Weekly Wrap-Up - North Division (Week 23)

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!

Two streaks come to an end, several games needed overtime, and we have our first contestant for the Calder Cup playoffs.  That, and more, in this week’s North Division Notebook!

First, let’s look at how all 7 teams fared on the ice this week:

Wednesday, March 7th

Providence 6, Laval 3

A three goal second period by the visiting Bruins would do in the Rocket on Wednesday night.  Kerby Rychel would score twice, Chris Terry added a goal and two assists, and Michael McNiven took the loss with 11 saves on 14 shots in just over 26 minutes before giving way to Zach Fucale, who finished with 14 saves.

Friday, March 9th

Hershey 2, Syracuse 1

Aaron Ness’s goal with 6:38 left in regulation would break a 1-1 deadlock, and the visiting Bears would put an end to Syracuse’s 7 game point streak.  Mathieu Joseph would have the lone Crunch goal, his 11th, on a second period power play.  Peter Budaj, on conditioning loan from Tampa Bay, drew the start in net and stopped 16 of 18 shots.

Utica 3, Springfield 2 (OT)

Adam Comrie’s second goal of the night with exactly two minutes remaining in overtime would give the Comets a much needed win, breaking a six-game skid.  Michael Chaput and Patrick Wiercioch added two assists apiece, Cam Darcy added a power play goal, and Thatcher Demko stopped 25 of 27 Thunderbird shots for his 20th win of the season.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3, Binghamton 2 (OT)

The Devils would rally from a 2-0 first period deficit at home against the Penguins to tie the game in the second, but Teddy Blueger’s goal with exactly one minute remaining in overtime would give the visitors the extra point.  Michael Latta lead all Devil skaters with a goal and an assist, Jacob MacDonald added his 16th goal of the season, and Eddie Lack stopped 29 of 32 Penguin shots.

Providence 2, Rochester 1 (OT)

Sahir Gill’s 15th goal of the season with just under six minutes to go in regulation would push the contest to overtime, but the visiting Bruins would pull out the overtime victory.  Linus Ullmark had 27 saves in the loss.

Laval 4, Belleville 3 (OT)

The visiting Senators, on goals by Gabriel Gagne, Ben Sexton, and Jack Rodewald, jumped ahead 3-1 early in the third against the Rocket.  But, Eric Gelinas would single-handedly rally Laval, scoring twice in 13:30 to finish off a hat trick…and sent the game to overtime.  Terry’s 25th goal of the season 2:03 into the extra frame would finish off the comeback win for the Rocket.  Fucale would pick up the win with 28 saves.  Filip Chlapik added two assists for Belleville, and Danny Taylor stopped 26 of 30 shots.

Saturday, March 10th

Toronto 4, Providence 3

Ben Smith’s power play goal with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation would break a 3-3 tie and give the Marlies the first spot in the Calder Cup playoffs.  Mason Marchment, Andreas Johnsson, and Colin Greening would all add goals, Chris Mueller and Calle Rosen each added two assists, and Calvin Pickard had 23 saves.

Belleville 5, Laval 3

The Rocket jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead on goals by Terry, Rychel, and Luc-Olivier Blain, but the visiting Senators would then score 5 unanswered goals the rest of the way to finish off Laval.  Rodewald would score twice and have one assist, Max Reinhart would add a goal and an assist, Eric Selleck and Daniel Ciampini also added goals, and Marcus Hogberg stopped 21 shots.

Syracuse 4, Rochester 2

A 3 goal second was all the Crunch needed to defeat the visiting Amerks.  Joseph would score twice, Erik Condra and Gabriel Dumont would each add two assists, and Eddie Pasquale stopped 21 shots.  Taylor Fedun and Kevin Porter each had a goal and an assist, and Adam Wilcox added 27 saves in the loss.

Binghamton 3, Hershey 0

Despite missing several regulars, the Devils got goals from Tim Kennedy, Bracken Kearns, and Kevin Rooney, and Mackenzie Blackwood needed just 18 saves to shutout the Bears at home.  Three other Devil skaters had one assist each.

Springfield 4, Utica 0

A day after the Comets finally broke their winless streak, they headed east to Massachusetts and would get shut out by Samuel Montembault and the Thunderbirds.  Richard Bachman had 29 saves in defeat.

Sunday, March 11th

Rochester 5, Syracuse 4 (SO)

In the second half of a home and home series, the Amerks carried a 4-2 lead into the third period over the visiting Crunch thanks to goals from Colin Blackwell, Justin Danforth, Eric Cornel, and Zach Redmond.  But, Syracuse would tie the game up with goals 3:52 apart late in regulation.  Rochester would end up taking the extra point in the shootout round after Danny O’Regan, just back from a stint with Buffalo, was the only skater to connect.  Ullmark picked up the win with 28 saves in 65 minutes.  Olivier Archambault and Erik Cernak each had a goal and an assist, Dumont added two assists, and Budaj stopped 31 of 35 shots in his second rehab start.

Lehigh Valley 5, Binghamton 3

Mike Vecchione’s goal with 59 seconds remaining in regulation would break a 3-3 tie, as the Phantoms downed the visiting Devils.  Lappin scored twice, John Quenneville added a power play goal, MacDonald and Christoph Bertschy each added two assists, and Lack stopped 23 of 27 shots.

Around the North

-Binghamton added their first amateur tryout, bringing in UMass-Lowell forward John Edwardh.

-Defenseman Brett Lernout was recalled from Laval to Montreal on Friday.

-Seth Griffith, Justin Bailey, and Danny O’Regan became the latest Amerks to be recalled by Buffalo.  Rochester would add RIT forward Myles Powell and Wisconsin defenseman Jake Linhart on amateur tryouts and recalled forwards Alex Kile and Vaclav Karabacek from Cincinnati.  Bailey and O’Regan returned to Rochester on Sunday.

-The Marlies added Niagara forward Derian Plouffe and Alabama-Huntsville forward Josh Kestner on amateur tryout deals.

-Reid Boucher was recalled by Vancouver on Tuesday.

Playoff Picture

Toronto was the first to clinch a Calder Cup playoff spot on Saturday, thanks to a regulation win and a Laval regulation loss.

As for the rest of the division, a look at magic numbers:

-Syracuse: 6 with 13 games remaining -Rochester: 9 with 14 games remaining -Utica: 15 with 15 games remaining

And for the three non-playoff teams:

• Laval’s elimination number sits at 15 with 15 games remaining; Binghamton 11 with 15 remaining; Belleville 8 with 13 games remaining.

North Division Standings as of March 12th, 2018

X-Toronto: 59 GP, 41-16-1-1, 84 points, .712 pct. Syracuse: 62 GP, 36-19-3-4, 79 points, .637 pct. Rochester: 62 GP, 30-16-10-6, 76 points, .613 pct. Utica: 61 GP, 30-21-6-4, 70 points, .574 pct. Laval: 61 GP, 23-30-6-2, 54 points, .443 pct. Binghamton: 61 GP, 20-31-7-3, 50 points, .410 pct. Belleville: 63 GP, 23-35-2-3, 51 points, .405 pct.

This Week’s North Division Schedule

Monday, March 12th

Laval at Toronto (at Air Canada Centre), 3:00 PM

Wednesday, March 14th

Laval at Toronto, 7:00 PM Syracuse at Binghamton, 7:05 PM

Thursday, March 15th

Rochester at Bridgeport, 7:00 PM

Friday, March 16th

Toronto at Belleville, 7:00 PM Laval at Utica, 7:00 PM Rochester at Providence, 7:05 PM Syracuse at Springfield, 7:05 PM

Saturday, March 17th

Binghamton at Charlotte, 6:00 PM Utica at Belleville, 7:00 PM Laval at Syracuse, 7:00 PM

Sunday, March 18th

Binghamton at Charlotte, 2:00 PM Utica at Toronto, 4:00 PM Rochester at Hartford, 5:00 PM