Weekly Wrap-Up - North Division (Week 17)
Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you exclusive first-reports, prospect features and stories from around the American Hockey League (AHL).
Quick. Easy. Support original journalism!
In the All Star Break edition of the North Division Notebook…the bottom half struggles continue, Toronto continues its run, and there’s a new team to keep an eye on as the schedule moves into February.
Belleville Senators
Record this week: 0-2-1-0
Not a good week for 6th place Belleville, as they limp into the All Star break on a 0-3-1-0 streak.
The Senators began- the week with a 4-1 home loss to Manitoba on Wednesday. Max McCormick had the lone Belleville goal, while Danny Taylor stopped 25 of 29 Moose shots.
The slide for Belleville continued Friday evening with a 5-2 loss in Syracuse. Erik Burgdoerfer would score twice in the third period, and Marcus Hogberg stopped 31 shots.
Saturday, the Senators managed to snag one point with a 4-3 overtime loss to Rochester. Nick Paul, Gabriel Gagne, and Jim O’Brien all scored, Ben Harpur added two assists, and Taylor had 36 saves.
Senator Notes: Chris Kelly was released from his PTO on Thursday, as he prepares to join Team Canada for the Olympics; defensemen Jamie Doornbosch and Willie Corrin were added as PTOs; Colin White, Burgdoerfer, and Chris DiDomenico returned from Ottawa; the Senators hit the road for a pair to begin February, visiting Binghamton on Friday and Bridgeport on Saturday.
Binghamton Devils
Record this week: 0-1-1-0
For last place Binghamton, there’s nowhere to go but up, right? One point out of four on the week, and a 2-6-2-0 run in their last 10, has them mired in the league basement going into the break.
The Devils started a two-game week with a 3-1 loss to Utica at home on Friday. Bracken Kearns had the lone Binghamton goal, Jacob MacDonald the lone assist, and Mackenzie Blackwood had 26 saves.
On Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, Binghamton found themselves in a 2-0 hole midway through the second period against the Penguins. Nick Lappin would then score a pair of power play goals 4:24 apart to tie the game up.
The Penguins would take a 3-2 lead with 1:38 remaining, but Kearns would retie the game 33 seconds later, pushing the game into overtime. Wilkes-Barre would go on to win 3-2 with a goal 3:28 into the extra session. Kearns and Tim Kennedy would each add two assists, and Blackwood had 26 saves.
Devil Notes: Thanks to a rash of injuries with the parent Devils, Blackwood and Kevin Rooney were recalled, then sent down, on Thursday; forward Terrence Wallin was released from his PTO; Mirco Mueller finished his conditioning stint officially on Monday with his recall to New Jersey;
Laval Rocket
Record this week: 0-3-0-0
A 3-game losing streak has 5th place Laval slumping into the break.
The Rocket began the week with a 3-2 loss at home to Syracuse on Wednesday night. Daniel Audette and Nikita Scherbak had the lone goals, and Charlie Lindgren had 22 saves.
Laval returned home on Friday and dropped a 4-1 decision to visiting Manitoba in the first of a two-game series. Audette scored the lone Rocket goal, while Lindgren added 26 saves.
The Moose would finish off the sweep with a 5-2 win on Saturday night. Chris Terry and Adam Cracknell had one goal apiece, Scherbak and Matt Taormina each added two assists, and Michael McNiven had 21 saves.
Rocket Notes: Goaltender Zachary Fucale came up from Brampton to back up Lindgren on Wednesday, then went right back to the Beast on Thursday; Laval has only one game this week after the break, traveling to Toronto on Saturday afternoon.
Rochester Americans
*Record this week: 1-1-0-0
Second place Rochester lost a chance to gain ground against the Marlies, but a .500 week keeps them within 5 points of first place.
The Amerks began their week by being shutout by first place Toronto, 2-0. Linus Ullmark took the hard luck loss, stopping 37 of 38 shots.
Rochester rebounded nicely on Saturday with a come from behind 4-3 overtime win in Belleville on Saturday night. Trailing 3-2 late in the third, Eric Cornel’s fifth goal of the season with 2:40 to go in regulation would push the game into overtime, and Kyle Criscuolo would end it with a power play goal, his second score of the game, just 22 seconds into the extra frame. Adam Wilcox stopped 21 of 24 shots for his 8th win of the season.
Amerk Notes: Matt Tennyson was recalled to Buffalo, while forwards Justin Danforth and Arvin Atwal were called up from Cincinnati; the Amerks get another crack at Toronto on Friday at home, then head to Binghamton on Saturday.
Syracuse Crunch
Record this week: 2-1-0-0
Ten rookies in the lineup thanks to injuries and recalls? No problem for third place Syracuse, as they took two of three and sit four points behind Rochester.
The Crunch got back on track on Wednesday with a 3-2 win in Laval. Mitchell Stephens lead all skaters with a goal and two assists, Dennis Yan and Anthony Cirelli each added a goal, Mathieu Joseph had two assists, and Connor Ingram stopped 25 of 27 shots.
Syracuse returned home on Friday and defeated Belleville 5-2. Mat Bodie had 3 assists, Jonne Tammela and Anthony Cirelli each had one goal and one assist, Joseph had two more helpers, and Ingram stopped 22 shots.
The Crunch would put an end to Toronto’s shutout streak, but could not come up with a win, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Marlies at home on Saturday. Cirelli and Alexander Volkov would each have goals, and Louis Domingue made a one night only appearance in net, stopping 27 shots.
Crunch Notes: To fill out a depleted lineup due to injuries and a suspension to forward Alex Gallant, Stephen MacAulay and Olivier Archambault were brought in on PTOs on Monday; Stephens was selected as a replacement AHL All Star for Matthew Peca, who is currently on recall to Tampa Bay, on Thursday; forward Ty Loney was recalled from Adirondack on Thursday; the Crunch will play a home and home series with Utica to start February, visiting the Comets on Friday and returning home on Saturday.
Toronto Marlies
Record this week: 2-0-0-0
Toronto back? Looks very much like it, as the first place Marlies have points in 11 straight contests and own the AHL’s best record going into the break.
Toronto started the weekend with a 2-0 shutout of second place Rochester on Friday night, their third straight. Garret Sparks stopped all 37 Amerk shots in his fourth shutout and 17th win of the season, while Colin Greening and Jean Dupuy each had a goal.
The Marlies then traveled south to Syracuse and defeated the Crunch 4-2 on Saturday. Andreas Johnsson would pick up his first AHL hat trick, Justin Holl and Kasperi Kapanen each added two assists, and Calvin Pickard had 16 saves.
Marlies Notes: Holl and Johnsson were added as AHL All Stars to take the spots of teammates Travis Dermott and Kapanen; Rinat Valiev was recalled, while Frederik Gauthier was sent back to the Marlies by the Maple Leafs; the Marlies travel to Rochester on Friday night, then host Laval on Saturday afternoon.
Utica Comets
Record this week: 2-0-1-0
Your sleeper pick of the week? It has to be fourth place Utica, who are slowly creeping closer to the Crunch, sitting three points behind with a big home and home series coming up after the break.
On Wednesday at home against Hartford, the Comets were trailing 3-2 with less than a minute to go in the contest. Then, Reid Boucher would score his 21st of the season on a power play with 40 seconds remaining in regulation, sending a 3-3 game into overtime. The Wolfpack would get the game winner 2:20 into overtime for a 4-3 win. Zack MacEwen had two first period goals, while Richard Bachman filled in for an ill Thatcher Demko and stopped 30 shots.
Friday night, the Comets traveled to Binghamton and defeated the Devils 3-1. Boucher, Darren Archibald, and Michael Carcone all had one goal, Michael Chaput added two assists, and Bachman had 22 saves.
The road trip continued in Lehigh Valley on Saturday night, where Utica trailed the Phantoms 2-1 late in regulation. A Philip Holm goal with 58 seconds remaining would tie it at 2, and Wacey Hamilton would pick up the game winner 1:11 into overtime as the Comets would pull off a comeback 3-2 win. Demko returned to the net and picked up his 17th win of the season, stopping 25 shots.
Comet Notes: Wednesday marked the 100th consecutive home sellout for Utica; defenseman Adam Comrie became the latest PTO to receive an AHL contract from the Comets, signing on Monday; Chaput cleared waivers and was sent down by Vancouver on Tuesday; forwards Vincent Arseneau and Brady Brassart were released from their PTOs on Thursday, while forward Danny Moynihan returned to Kalamazoo; the Comets and Crunch revive their rivalry this weekend, as Utica is home on Friday, then travels west to Syracuse on Saturday.
North Division Standings as of January 31st, 2018
Toronto: 44 GP, 32-11-0-1, 65 points, .739 pct. Rochester: 45 GP, 25-10-5-5, 60 points, .667 pct. Syracuse: 45 GP, 26-15-2-2, 56 points, .622 pct. Utica: 45 GP, 22-14-6-3, 53 points, .589 pct. Laval: 46 GP, 17-22-5-2, 41 points, .446 pct. Belleville: 46 GP, 18-24-1-3, 40 points, .435 pct. Binghamton: 43 GP, 12-23-6-2, 32 points, .372 pct.
This Week's North Division Schedule
Friday, February 2
Syracuse @ Utica, 7:00 PM Belleville @ Binghamton, 7:05 PM Toronto @ Rochester, 7:05 PM
Saturday, February 3
Laval @ Toronto, 4:00 PM Belleville @ Bridgeport, 7:00 PM Utica @ Syracuse, 7:00 PM Rochester @ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
*Edited by: Tony Androckitis
