Weekly Wrap-Up - Atlantic Division (Week 22)
*Editor's Note: In the Atlantic Division this week, teams are starting to separate themselves from playoff contenders to pretenders.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Record Last Week: 3-0-0
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms stormed back from a 5-1 first period deficit to stun the Hershey Bears with a 7-6 victory in Allentown Friday night. Chris Conner scored the lone first period goal for the Phantoms who then put together a come-back for the ages. Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Philippe Myers scored early in the second to breathe some life back into the Phantoms, but a quick Riley Barber goal appeared to turn the momentum back in Hershey’s favor until Cole Bardreau and Danick Martel each notched goals to make it 6-5 Hershey after two. In the third, Mike Vecchione tied the game and Aube-Kubel recorded the eventual game-winner with just under 7 minutes left in the game. John Muse was lifted after allowing 4 goals on 10 shots. Dustin Tokarski then made 18 saves on 20 shots. The Phantoms were 2-for-7 on the PP and 4-for-4 on the PK.
On Saturday night, the Phantoms left nothing to chance as they blanked the visiting Binghamton Devils 4-0. Phil Varone and Chris Conner each scored powerplay goals in the second period. In the third, Corban Knight put the game firmly out of reach with his 12th goal. Mikhail Vorobyev netted the game’s final score with just over 4 minutes left in the game. Dustin Tokarski recorded his third shutout of the season with his 29-save clean sheet.
Sunday afternoon, the Phantoms learned the league had suspended Aube-Kubel for two games, but that didn’t slow them down as they dispatched of the Hershey Bears 3-2 in a five-round shootout victory in Hershey. Knight opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the first, but the Bears tied the game before the first intermission. After Hershey took the lead in the second, Vorobyev tied the game again before the second intermission. Ironically it was Knight in the third round and Vorobyev in the fifth round who connected in the shootout to lift the Phantoms to victory in their final game of the season against the Bears. Muse made 22 saves on 24 shots. The Phantoms were 0-for-2 on the PP and 1-for-3 with a shorthanded goal on the PK.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Record Last Week: 1-1-1
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got off to a slow start in Grand Rapids, but used a three-goal third period to earn a 4-2 victory over the Griffins. After Grand Rapids scored early in the first, Adam Johnson tied the game as the second period began. Another Grand Rapids goal put the hosts back on top before the second intermission. In the third, Garrett Wilson tied the game on a powerplay goal. Then Teddy Blueger scored an unassisted goal before Wilson tacked on an empty netter. Anthony Peters went the distance, recording 17 saves. The Penguins were 1-for-3 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
But Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s trip west hit a bump in the road in Rockford where they were shut out by the IceHogs, 3-0. Etienne Marcoux got the start for the Penguins and allowed two goals on 21 shots. The Penguins were ice cold on the power play, going 0-for-6. They were 6-for-6 on the PK though.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s trip to the midwest ended with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Admirals in Milwaukee. The Admirals got on the board first with a shorthanded goal, but Ethan Prow scored to tie the game before the first intermission. Milwaukee scored late in the second and held the lead until Josh Jooris scored his first goal of the season with just 40 seconds left on the clock. Christian Thomas connected on his shootout attempt, but the Admirals scored twice in the four-round shootout to earn the victory. Peters made 20 saves for the Penguins who were 0-for-3 on the PP and 4-for-4 on the PK.
Providence Bruins
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
Friday night in Providence, the Bruins dispatched of the Charlotte Checkers 6-3 as six different players tallied goals. Austin Czarnik scored the lone goal of the first period. Colby Cave then made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal in the second. But Charlotte stormed back to tie the game with a late second period tally and another to open the third period. Providence regained the lead on goals from Josh Hennessy, Jordan Szwarz, and Peter Cehlarik. Chris Porter added an empty net goal. Zane McIntyre stopped 25 of 28 shots. The Bruins were 1-for-2 on the PP and 2-for-2 on the PK.
On Saturday night, the Bruins traveled to Hartford where they earned their second impressive win in a row with a 6-2 victory over the Wolf Pack. Adam Payerl and Zach Senyshyn both recorded first period goals for Providence. In the second, Peter Cehlarik made it 3-0 with the lone goal of the period. In the third, Ryan Fitzgerald and Josh Hennessy each found the back of the net. After two goals from Hartford, Colby Cave became the sixth Bruin to score and rounded out the game’s scoring. Jordan Binnington made 31 saves on 33 shots. About the only thing that did not go Providence’s way was not being able to convert on their only power play of the evening. They did go 3-for-3 on the PK.
Providence’s lone loss of the week came at home on Sunday where the Springfield Thunderbirds earned a 2-0 shutout against the Bruins. Providence was 0-for-3 on the PP and the lone goal allowed by McIntyre came during a Bruins powerplay in the third period. McIntyre ended the night with 34 saves on 35 shots before being lifted for the extra attacker late in the third. The Bruins were 3-for-3 on the PK.
Charlotte Checkers
Record Last Week: 2-1-0
The Checkers traveled to Providence for a Friday evening contest and fell to the Bruins, 6-3. After the Providence Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Josiah Didier and Trevor Carrick combined to tie the game, but three unanswered goals by the Bruins put the game out of reach. Sergey Tolchinsky tacked on Charlotte’s final goal. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 36 of 41 shots. The Checkers went 0-for-2 on the PP and 1-for-2 on the PK.
In Springfield Saturday night, the Checkers saw their two-goal first period lead evaporate before Valentin Zykov ended things 64 seconds into overtime to give the Checkers a 3-2 victory. Zykov, who also scored at the 1:50 mark in the first period earned first star honors. Aleksi Saarela scored Charlotte’s other goal in regulation. Jeremy Smith made 25 saves on 27 shots between the pipes for the Checkers. Charlotte was 1-for-4 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
On Sunday, the Checkers kept a firm hold on the fourth spot in the Atlantic Division with a 4-3 victory over the Wolf Pack in Hartford. After the Pack jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Charlotte went on a tear in the second period. First Warren Foegele netted his 24th of the season. Then Brenden Kichton tied the game with a power play goal at the 14:49 mark. Just 16 seconds later, Clark Bishop broke the tie and gave the Checkers their first lead of the game. Valentin Zykov’s tally almost two minutes later would go on to be the game winner. Nedeljkovic made 32 saves on 35 shots to earn the victory. The Checkers were 1-for-4 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Record Last Week: 3-0-0
The Sound Tigers got off to a roaring start this week with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Americans in Rochester. Michael Dal Colle opened the scoring in the first period with his 7th goal of the season, but Rochester stormed back to tie the game before the first intermission. After scoreless second and third periods, Travis St. Denis got the game-winner 1:23 into overtime. Kristers Gudlevskis made 25 saves. Neither team found success on the man-advantage with Bridgeport going 0-for-5. The Sound Tigers were 2-for-2 on the PK.
Bridgeport kept the good times rolling with a 4-2 victory over the Rocket in Laval Friday night. Laval scored the lone goal of the first period, but Stephen Gionta tied the game just 75 seconds into the second period. St. Denis then gave Bridgeport a 2-1 lead with a powerplay goal, but the second period ended in a tie after Laval scored with just 42 second left in the period. Kane Lafranchise and Dal Colle both scored in the third to lift the Sound Tigers to victory. Gudlevskis stopped 22 of 24 shots. The Sound Tigers were 2-for-5 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
On Saturday night in Belleville, the Sound Tigers made it 3-for-3 with a 4-2 victory over the Senators. After the home team posted a pair of goals in the first, Josh Ho-Sang pulled Bridgeport to within a goal with a power play goal in the second. In the third, Parker Wotherspoon not only tied the game, he also netted the game winner within a 13 minute span. Ben Holmstrom added an empty net goal to round out the scoring. Eamon McAdam made 23 saves on 25 shots. Bridgeport once again had success on special teams. They were 2-for-3 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the PK.
Hartford Wolf Pack
Record Last Week: 0-2-1
Friday night, the Hartford nearly pulled off the come-from-behind victory, but fell 5-4 in overtime to the Thunderbirds in Springfield. Springfield jumped out to a 3-0 lead after a period. Lias Andersson scored 15 seconds into the second period, but the Thunderbirds got another goal with less than a minute left in the second. Adam Tambellini then scored 19 seconds into the third and Vinni Lettieri added a pair to force OT where Springfield took just 29 seconds to end the game. Chris Nell started in net, but was pulled after allowing three goals on ten shots. Charles Williams then made six saves on just eight shots the remainder of the way. The Pack went 0-for-3 on the PP and 3-for-3 on the PK.
On Saturday, the hosted the Providence Bruins, but were unable to match Providence’s firepower and fell 6-2. By the time Ryan Sproul scored just past the midway point in the third, Providence had already notched five goals. Gabriel Fontaine scored with just under three minutes left in the contest, but this one was all Providence as the Bruins responded by adding the game’s final goal. Chris Nell took the loss in net; he stopped 27 of 33 shots he faced. Hartford was unable to connect on their three power play attempts. They were 1-for-1 on the PK.
In their final game of the week, Hartford once again fell at home, this time to the Charlotte Checkers, 4-3. Adam Tambellini and Filip Chytil put the Wolf Pack up two goals, but four straight second period goals from Charlotte turned the momentum in favor of the Checkers by the second intermission. In the third, Hartford got to within a goal as Cristoval Nieves scored on the power play, but Hartford was unable to tie the game. Williams started the game for Hartford, but was replaced by Nell after allowing four goals on 23 shots. Nell shut down the Checkers on all seven shots he faced the rest of the way. Hartford was 1-for-4 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
Springfield Thunderbirds
Record Last Week: 2-0-1
A hot start for the Thunderbirds nearly took a bad turn Friday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack forced OT, but Curtis Valk ended the game just 29 seconds into the extra frame. Bobby Farnham, Alexandre Grenier, and Valk all scored in the first to put the hosts up 3-0. In the second, Hartford got a quick goal, but Chase Balisy made it a three goal lead with a late goal. After the Pack tied it in the third, Valk netted his 15th of the season and earned first star honors. Harri Sateri maded 38 stops on 42 shots. The Thunderbirds went 0-for-3 on the PP and 3-for-3 on the PK.
On Saturday, the Thunderbirds once again found themselves in an overtime game, but this time they ended on the wrong side of the scoreboard, suffering a 3-2 loss to the visiting Charlotte Checkers. After the Checkers notched a pair of first period goals, Anthony Greco connected on the powerplay in the second to make it a one-goal game. Then in the third, Dryden Hunt tied the game, but unlike Friday night, the Thunderbirds were unable to pull off the comeback as the Checkers scored 64 seconds into OT. Samuel Montembeault made 35 saves on 38 shots. The Thunderbirds were 1-for-4 on the PP and 3-for-4 on the PK.
The Thunderbirds finished off the week with a 2-0 shutout victory over the Bruins in Providence. After two scoreless periods, Greco finally got Springfield on the board with an empty net goal. Then with just one second left on the clock, Balisy notched an empty net goal. Sateri recorded his second shutout of the season with a 30-save performance. The Thunderbirds were 0-for-3 on the PP, but went 3-for-3 with a shorthanded goal on the PK.
Hershey Bears
Record Last Week: 1-1-1
A terrific first period took a very ugly turn for the Bears Friday night in Allentown as their 5-1 lead after the first period turned into a 7-6 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Dustin Gazley, Lucas Johansen, Jeremy Langlois, Nathan Walker, and Tyler Graovac all recorded first period goals as the Bears appeared poised to finally exorcise their demons in Allentown this season, but the Phantoms scored four in the second around a Riley Barber goal. In the third, the Phantoms tied the game early and then took the lead after the midway point to turn back Hershey. Vitek Vanecek made 14 saves on 19 shots before being replaced by Pheonix Copley who made 11 saves on 13 shots. Hershey was 0-for-4 on the PP and 5-for-7 on the PK.
Despite Friday night’s set-back, the Bears roared back with a 3-0 shutout victory over the visiting Utica Comets Saturday night at Giant Center. After a scoreless first period, Aaron Ness recorded his third goal of the season to put the Bears on top. Then Chris Bourque scored his first goal since returning from South Korea. Zach Sill tacked on a second insurance goal late in the third period. Copley earned his second shutout of the season with a 24-save performance. The Bears were a lousy 0-for-7 on the PP, but went 6-for-6 on the PK.
On Sunday, the Bears hosted the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the final time this season and fell 3-2 in a five-round shootout. The visiting Phantoms cracked the scoreboard first with a shorthanded goal in the first period, but Joe Whitney scored later in the period to tie the game. In the second, Wayne Simpson gave the Bears the lead with a powerplay goal, but the Phantoms tied the game before the second intermission. Whitney was the lone Bear to connect on his shootout attempt. Copley made saves on 33 of the 35 shots he faced. Hershey was 1-for-3 on the PP and 2-for-2 on the PK.
Atlantic Division Standings as of March 6, 2018
Lehigh Valley: 60 GP, 38-15-3-4, 83 points, .692 pct W-B/Scranton: 56 GP, 33-17-4-2, 72 points, .643 pct Providence: 58 GP, 34-19-3-2, 73 points, .629 pct Charlotte: 60 GP, 33-24-0-3, 69 points, .575 pct Bridgeport: 58 GP, 28-22-5-3, 64 points, .552 pct Hartford: 61 GP, 26-27-5-3, 60 points, .492 pct Springfield: 59 GP, 27-28-3-1, 58 points, .492 pct Hershey: 60 GP, 24-27-4-5, 57 points, .475 pct
This Week’s Atlantic Division Schedule
Wednesday, March 7
Providence at Laval - 7:30 PM
Friday, March 9
Hershey at Syracuse - 7:00 PM Springfield at Utica - 7:00 PM Bridgeport at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 PM Providence at Rochester - 7:05 PM Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Binghamton - 7:05 PM Hartford at Charlotte - 7:15 PM
Saturday, March 10
Providence at Toronto - 4:00 PM Hartford at Charlotte - 6:00 PM Hershey at Binghamton - 7:05 PM Utica at Springfield - 7:05 PM Grand Rapids at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7:05 PM Lehigh Valley at Bridgeport - 7:30 PM
Sunday, March 11
Springfield at Bridgeport - 3:00 PM Grand Rapids at Hershey - 5:00 PM Binghamton at Lehigh Valley - 5:05 PM
