purchase tickets call (207) 775-3458, visit the Cumberland County Civic Center Box Office or go on-line at portlandpirates.com.

All-Star Fan Balloting begins TuesdayRon – Real not a one-man team

Hartford’s Locke named AHL Player of the MonthDecember 1, 2009

Photo: Chris Rutsch

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Hartford Wolf Pack center Corey Locke has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Month for November. Locke tallied five goals and 14 assists for 19 points along with a plus-6 rating in 13 games during the month.

Locke began November with an impressive three-point showing, assisting on two regulation goals and scoring the buzzer-beater in overtime to lift Hartford over Manchester, 3-2, on Nov. 1. He picked up another game-winning goal plus an assist for his fourth consecutive multiple-point effort in a 4-1 win at Bridgeport on Nov. 7, and then put together a five-game scoring streak from Nov. 14-25, which included a four-point performance (2g, 2a) in a 5-3 decision over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Nov. 19. Locke wound up contributing to the scoring of half of the Wolf Pack’s 38 goals on the month.

In recognition of his achievement, Locke will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Wolf Pack home game.

Locke enters December ranked second in the AHL with 12 goals and leading the league with 21 assists and 33 points in 24 games. The 25-year-old Toronto native is in his sixth AHL season and first in the New York Rangers organization after signing as a free agent on July 3, 2009. A two-time OHL scoring champion and player of the year during his junior career, Locke has totaled 122 goals and 219 assists for 341 points while skating in 414 AHL games with Hartford, Houston and Hamilton. He won a Calder Cup with the Bulldogs in 2007 and appeared in the AHL All-Star Classic in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Month include Adirondack center Jon Matsumoto, Albany right wing Jerome Samson, Binghamton center Martin St. Pierre, Bridgeport left wing Sean Bentivoglio, Chicago center Jason Krog, Grand Rapids left wing Tomas Tatar, Hamilton center David Desharnais, Hershey center Keith Aucoin, Houston right wing Jon DiSalvatore, Lowell right wing Vladimir Zharkov, Manchester center Oscar Moller, Manitoba goaltender Cory Schneider, Milwaukee center Cal O’Reilly, Norfolk center Blair Jones, Peoria right wing Adam Cracknell, Portland center Tyler Ennis, Rochester center Jamie Johnson, Rockford center Mark Cullen, San Antonio center Joel Perrault, Texas center Aaron Gagnon, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton left wing Luca Caputi and Worcester center Steven Zalewski.

Adriano out for a monthMarlies’ Foster named Player of the Week

AHL Quick HitsDecember 2, 2009

LOOKING BACK:
In Tuesday’s AHL action, rookie Brock Braford tallied two goals and an assist and Brandon Yip scored in his pro debut as Lake Erie raced past Grand Rapids, 6-2… Matt Keetley pitched a 26-save shutout for his first AHL win of the year to lead Abbotsford over Toronto, 3-0… Graham Mink and Jason Garrison each tallied a power-play goal as Rochester beat Manitoba, 4-1.

Mon 11/30
No games scheduled

Tue 12/1
LAKE ERIE 6, Grand Rapids 2
Abbotsford 3, TORONTO 0
Rochester 4, MANITOBA 1

LOOKING AHEAD:
Portland brings its nine-game points streak (6-0-3-0) into Verizon Wireless Arena on Wednesday for a clash with first-place Manchester, which has won three straight games overall and which is 9-1-0-1 at home this season… Former NHL first-round draft pick Tyler Ennis continues to lead all AHL rookies with 22 points (8-14-22) in 24 games for the Pirates, who have not suffered a regulation loss since a 6-1 setback at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Nov. 11… Felix Schutz has netted four goals (4-1-5) in his last four games for Portland, and Nathan Gerbe shows 2-7-9 in eight games since returning from injury… The Monarchs took a 4-0 win over Portland on Oct. 17 in the teams’ first meeting of the season… Jonathan Bernier made 29 saves for the shutout in that tilt, and the former first-rounder ranks third in the AHL in goals-against average (1.75) and second in save percentage (.948) in 17 appearances (10-5-2)… Bud Holloway registered 2-1-3 vs. Portland on Oct. 17 and has a point in six of his last seven games overall (3-5-8)… Rookie Corey Elkins is riding a four-game scoring streak (2-2-4) for Manchester.

Milwaukee finally returns home on Wednesday as Peoria visits the Bradley Center for the teams’ fifth match-up of the season… The Admirals, who have played 15 of their first 21 games away from home, went 4-2-1-1 on a recently-completed eight-game road swing… Rookie goaltender Chet Pickard, a first-round NHL draft pick in 2008, has started six straight games for Milwaukee and is 4-1-1 (1.42, .950) with one shutout over that span… Cal O’Reilly has a team-high 21 points (4-17-21) in 16 games for the Admirals and has racked up 10-36-46 and a plus-24 rating in 28 career games against Peoria… The Admirals’ Peter Olvecky shows six points (2-4-6) in four outings vs. the Rivermen this season and four points (1-3-4) in 16 games against everyone else… Peoria has totaled only six goals in four games (1-3-0-0) since racking up a season-high seven in a 7-2 win at San Antonio on Nov. 20… Nicholas Drazenovic has a point in four of his last five outings (3-1-4) for Peoria, and Adam Cracknell shows 3-2-5 over his last five contests… Peoria is 9-3-0-1 within the West Division this season and 1-6-1-1 against non-divisional foes.

After taking a 4-1 win over Manitoba on Tuesday, Rochester returns to the MTS Centre on Wednesday for a rematch with the defending Western Conference champions… The Amerks have won 18 of their first 22 games (18-3-1-0) to open up a seven-point lead atop the North Division… Jamie Johnson (9-11-20) and Chris Taylor (6-14-20) are tied for the Amerks scoring lead with 20 points apiece; Johnson (2-2-4) and Taylor (1-3-4) both have four points in their last two games… Graham Mink has collected a point in four of his last five games (3-3-6) for Rochester, which didn’t collect its 18th victory last season until Feb. 10… Amerks rookie goaltender Alexander Salak, who leads the AHL with 15 wins (15-1-0, 2.03, .934), was recalled today by parent-club Florida… Manitoba’s seven-game points streak (5-0-2-0) came to an end with Tuesday’s loss… Mario Bliznak (2-1-3) and captain Mike Keane (1-2-3) both show three points in their last two outings… Sergei Shirokov is tied for the league rookie lead with nine goals and paces the Moose with 17 points in 24 contests.

(all times Eastern)
Wed 12/2
Providence @ Bridgeport, 7:00
Adirondack @ Lowell, 7:00
Portland @ Manchester, 7:00
Peoria @ Milwaukee, 8:00
Chicago @ Rockford, 8:05
Rochester @ Manitoba, 8:30

Thu 12/3
San Antonio @ Houston, 12:05

ALUMNI WATCH:
Joey MacDonald made 18 saves in two periods of work to preserve the shutout in Toronto’s 3-0 win over Montreal on Tuesday… On Monday, 2005 Calder Cup champion R.J. Umberger notched a hat trick and an assist to lead Columbus over St. Louis, 5-2… 2009 AHL All-Rookie forward Tim Kennedy tallied the game-winning goal as Buffalo blanked Toronto, 3-0.

AHL CHATS:
Drafted 11th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2006, Manchester Monarchs goaltender Jonathan Bernier will enter the AHL Chat Room to answer fans’ questions on Thursday, Dec. 3. Visit theahl.com to submit your questions for Jonathan.

AHL LIVE:
Watch live games, highlights and features, get video on demand and more all season long with AHL Live. Visit ahllive.com for more information.

AHL Quick HitsResino axed by Atletico

Krahn named top goalie for NovemberDecember 1, 2009

Photo: Darren Abate

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Brent Krahn of the Texas Stars has been named the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for November. Krahn allowed just seven goals on 210 shots in six appearances on the month, going 5-1-0 with a 1.16 goals-against average, a .967 save percentage and two shutouts.

Krahn began November by making 33 saves in the Stars’ 3-1 win over Manitoba on Nov. 7. He blanked Rockford (32 saves) on Nov. 13 and San Antonio (44 saves) on Nov. 15 in consecutive starts, and ran his shutout streak to 162:36 during a 31-save effort in a 3-1 win at Rockford on Nov. 18. Krahn’s personal winning streak reached 10 games on Nov. 21 as he made 41 saves in a 4-3 overtime win over the IceHogs.

In recognition of his achievement, Krahn will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Stars home game.

In 12 appearances with Texas this season, Krahn has posted a record of 10-2-0 with three shutouts and he leads the league with a 1.41 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage, allowing 17 goals on 402 shots overall. A first-round draft pick (ninth overall) by Calgary in 2000, Krahn is 87-67-14 with 16 shutouts in 180 career AHL games. The 27-year-old Winnipeg native made his NHL debut with Dallas last season, appearing in one contest.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month include Adirondack’s Johan Backlund, Albany’s Justin Peters, Binghamton’s Andy Chiodo, Bridgeport’s Scott Munroe, Chicago’s Peter Mannino, Grand Rapids’ Daniel Larsson, Hamilton’s Cedrick Desjardins, Hartford’s Chad Johnson, Hershey’s Michal Neuvirth, Houston’s Anton Khudobin, Lowell’s Mike McKenna, Manchester’s Jonathan Bernier, Manitoba’s Cory Schneider, Milwaukee’s Chet Pickard, Norfolk’s Riku Helenius, Portland’s Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, Rochester’s Alexander Salak, Rockford’s Joe Fallon, San Antonio’s Josh Tordjman, Toronto’s James Reimer, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s John Curry and Worcester’s Alex Stalock.

Copa del Rey Round-UpMonarchs’ Bernier is Goaltender of the Month

Saturday roundup: Bulldogs reach milestoneNovember 28, 2009

Saturday’s AHL Boxscores

HAMILTON 3, LAKE ERIE 0
Hamilton shut out Lake Erie for the second time in as many days with a 3-0 win on Saturday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena, marking its 500th regular-season victory in team history. Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins stopped all 32 shots he faced in net.

The Bulldogs, coming off a 16-save shutout by Curtis Sanford in Friday’s 4-0 win over Lake Erie, have put together back-to-back victories for the first time since a three-game run from Oct. 20-24.

Following a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs opened the game’s scoring on Saturday at 15:46 of the middle stanza. David Desharnais fired a shot that was saved by Lake Erie goaltender Trevor Cann, but Desharnais batted in his own rebound for his fifth goal of the campaign.

Ryan Russell added Hamilton’s second goal at 16:23, skating down the left side of the ice before snapping a shot that beat Cann over the right shoulder. The ‘Dogs scored their third goal of the second frame at 18:38, as Brock Trotter cut across the middle of the ice before releasing a shot as he was falling down. The puck slid along the ice before beating Cann on the right side.

Desjardins recorded his second shutout of the season and moved above the .500 mark at 5-4-1.

The Monsters are now winless in five straight outings (0-4-0-1).

HOUSTON 2, TORONTO 1 (OT)
Chad Rau netted a pair of goals – including the game-winner 1:20 into overtime – as Houston escaped with a 2-1 road win over Toronto at Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.

After a scoreless opening period, Rau gave the Aeros a 1-0 lead 13:45 into the middle frame, but Daryl Boyce’s first goal of the season tied it for the Marlies at 7:33 of the third period.

Rau’s overtime goal was assisted by Clayton Stoner – who also helped on the second-period marker – and Duncan Milroy. It improved Houston to 4-2 this season in games that extend beyond regulation.

Aeros goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 20 of 21 shots in net to snap a personal five-game losing skid, collecting a victory for the first time since Oct. 27 vs. Hamilton.

The Marlies’ three-game winning streak, which matched a season high, came to an end.

PROVIDENCE 3, HARTFORD 2 (OT)
Mikko Lehtonen scored 4:19 into overtime to lift Providence to a 3-2 overtime win over Hartford on Saturday at the XL Center.

Guillaume Lefebvre netted a pair of first-period goals for the Bruins, who exited the opening 20 minutes holding a 2-1 advantage.

But Hartford’s Paul Crowder tallied the equalizer 16:28 into the second period, and neither side scored in the third frame. Corey Locke also scored for the Wolf Pack, and defenseman Ilkka Heikkinen chipped in a pair of assists.

Providence goaltender Kevin Regan stopped 40 of 42 shots in net to collect his first victory of the season (1-1-0). The Bruins improved to 2-3-0-0 this season against Hartford.

ADIRONDACK 5, HERSHEY 4 (SO)
Adirondack emerged from a back-and-forth game with a 5-4 road shootout victory over Hershey before 10,028 fans at the Giant Center.

Phantoms forward Krys Kolanos netted the winning shootout goal in the fifth round, and Jon Matsumoto also converted a shootout attempt for Adirondack. Phantoms goaltender Nic Riopel denied four of Hershey’s five tries after making 29 saves through the first 65 minutes.

David Laliberte potted a goal and two assists in regulation for the Phantoms, who also received goals from Matsumoto (1-1-2), Stefan Legein, and Jason Ward. Laliberte’s goal came with just 36 seconds left in regulation to tie the contest at 4-4.

Adirondack snapped a season-high three-game losing skid and moved back to .500 overall at 9-9-1-0.

Michael Dubuc (1-1-2), Darren Reid, Kyle Wilson, and Andrew Gordon all tallied regulation goals for the Bears, and defenseman Zach Miskovic chipped in a trip of assists. Francois Bouchard scored Hershey’s lone shootout goal in the opening round.

PORTLAND 4, LOWELL 1
Four different Portland skaters found the back of the net as the resurgent Pirates took a 4-1 road win over Lowell at Tsongas Arena on Saturday.

Portland’s Jeff Cowan netted his team-leading 10th goal of the season on the power play just 59 seconds after the opening face-off. Matt Caruana and captain Brad Larsen both scored their first goals of the season, and Cody McCormick added a late empty-netter.

Rookie Tyler Ennis contributed two assists for the Pirates, and goaltender Jhonas Enroth earned the victory with 30 saves in net.

The Pirates pulled back to the .500 mark at 10-10-3-0 and extended their points streak to eight games (5-0-3-0). Portland has not lost in regulation since a 6-1 setback at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Nov. 11.

Rookie Nick Palmieri scored for the Devils, who have managed just two goals in losing a season-high three straight games in regulation.

BINGHAMTON 5, ROCHESTER 0
Binghamton erupted for five goals in the third period and upended league-leading Rochester by a 5-0 count on Saturday at the Broome County Arena.

The Senators, coming off a tough 5-4 loss in Toronto on Friday and playing their third game in as many nights, finally broke a scoreless deadlock when Martin St. Pierre tallied an unassisted shorthanded goal 1:30 into the third stanza.

Josh Hennessy registered another shorthanded goal just 57 seconds later, and captain Denis Hamel made it a 3-0 game on the power play five minutes in. Erik Condra then tallied a pair of goals – the latter on the power play – only 59 seconds apart later in the period as Binghamton pulled away.

St. Pierre finished with a game-high four points (1-3-4) on the night, defenseman Drew Bannister chipped in two assists, and Sens goaltender Chris Holt earned the shutout with 27 saves in net.

The Americans, whose four-game winning streak came to an end, were shut out for the first time this season.

SYRACUSE 4, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3
Syracuse rallied from a pair of one-goal deficits to emerge with a 4-3 road victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday before 6,295 fans at the Wachovia Arena.

Dustin Jeffrey registered a pair of goals for the Penguins, including the go-ahead score 53 seconds into the third period which made it a 3-2 lead for the home team. But Syracuse’s Dan Fritsche scored just 44 seconds later to tie it, and Kevin Harvey tallied the game-winner at 15:33.

Bates Battaglia had a goal and an assist for the Crunch, and Jared Aulin also found the back of the net. Pascal Pelletier registered a pair of assists in the winning effort.

Syracuse goaltender Kevin Lalande emerged with the victory after making 31 saves in net, helping his club capture back-to-back wins for the first time all season.

Jeffrey (2-1-3) and Mark Letestu (0-3-3) each had multiple points for the Penguins, who also received a goal from Luca Caputi.

WORCESTER 4, BRIDGEPORT 1
Worcester rookie Logan Couture tallied his league-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season as the Sharks continued their resurgence with a 4-1 win over visiting Bridgeport at the DCU Center on Saturday.

Couture finished with a goal and an assist on the night, as did defenseman Danny Groulx. Captain Ryan Vesce potted a late empty-netter and posted two assists for a game-high three points, and Andrew Desjardins rounded out the Sharks’ offense.

Steven Zalewski chipped in three assists in the victory, and Worcester rookie goaltender Alex Stalock earned the victory with 29 saves in net.

The Sharks extended their season-high winning streak to five games, which has followed a seven-game losing skid.

Tyler Haskins netted the Sound Tigers’ lone goal shorthanded midway through the third period.

ALBANY 3, NORFOLK 2
Brett Carson’s third-period power play goal turned out to be the game-winner as Albany secured a 3-2 road win over Norfolk on Saturday at the Scope.

The River Rats earned three of a possible four points on their trip to southeastern Virginia and moved to 2-0-1-0 in their last three games overall.

Rookie Zach Boychuk registered a goal and an assist for the River Rats, and Jacob Micflikier scored for the second time in as many days since rejoining the club from the ECHL.

Stefan Chaput contributed a pair of assists to the winning effort, and Albany goaltender Justin Peters stopped 35 of 37 shots between the pipes.

Ryan Craig tallied a first-period goal for the Admirals, and defenseman Ethan Graham concluded the night’s scoring in the third frame.

MANCHESTER 3, SPRINGFIELD 2 (SO)
Manchester was denied on its first two shootout tries but then converted three in a row to take a 3-2 road victory over Springfield in the back end of a home-and-home at the MassMutual Center.

Corey Elkins, Patrick Mullen, and Oscar Moller netted shootout goals for the Monarchs, who won their third straight game and improved to 3-1-0-0 against Springfield this season.

Manchester’s Bud Holloway had a goal and an assist in regulation, and Gabe Gauthier also found the back of the net. Colton Fretter and Chad Wiseman scored regulation markers for the Falcons.

Springfield got shootout goals from Wiseman and Viacheslav Trukhno but still fell to 0-2-0-1 in its last three games. Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 32 saves in the losing effort.

Monarchs goaltender Jeff Zatkoff earned the win with 28 saves in regulation and overtime before making three more in the shootout.

SAN ANTONIO 5, MILWAUKEE 1
San Antonio snapped out of its November doldrums on Saturday with a 5-1 win over visiting Milwaukee at the AT&T Center.

The Rampage snapped out of an 11-game winless skid overall (0-9-1-1) overall and ended a 22-game slide (0-20-0-2) in the month of November. San Antonio’s last win in November came via a 4-1 triumph over Grand Rapids on Nov. 30, 2007.

Brett MacLean led the way with two goals and an assist for the Rampage, who received a goal and a helper apiece from Kevin Porter and Chad Kolarik. Defenseman Sean Sullivan found the back of the net for the first time since Nov. 5, and Joel Perrault chipped in a trio of assists.

Rampage goaltender Josh Tordjman earned the win between the pipes with 31 saves on 32 shots.

Ryan Jones netted the lone goal for the Admirals, whose five-game points streak (4-0-0-1) came to an end.

MANITOBA 4, CHICAGO 2
Manitoba raced out to a 4-0 lead after two periods and held on for a 4-2 road win over Chicago at Allstate Arena on Saturday.

Dan Sexton tallied his first career AHL goal and added an assist for the Moose, who also received a goal and a helper from Matt Pettinger. Mario Bliznak tallied a pair of goals in the win, while Marco Rosa and captain Mike Keane each chipped in a pair of assists.

Manitoba goaltender Daren Machesney earned the win with 28 saves on 30 shots, his first triumph since a 2-1 shootout win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 30.

The Moose extended their overall points streak to seven games (5-0-2-0) on the heels of dropping five straight in regulation from Nov. 2-7.

Joey Crabb and Anthony Stewart scored for the Wolves, who have now dropped consecutive games in regulation for the first time since Oct. 16-17.

GRAND RAPIDS 2, PEORIA 1
Defenseman Sergei Kolosov and rookie forward Tomas Tatar netted goals as Grand Rapids rallied for a 2-1 road win over Peoria at Carver Arena on Saturday.

After a scoreless opening period, the host Rivermen initially took a 1-0 lead when Adam Cracknell lit the lamp on the power play at 10:34 of the second frame. Jonas Junland and Nicholas Drazenovic picked up the helpers.

But Kolosov tied it for the Griffins at the 18:38 of the second period, tallying his first goal of the season off assists by Jan Mursak and Tatar.

Tatar then extended his goal-scoring streak to four games (4-3-7) with his second game-winner of the season at 9:37 of the third period. Cory Emmerton earned the lone assist.

Griffins goaltender Daniel Larsson secured the victory with 32 saves on 33 shots between the pipes, as Grand Rapids halted a brief two-game losing skid.

ROCKFORD 5, ABBOTSFORD 1
Five different Rockford skaters found the back of the net as the IceHogs wrapped up their four-game season series against Abbotsford with a 5-1 win on Saturday at the MetroCentre.

Jack Skille and Bracken Kearns each posted a goal and an assist for Rockford, which staked itself to a 5-0 lead by the 1:20 mark of the third period.

Mark Cullen tallied his team-leading 10th goal of the season in the victory, and the IceHogs also got goals from Evan Brophey and Ryan Flinn, his first of the season. Kyle Greentree and defenseman Daryl Boyle each registered a pair of assists.

IceHogs goaltender Joe Fallon earned the victory with 25 saves on 26 shots, as his club finished up 3-1-0-0 against Abbotsford this season.

Riley Armstrong broke up Fallon’s shutout bid with a third-period power play goal for the Heat, who dropped to 2-1-0-0 on a four-game road trip which concludes on Tuesday in Toronto.

La Liga round-upThursday roundup: Pirates cool off Amerks

Friday roundup: Munroe stonewalls DevilsNovember 27, 2009

Friday’s AHL Boxscores

BRIDGEPORT 3, LOWELL 0
Bridgeport scored once in each period and goaltender Scott Munroe made 39 saves for his first shutout of the season as Bridgeport collected a 3-0 win over visiting Lowell on Friday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

The Sound Tigers won for the fourth time in their last five outings (4-1-0-0) and extended their points streak to seven games (5-1-0-1).

James Sixsmith provided all the offense Bridgeport would need when he scored his first AHL goal of the season just 2:14 after the opening face-off.

Sixsmith then picked up an assist on a Matt Martin second-period goal to make it a 2-0 game, and Sean Bentivoglio added his eighth goal of the year – tying him for the club lead – late in the third frame.

Munroe was perfect between the pipes, stuffing a Lowell squad which entered the night with the AHL’s second-ranked offense (3.50 goals per game). He improved to 3-0-1 in his last four decisions and moved over .500 for the season at 6-5-1.

The Devils, who suffered their first shutout of the campaign, have totaled only one goal in dropping back-to-back contests in regulation for the first time since Oct. 24-25.

TORONTO 5, BINGHAMTON 4
Toronto tallied four goals in the third period to climb out of a 4-1 deficit and emerge with a 5-4 win over visiting Binghamton at Ricoh Coliseum.

Ben Ondrus scored twice – including a third-period shorthanded marker – and added an assist to pace the Marlies’ offense.

Ryan Hamilton registered a goal and an assist, and Toronto also received scores from Jiri Tlusy and Troy Bodie, who picked up his second consecutive game-winner.

Andre Deveaux chipped in three helpers, and goaltender Adam Munro stopped all nine shots he faced in relief to pick up the victory. The Marlies matched a season high with their third straight win.

Josh Hennessy potted a goal and an assist for the Senators, while Martin St. Pierre, Kaspars Daugavins, and defenseman Derek Smith also found the back of the net.

ROCKFORD 4, GRAND RAPIDS 3
Rockford staked itself to a 4-1 lead early in the third period and then had to hold on for a 4-3 road win over Grand Rapids before 8,985 fans at Van Andel Arena.

Nathan Davis and Pete MacArthur each posted a goal and an assist for the IceHogs, and Kyle Greentree and Akim Aliu also scored.

Davis’ second goal put Rockford on top 3-1 at 3:54 of the third period, but Grand Rapids climbed back into it on goals by Mattias Ritola (5:57) and rookie Tomas Tatar (11:52.)

But the Griffins were unable to tie it and lost at home for just the second time all season (9-2-0-0). Evan McGrath also scored for Grand Rapids.

IceHogs goaltender Alec Richards emerged with his first career AHL win after making 27 saves in net.

HARTFORD 4, PORTLAND 3 (OT)
Dane Byers’ goal 1:22 into overtime capped off a wild finish for the home team as Hartford prevailed over Portland by a 4-3 count at the XL Center.

The Wolf Pack entered the third period holding a 2-0 lead but surrendered three goals in less than seven minutes to fall behind 3-2. Felix Schutz, Tyler Ennis, and Nathan Gerbe did the honors for Portland, which entered the night 1-9-1-0 when trailing after two periods.

The Pirates then seemed poised for a regulation win before Hartford forward Andres Ambuhl scored just his second goal of the season at 19:47 of the third frame, sending the tilt to overtime.

Byers’ overtime goal was assisted by Mathieu Dandenault and made a winner of rookie goaltender Chad Johnson, who stopped 26 shots in net.

Corey Potter and Dale Weise also netted goals for the Wolf Pack, who improved to 8-1-0-1 on home ice this season.

ROCHESTER 4, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON 3
Rochester burst out of the gate with a quartet of first-period goals and held off a late charge to beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 4-3, in front of 7,424 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.

It marked the first meeting between the teams since Mar. 14, 2007.

Mike York, ex-Penguin Jeff Taffe, and defenseman Clay Wilson each registered a goal and a helper for the Amerks in the first period, and rearguard Jordan Henry also found the back of the net. York and Taffe each scored on the power play.

After a scoreless second period, the Penguins attempted a comeback in the third frame. Defenseman Alex Grant scored his first career AHL goal at 1:52, Mark Letestu followed at 15:36, and Luca Caputi made it 4-3 at 19:36.

Amerks rookie goaltender Alexander Salak held on for the victory, making 41 saves to improve his season mark to 13-1-0.

WORCESTER 2, PROVIDENCE 1
Kevin Henderson’s first professional goal broke a 1-1 tie and sent Worcester to a 2-1 road win over Providence at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Friday.

Defenseman Dean Strong picked up the lone assist on Henderson’s tally, which came at 8:16 of the third period.

Zach Hamill gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead 7:16 into the contest, but Worcester’s Dan DaSilva potted the equalizer at the 15:39 mark. The teams played a scoreless second frame.

Sharks rookie goaltender Alex Stalock earned the victory with 24 saves on 25 shots between the pipes. Worcester has now won a season-high four straight games on the heels of a franchise-record seven-game losing skid.

NORFOLK 4, ALBANY 3 (OT)
Defenseman Ty Wishart lit the lamp 3:50 into overtime as Norfolk returned home to post a 4-3 win over visiting Norfolk on Friday at the Scope.

The Admirals, just back from a season-high eight-game road swing, halted a four-game slide and won for the first time since a 2-1 shootout triumph on Nov. 18 in Manchester.

Adam Hall, Blair Jones, and Matt Syroczynski notched regulation goals for the Admirals, while Ryan Craig chipped in two assists and fired seven shots on goal.

Norfolk rookie goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped 27 of 30 shots in net to pick up the victory.

River Rats forward Mike Angelidis sent the game to overtime with the tying goal at 8:48 of the third period. Angelidis added an assist on the night, and Albany also got goals from Jacob Micflikier and Nick Dodge.

MANCHESTER 4, SPRINGFIELD 2
A four-goal opening period was more than enough as Manchester doubled up visiting Springfield by a 4-2 count on Friday at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

The Monarchs moved to 9-1-0-1 at home this season but earned back-to-back victories overall for the first time since their six-game winning streak from Oct. 17-31.

Rookie Mark Mullen began the night’s scoring with his first professional goal on the power play 10:40 into the contest, and Drew Bagnall made it 2-0 just 20 seconds later.

Marc-Andre Cliche picked up an assist on Bagnall’s marker and scored one of his own at 16:57, and Gabe Gauthier wrapped up Manchester’s onslaught at the 19:21 mark.

After a scoreless second period, the Falcons made it interesting in the third on goals by Bryan Lerg (7:41) and Viacheslav Trukhno (14:58). But Springfield has now dropped consecutive games in regulation for the first time since a three-game skid from Oct. 4-10.

Monarchs goaltender Jonathan Bernier earned the victory with 29 saves on 31 shots between the pipes.

HAMILTON 4, LAKE ERIE 0
Hamilton bounced back from a tough 1-0 loss to Houston on Wednesday by posting a shutout of its own in a 4-0 road win over Lake Erie before 9,066 fans at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday.

Ben Maxwell and defenseman Frederic St. Denis tallied first-period goals for the Bulldogs, with St. Denis registering his first of the season.

Mathieu Carle extended Hamilton’s edge to 3-0 just 22 seconds into the second period and then picked up an assist on Mike Glumac’s fifth goal of the year at the 16:19 mark. Neither side scored in the third period.

Bulldogs starting goaltender Curtis Sanford stopped all 16 shots he faced over the first 40 minutes, and Cedrick Desjardins made eight saves after taking over for the third period.

The Monsters are now winless in four straight games (0-3-0-1) and are just 1-7-0-2 in their last 10 contests.

SYRACUSE 4, HOUSTON 3 (SO)
Bates Battaglia and Jared Aulin converted shootout attempts as Syracuse eked out a 4-3 win over visiting Houston on Friday at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

Syracuse goaltender Kevin Lalande stopped all four shootout tries against him as the Crunch improved to 2-2 in the tiebreaker this season.

A back-and-forth regulation featured three lead changes between the teams. Defenseman David Liffiton paced the Crunch with a goal and a helper, and Syracuse also got goals from Tom Sestito and Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman.

Carson McMillan registered his first professional goal for the Aeros, and Jean-Michel Daoust and Petr Kalus also found the back of the net.

Lalande made 21 saves on 24 shots through the first 65 minutes, helping Syracuse improve to 6-1-1-1 on home ice this season versus a 1-9-1-1 road mark.

HERSHEY 5, ADIRONDACK 1
Hershey avoided what would have been a season-high three-game winless skid by posting a 5-1 road victory over Adirondack on Friday before 5,148 fans at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

After a scoreless first period, the Bears received second-period markers from Michael Dubuc – his first in the AHL – Boyd Gordon, and Kyle Wilson, with a Phantoms goal by Krys Kolanos mixed in between.

Boyd Kane then scored twice in the third frame to further pad Hershey’s lead, including a shorthanded marker with 1:27 to play.

Rookie defenseman John Carlson (0-3-3) and veteran forward Keith Aucoin (0-2-2) each chipped in two assists for the Bears, and goaltender Michal Neuvirth earned the win with 20 saves between the pipes.

Adirondack has now dropped three straight games by a combined score of 15-2.

PEORIA 2, MANITOBA 1 (OT)
Defenseman Steve Wagner’s first goal of the season came 36 seconds into overtime as Peoria emerged from a defensive battle with a 2-1 win over visiting Manitoba at Carver Arena on Friday.

The game was scoreless through the first two periods before Nicholas Drazenovic put the Rivermen on top just 33 seconds after the opening drop of the third frame. Adam Cracknell picked up the lone assist.

But the Moose pulled back even on a Marty Murray goal at the 10:39 mark, with Matt Pettinger earning a helper.

Wagner’s overtime marker, which was his first regular-season goal since Feb. 28, 2009, was assisted by Cam Paddock and Jonas Junland.

Rivermen goaltender Hannu Toivonen earned the victory with 21 saves on 22 shots, helping his club snap a brief two-game slide.

MILWAUKEE 2, TEXAS 0
Milwaukee turned the tables on the AHL’s stingiest defensive team with a 2-0 road win over Texas on Friday before 6,422 fans at the Cedar Park Center.

Admirals rookie goaltender Chet Pickard, a first-round draft pick (18th overall) by parent-club Nashville in 2008, turned aside 31 shots to earn his first professional shutout.

Pickard has been between the pipes for each game of Milwaukee’s current five-game points streak and improved to 5-2-1 for the season.

Hugh Jessiman and Wacey Rabbit scored for the Admirals, who exacted revenge for a 2-1 shootout loss to Texas on Wednesday night.

The Stars, who entered the night boasting five shutouts and surrendering a league-low 1.87 goals per game, had not been blanked themselves since a 4-0 loss to Lake Erie on Oct. 20.

ABBOTSFORD 3, CHICAGO 1
Abbotsford struck for a pair of third-period goals to cool off Chicago with a 3-1 road win over the Wolves on Friday at Allstate Arena.

Heat forward Jason Jaffray broke a 1-1 deadlock with his 10th goal of the season at 9:32 of the third frame, and Kris Chucko sealed the victory with an empty-netter in the closing minute of regulation.

Defenseman Keith Seabrook also scored for Abbotsford, and second-year goaltender Leland Irving (10-7-1) earned the win with 21 saves on 22 shots.

Abbotsford improved to 2-0-0-0 on its four-game road swing, which continues on Saturday in Rockford before wrapping up on Tuesday at Toronto.

Johnny Pohl netted a goal for the Wolves, whose three-game winning streak and six-game home winning streak both came to an end. Chicago will conclude a five-game homestand on Saturday when Manitoba pays a visit.

Sunday roundup: Khudobin posts shutoutPellegrini – We deserved draw

AHL Quick HitsNovember 27, 2009

LOOKING BACK:
In Thursday’s only action, Josh Hennessy and Denis Hamel each scored twice and Andy Chiodo made 34 saves as Binghamton shut out Adirondack, 7-0… On Wednesday, rookie Viktor Stalberg netted a pair of goals to lead Toronto past Lake Erie, 4-1… Rookie Logan Couture’s third-period power-play goal lifted Worcester over Springfield, 3-2… Dale Weise scored twice in Hartford’s 4-1 triumph at Lowell… Tim Wallace had a pair of goals and was plus-3 to lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton over Norfolk, 3-1… Anton Khudobin posted a 26-save shutout as Houston edged Hamilton, 1-0… Matt Pettinger notched two third-period goals as Manitoba rallied for a 2-1 win at Rockford.

Wed 11/25
TORONTO 4, Lake Erie 1
ALBANY 4, Syracuse 2
Manchester 3, BRIDGEPORT 1
Providence 4, HERSHEY 1
Hartford 4, LOWELL 1
Worcester 3, SPRINGFIELD 2
W-B/SCRANTON 3, Norfolk 1
Houston 1, HAMILTON 0
CHICAGO 3, Grand Rapids 2
Abbotsford 6, PEORIA 2
Manitoba 2, ROCKFORD 1
TEXAS 2, Milwaukee 1 (SO)

Thu 11/26
BINGHAMTON 7, Adirondack 0

LOOKING AHEAD:
Riding a six-game points streak (4-0-2-0), Portland makes its first visit of the season to Hartford on Friday… The Pirates are just 2-8-1-0 on the road this season and will battle a Hartford club which enters 7-1-0-1 at home… Pirates forward Tyler Ennis, who had four points (3-1-4) in a 6-3 win over Hartford on Oct. 16, leads all AHL rookies with 19 points (7-12-19) on the season… Nathan Gerbe has a point in four of five games (1-6-7) for Portland since returning from injury, and rookie Philip Gogulla is riding a four-game scoring streak (2-3-5)… Hartford rookie goaltender Chad Johnson is 7-2-1 (1.19, .957) with three shutouts in his last 10 outings… Corey Locke is on a five-game scoring run (2-8-10) for the Wolf Pack and leads the league with 32 points (11-21-32) in 21 contests overall… Hartford has the AHL’s top power play (25.7 percent), while Portland shows the league’s 29th-ranked penalty kill (75.0 percent).

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton visits league-leading Rochester on Friday in the teams’ first clash since Mar. 14, 2007… The Penguins are 5-2-0-0 in their last seven contests, and goaltender John Curry (9-5-0, 2.12, .927) has stopped 49 of 51 shots (.961) in two victories since a 5-3 loss at Hartford on Nov. 19… Wyatt Smith has a goal in two straight games and a point in five of six (2-5-7) for the Penguins… Wilkes-Barre has won 10 of the 11 games this season in which it scored the first goal (10-0-1-0)… The Amerks enter as winners of three straight and 14 of their last 15… Rookie Alexander Salak has made 11 straight starts in net and leads AHL goaltenders with 12 victories (12-1-0, 1.89, .937)… Former Penguin Jeff Taffe (2-4-6) and Mike York (0-5-5) are riding four-game scoring streaks for Rochester, which is 9-0-1-0 at home this season.

Looking to rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to Texas on Wednesday, Milwaukee returns to the Cedar Park Center for a rematch on Friday… The Admirals have collected a point in four straight games (3-0-0-1) and five of six (3-1-1-1) thus far on their eight-game road swing… Cal O’Reilly paces Milwaukee with 21 points (4-17-21) and has found the scoresheet in 12 of his 14 AHL games this year… Ads rookie Chet Pickard has stopped 80 of 83 shots (.964) over his last three outings (2-0-1)… The Stars, who enter the weekend with an 11-point cushion atop the West Division, are 8-1-1-1 at home for the campaign… Texas’ Brent Krahn (10-2-0) continues to lead all AHL goaltenders in goals-against average (1.41) and save percentage (.958)… Perttu Lindgren (5-9-14) and Aaron Gagnon (4-10-14) are tied for the Stars’ team lead with 14 points apiece.

(all times Eastern)
Fri 11/27
Binghamton @ Toronto, 7:00

Lowell @ Bridgeport, 7:00
Rockford @ Grand Rapids, 7:00
Portland @ Hartford, 7:00
W-B/Scranton @ Rochester, 7:05
Worcester @ Providence, 7:05
Albany @ Norfolk, 7:15
Springfield @ Manchester, 7:30
Hamilton @ Lake Erie, 7:30
Houston @ Syracuse, 7:30
Hershey @ Adirondack, 7:30
Manitoba @ Peoria, 8:00
Abbotsford @ Chicago, 8:30
Milwaukee @ Texas, 8:30

Sat 11/28
Hamilton @ Lake Erie, 1:00
Houston @ Toronto, 4:00
Providence @ Hartford, 7:00
Adirondack @ Hershey, 7:00
Portland @ Lowell, 7:00
Rochester @ Binghamton, 7:05
Syracuse @ W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Bridgeport @ Worcester, 7:05
Albany @ Norfolk, 7:15
Manchester @ Springfield, 7:30
Milwaukee @ San Antonio, 8:00
Manitoba @ Chicago, 8:00
Grand Rapids @ Peoria, 8:00
Abbotsford @ Rockford, 8:05

Sun 11/29
Hartford @ Bridgeport, 3:00
Portland @ Springfield, 3:00
Rochester @ Syracuse, 3:00
W-B/Scranton @ Hershey, 5:00

Mon 11/30
No games scheduled

Tue 12/1
Grand Rapids @ Lake Erie, 7:00
Abbotsford @ Toronto, 7:00
Rochester @ Manitoba, 8:30

ALUMNI WATCH:
On Wednesday, 2008 Calder Cup champion Ondrej Pavelec posted a 40-save shutout to lead Atlanta to a 2-0 road win over Detroit… Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored the lone shootout goal for either side in the N.Y. Rangers’ 2-1 win at Florida.

BY THE NUMBERS:
496 — Career AHL points for both Hershey’s Alexandre Giroux and Providence’s Trent Whitfield entering the weekend… Both players are bidding to join the American Hockey League’s 500-point club, which currently has 75 members.

AHL LIVE:
Watch live games, highlights and features, get video on demand and more all season long with AHL Live. Visit ahllive.com for more information.

AHL Quick HitsResino axed by Atletico

Bruins’ LoVecchio has head for the gameNovember 27, 2009

by Adam Kaufman || AHL On The Beat Archive

“I’m lucky I didn’t break my neck.”

Those were the words of Providence Bruins rookie forward Jeff LoVecchio, thinking back to a scary moment that could have ended his hockey career before it really even started. For that matter, it could have been much worse.

Any hockey player or fan remembers the story of Travis Roy, the 20-year-old Boston University Terrier who saw the beginning and end to not only his hockey career, but also his entire way of life on October 20, 1995. Roy, only 11 seconds into his first-ever shift for BU, slid head-first into the boards after University of North Dakota defenseman Mitch Vig avoided his check, cracking Roy’s fourth vertebra and leaving him a quadriplegic.

By comparison, LoVecchio was very fortunate. But that does not lessen the struggle he had lying ahead of him following a similar event one July afternoon in 2008.

After shining in 20 regular season and playoff games in his first pro experience with the P-Bruins late in the 2007-08 campaign, LoVecchio returned home to Chesterfield, Missouri to train for his first full season. The then 22-year-old had recently recovered from a broken wrist, an injury he sustained in Providence, and he was taking the ice for one of the first times since receiving a clean bill of health.

While practicing, LoVecchio was skating at full speed, hit a rut in the ice and went flying into the boards, where he struck his head and suffered a concussion. After signing a two-year free agent deal with the Boston Bruins just a few months prior, it appeared the rookie season LoVecchio had longed for may never take place.

“I never said it out-loud that I thought I’d never play again,” recalled LoVecchio. “But, in the back of my mind, it was always there.”

He had the support of family, friends, his girlfriend and the entire Bruins organization. Still, the uphill battle belonged to LoVecchio. Doctors told him that people come back from bad concussions all the time – the biggest unknown was how long the post-concussion syndrome would last.

“It was pretty frustrating,” LoVecchio said. “Right from the beginning, I couldn’t really go out, even to the grocery store or the mall, places where there was a lot of noise and your brain had to take in a lot of information. I couldn’t go because I would start to get dizzy and sick, and a little bit of a headache. I basically couldn’t leave the house.”

That lasted into January of the 2008-09 season, seven months after he sustained the concussion. The little LoVecchio did leave his apartment was to spend time in the locker room. He would get in a brief stretch, typically no longer than 10 minutes, watch practice from the stands, and then go home for the rest of the day.

“That was a pretty terrible way to live life,” said LoVecchio, “Especially for someone like me who likes to work out.”

After several frustrating months of sitting around and the incessant internal questions about how his life in hockey would progress, there was hope. In early February, with his teammates on the road, LoVecchio went to see the doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The head concussion specialists gave him some medicine and, roughly three weeks later, LoVecchio felt symptom-free.

“Once I started to work out, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders,” remembered LoVecchio.

The workouts weren’t “normal” for someone with a reputation for being “over-the-top” when it comes to working out and good nutrition, according to most teammates. In fact, his short rides on a stationary bike in the team’s weight room would probably have been considered a light workout for most anyone, even a non-athlete. Regardless, the workouts represented something more, something bigger. His road back to the ice had begun.

In March, with the regular season winding down, he took the ice for the first time since the previous July.

“I will never forget the first day I got to skate,” glowed LoVecchio. “The team had an off-day and I got to come in (to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center) and skate by myself for 10 minutes. It was the best feeling ever, just being out there alone on the ice for the first time in eight or nine months. It was unbelievable to finally get going and feel like I was making progress.”

• Fans give thanks for Springfield hockey  

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By the time Providence’s 2008-09 season ended with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in late May, LoVecchio had joined his teammates for two full practices. He never had the opportunity to dress for a game but, by the time the season’s final buzzer sounded, the year had become about much more than hockey.

“You hate to see someone get hurt,” said second-year P-Bruin Matt Marquardt. “Myself, I had some injuries last year, and seeing Jeff around the room with a smile on his face was a little bit of motivation. You realize how much you miss (playing) when you’re out for a period of time.”

“To have somebody miss a full calendar year, not being able to skate or train, was tough to see,” Marquardt continued. “Knowing that a guy had trouble getting out of bed or would get dizzy, that’s pretty scary stuff. But he had such a positive attitude that it really spoke volumes in the dressing room.”

“You see how much (LoVecchio) wanted to play last year,” teammate Mikko Lehtonen remembered. “It’s hard to come to the rink and feel that you don’t want to practice when you see that guy so willing to practice and do everything, but he just couldn’t do it.”

It was the fact that he couldn’t that could have ended his journey before it began. LoVecchio could have sat back and blended in. But, despite having only 20 pro games under his belt, LoVecchio learned early that leading by example stretched far beyond the ice.

“I tried to be in (the room) to talk to the guys a lot when they came off the ice from practice,” he said. “I just told guys to play their hearts out because you never know when it could end. I didn’t know if I was going to come back or what was going to happen (last year). So, just play every game like it’s your last.”

Providence coach Rob Murray was an assistant when LoVecchio first burst onto the scene in Rhode Island after three years of college hockey at Western Michigan University, where the young winger captained the Broncos as a junior. LoVecchio joined the P-Bruins on an Amateur Tryout Agreement on March 14, 2008. The next night he made his professional debut against the San Antonio Rampage and, by the end, he had registered a goal, an assist and was named the game’s top star. A few days later, LoVecchio inked his entry-level contract with Boston. When the season ended, he had totaled three goals and six points to start a career that took more than a year to resume.

“I was very disappointed that Jeff missed last season because, knowing him from the prior year, I was excited to see him come in for a full season,” said Murray on the eve of the 2009-10 campaign. “As well as we did last year, I think that he would have been a main part of our team, but I’m thrilled for Jeff that he was able to get healthy. (To go through what he went through) last season and for him to have kept himself in physical shape with that hanging over his head was a real testament to him. He made sure that when he was ready to start training again that he had put himself in the best position in order to get back quicker.”

LoVecchio went on to have a successful development camp in July of 2009, turned heads at the team’s rookie tournament in Kitchener, Ontario, and impressed Bruins upper management with his strength, skating and overall conditioning during the big club’s training camp. But he still had yet to appear in a game that counted since May 9, 2008. Seventeen months later and poised for his return prior to Providence’s season-opening match-up with Springfield on October 4, 2009, LoVecchio acknowledged some minor nerves and substantial excitement while reflecting back upon where he had come from.

“(Last year) was the hardest year of my life. I don’t wish that type of injury upon anyone. Now, at 24, I’m probably the oldest rookie in the league but I prepare mentally as hard as anybody and I’m just going to work as hard as I can to not play like a rookie.”

Many around the locker room who were in Rhode Island last season speak of LoVecchio as a leader, the ideal role model for players young and old. For that leadership and dedication, the kind that may very well result in a Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award at season’s end, Murray started the season with an assistant captain’s “A” on LoVecchio’s home jersey. Rookie or not, he had earned it, and he earned what came next.

Just 16:25 into his first game in nearly a year and a half, in front of more than 8,800 fans, LoVecchio rebounded an Adam McQuaid shot passed Falcons goalie Devan Dubnyk for a goal that resulted in a thunderous on-ice celebration. He later added a third period goal to cap a 6-2 opening night win at The Dunk on the way to being named the first star of the game.

“I told some of the guys if I scored ever this year I was probably going to go nuts because I’d be so happy, and it happened in the first period of the first game,” LoVecchio said after the contest. “It was just a huge weight off my back and it was exciting to get my name on the stat sheet. Right when I came back to the bench, all the boys were coming up and saying ‘congrats’ and ‘good work.’ Coach Murray came up right away and said, ‘Congratulations, you deserved it.’”

“You know,” he continued, “It was an indescribable feeling sitting on the bench after, just thinking about where I was last year and even six months ago, not knowing still if I would be able to play hockey again. It was really nice to get it in and I definitely celebrated pretty hard there.”

No matter what the result on the ice for the Providence Bruins during the 2009-10 campaign, the season is already a success for forward Jeff LoVecchio. He leads the P-Bruins with eight goals to go along with five assists, and currently ranks among the AHL’s top rookie scorers. But, more importantly, LoVecchio is healthy and he hasn’t missed a game. .

Former foes now teammates and friendsBlues don’t interest Real ace

AHL Quick HitsNovember 27, 2009

LOOKING BACK:
In Thursday’s only action, Josh Hennessy and Denis Hamel each scored twice and Andy Chiodo made 34 saves as Binghamton shut out Adirondack, 7-0… On Wednesday, rookie Viktor Stalberg netted a pair of goals to lead Toronto past Lake Erie, 4-1… Rookie Logan Couture’s third-period power-play goal lifted Worcester over Springfield, 3-2… Dale Weise scored twice in Hartford’s 4-1 triumph at Lowell… Tim Wallace had a pair of goals and was plus-3 to lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton over Norfolk, 3-1… Anton Khudobin posted a 26-save shutout as Houston edged Hamilton, 1-0… Matt Pettinger notched two third-period goals as Manitoba rallied for a 2-1 win at Rockford.

Wed 11/25
TORONTO 4, Lake Erie 1
ALBANY 4, Syracuse 2
Manchester 3, BRIDGEPORT 1
Providence 4, HERSHEY 1
Hartford 4, LOWELL 1
Worcester 3, SPRINGFIELD 2
W-B/SCRANTON 3, Norfolk 1
Houston 1, HAMILTON 0
CHICAGO 3, Grand Rapids 2
Abbotsford 6, PEORIA 2
Manitoba 2, ROCKFORD 1
TEXAS 2, Milwaukee 1 (SO)

Thu 11/26
BINGHAMTON 7, Adirondack 0

LOOKING AHEAD:
Riding a six-game points streak (4-0-2-0), Portland makes its first visit of the season to Hartford on Friday… The Pirates are just 2-8-1-0 on the road this season and will battle a Hartford club which enters 7-1-0-1 at home… Pirates forward Tyler Ennis, who had four points (3-1-4) in a 6-3 win over Hartford on Oct. 16, leads all AHL rookies with 19 points (7-12-19) on the season… Nathan Gerbe has a point in four of five games (1-6-7) for Portland since returning from injury, and rookie Philip Gogulla is riding a four-game scoring streak (2-3-5)… Hartford rookie goaltender Chad Johnson is 7-2-1 (1.19, .957) with three shutouts in his last 10 outings… Corey Locke is on a five-game scoring run (2-8-10) for the Wolf Pack and leads the league with 32 points (11-21-32) in 21 contests overall… Hartford has the AHL’s top power play (25.7 percent), while Portland shows the league’s 29th-ranked penalty kill (75.0 percent).

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton visits league-leading Rochester on Friday in the teams’ first clash since Mar. 14, 2007… The Penguins are 5-2-0-0 in their last seven contests, and goaltender John Curry (9-5-0, 2.12, .927) has stopped 49 of 51 shots (.961) in two victories since a 5-3 loss at Hartford on Nov. 19… Wyatt Smith has a goal in two straight games and a point in five of six (2-5-7) for the Penguins… Wilkes-Barre has won 10 of the 11 games this season in which it scored the first goal (10-0-1-0)… The Amerks enter as winners of three straight and 14 of their last 15… Rookie Alexander Salak has made 11 straight starts in net and leads AHL goaltenders with 12 victories (12-1-0, 1.89, .937)… Former Penguin Jeff Taffe (2-4-6) and Mike York (0-5-5) are riding four-game scoring streaks for Rochester, which is 9-0-1-0 at home this season.

Looking to rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to Texas on Wednesday, Milwaukee returns to the Cedar Park Center for a rematch on Friday… The Admirals have collected a point in four straight games (3-0-0-1) and five of six (3-1-1-1) thus far on their eight-game road swing… Cal O’Reilly paces Milwaukee with 21 points (4-17-21) and has found the scoresheet in 12 of his 14 AHL games this year… Ads rookie Chet Pickard has stopped 80 of 83 shots (.964) over his last three outings (2-0-1)… The Stars, who enter the weekend with an 11-point cushion atop the West Division, are 8-1-1-1 at home for the campaign… Texas’ Brent Krahn (10-2-0) continues to lead all AHL goaltenders in goals-against average (1.41) and save percentage (.958)… Perttu Lindgren (5-9-14) and Aaron Gagnon (4-10-14) are tied for the Stars’ team lead with 14 points apiece.

(all times Eastern)
Fri 11/27
Binghamton @ Toronto, 7:00

Lowell @ Bridgeport, 7:00
Rockford @ Grand Rapids, 7:00
Portland @ Hartford, 7:00
W-B/Scranton @ Rochester, 7:05
Worcester @ Providence, 7:05
Albany @ Norfolk, 7:15
Springfield @ Manchester, 7:30
Hamilton @ Lake Erie, 7:30
Houston @ Syracuse, 7:30
Hershey @ Adirondack, 7:30
Manitoba @ Peoria, 8:00
Abbotsford @ Chicago, 8:30
Milwaukee @ Texas, 8:30

Sat 11/28
Hamilton @ Lake Erie, 1:00
Houston @ Toronto, 4:00
Providence @ Hartford, 7:00
Adirondack @ Hershey, 7:00
Portland @ Lowell, 7:00
Rochester @ Binghamton, 7:05
Syracuse @ W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Bridgeport @ Worcester, 7:05
Albany @ Norfolk, 7:15
Manchester @ Springfield, 7:30
Milwaukee @ San Antonio, 8:00
Manitoba @ Chicago, 8:00
Grand Rapids @ Peoria, 8:00
Abbotsford @ Rockford, 8:05

Sun 11/29
Hartford @ Bridgeport, 3:00
Portland @ Springfield, 3:00
Rochester @ Syracuse, 3:00
W-B/Scranton @ Hershey, 5:00

Mon 11/30
No games scheduled

Tue 12/1
Grand Rapids @ Lake Erie, 7:00
Abbotsford @ Toronto, 7:00
Rochester @ Manitoba, 8:30

ALUMNI WATCH:
On Wednesday, 2008 Calder Cup champion Ondrej Pavelec posted a 40-save shutout to lead Atlanta to a 2-0 road win over Detroit… Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored the lone shootout goal for either side in the N.Y. Rangers’ 2-1 win at Florida.

BY THE NUMBERS:
496 — Career AHL points for both Hershey’s Alexandre Giroux and Providence’s Trent Whitfield entering the weekend… Both players are bidding to join the American Hockey League’s 500-point club, which currently has 75 members.

AHL LIVE:
Watch live games, highlights and features, get video on demand and more all season long with AHL Live. Visit ahllive.com for more information.

Resino axed by AtleticoAHL Quick Hits