Weekly Wrap-Up - North Division (Week 5)
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Editor's Note: Tracey takes a look around last week's AHL North Division action, and outlines the week ahead for all seven teams.
Belleville Senators
The Senators finally came home to start November, but a big inaugural win was all they had to show in a 1-2 week.
In Wednesday’s home debut against the Crunch, Belleville would fall behind 2-1 after the first 20 minutes, come back to tie the game twice in a penalty filled second period, then hang on for a 4-3 shootout win. Gabriel Gagne would score the first goal in Yardmen Arena and pick up the winner in the shootout round.
A two game series with Charlotte on Friday and Saturday did not go as planned, as the Checkers swept the set 6-1 and 2-1, respectively. In Friday’s loss, the Senators would fall behind 3-0 after the first twenty minutes, get a goal from Jim O’Brien to cut the lead to two in the second, then a 5-1 deficit after two periods would knock starting goaltender Danny Taylor out of the contest.
On Saturday, a goal by Ethan Werek midway through the first looked like all the offense the Senators would need…until the Checkers scored twice in the third period to finish the two game sweep. Andrew Hammond took the hard luck loss in net, stopping 33 of 35 Charlotte shots.
That start would turn out to be Hammond’s last in a Belleville sweater, as he was traded to Colorado as part of the Matt Duchene deal on Sunday.
Belleville’s seven-game homestand will continue with three more games this week, including a visit by their replacements in the Southern Tier. Speaking of Binghamton…
Binghamton Devils
It was a tale of two different one goal games for the Devils, who went 1-1 on the week.
On Friday night in Utica, Ken Appleby dominated in his second straight start, stopping 25 of 26 shots and holding off a third period surge by the Comets in a 2-1 win. Nathan Bastian and Blake Pietila would each have one goal.
Saturday night on home ice, the Devils got off to a great start against Lehigh Valley, jumping ahead 3-1 after the first 20 minutes. The Phantoms would tie the game up in the second, but a Jacob MacDonald power play goal would put Binghamton back ahead 4-3 after two periods. It all fell apart in the third, as the Phantoms would score three unanswered goals on Mackenzie Blackwood to jump ahead 6-4. Nick Lappin’s second goal of the night would draw Binghamton back to within 6-5, but no more. Pietila and Bastian would score for the second straight night in defeat.
The Devils get another huge test this week, as they host Toronto for a weekend 2 game set after a trip to Belleville on Wednesday.
Laval Rocket
The Rocket wrapped up a 3 game homestand with a 2-1 mark against two division rivals.
On Wednesday, Laval would drop a 3-0 shutout loss to visiting Toronto, only managing to put 18 shots on goal against Garret Sparks. Charlie Lindgren stopped 29 of 32 in taking the loss.
Friday, a two game set against Syracuse would start off with a up and down 6-5 shootout win. After falling behind 3-1 early in the second period, the Rocket would pick up three straight goals against Crunch goaltender Michael Leighton to jump ahead 4-3 after 40 minutes. In a 1:59 span midway through the third, Laval would give up the tying goal, retake a 5-4 lead, then give up the tying goal a second time to send the game into overtime. Newly minted captain Byron Froese would get the winning shootout goal to finish off the roller coaster contest.
Saturday’s rematch was a little easier for the Rocket, as a hat trick from Peter Holland sparked Laval to a 5-2 win and a sweep of the Crunch. Zachary Fucale drew the start and stopped 28 of 30 Crunch shots for the win.
The Rocket hit the road for a pair of games in New England next weekend.
Rochester Americans
The most interesting week among the division had to be the Amerks, who would end up in three straight shootouts, one going 8 rounds, and survive a wild Friday night home tilt to go 2-1.
Let’s first begin on Wednesday, when they spoiled Utica’s home opener with a 4-3 win. After battling to a 3-3 tie in regulation, the two teams would need a 8 round shootout to determine the winner, with Eric Cornel finally getting the winner in the 8th round. Linus Ullmark would earn this one, stopping 44 of 47 Comet shots in the first 65 minutes before going 7 for 8 in the bonus round.
Friday night at home against Hershey, Rochester would find themselves down 3-0 after one period. They stormed back, putting up a 6 goal second period and were ahead 6-4 after two. The Bears would come back in the third with a pair to tie it up at 6, but Cornel and C.J. Smith would score twice in the shootout round to give the Amerks a wild 7-6 win. Fourteen Rochester skaters would pick up at least one point.
Saturday, it was back down the Thruway to Utica, where the Amerks fell behind 2-0 in the second period, came back to tie the game up at 2 in the third, but would end up scoreless in the shootout round for a 3-2 loss to the Comets. Sahir Gill and Brendan Guhle would have goals, while Adam Wilcox took the hard luck loss, stopping 35 of 37 shots in the first 65 minutes before giving up the lone shootout goal.
Rochester hits the road next weekend to Ontario for a pair with Belleville.
Syracuse Crunch
The Crunch’s struggles continued into the month of November, as they went 0-1-0-2 on a three game Canadian road trip. On Wednesday in Belleville, Syracuse would blow two one goal leads en route to a 4-3 shootout loss to the Senators. Cory Conacher would score two power play goals in the loss.
Friday night, in the first of two with Laval, the Crunch would jump ahead 3-1 on two goals by Ben Thomas and the first pro goal for rookie Mathieu Joseph. But the Rocket would put up three straight in a span of 3:47 to take the lead. Syracuse would come back twice in the third to tie the game with goals by Dominik Masin and Joseph, but would end up losing 6-5 in a shootout.
The rematch Saturday was not any easier, as Laval would go ahead in the second period and never look back, finishing a sweep with a 5-2 win. Conacher would score his third power play goal of the week and Carter Verhaeghe picked up his first two Crunch points with a goal and an assist.
Syracuse returns home for their lone game this week, a home matchup with Charlotte on Saturday.
Toronto Marlies
The Marlies Train just continues to roll for the division leaders, as they went 3-0 on the week to start a 6 game road trip. On Wednesday, Garret Sparks only need to stop 18 Laval shots in a 3-0 win in Quebec. Andreas Johnsson would score twice, while Mason Marchment and Nikita Soshnikov would add two assists each.
The road trip would head south to Hershey, where two goals from Ben Smith would spark a 4-1 win over the Bears. Sparks would win his second straight start, stopping 21 of 22 shots. Marchment would add a goal and two assists.
The Marlies finished off the week with a 5-1 win in Allentown against Lehigh Valley. Trevor Moore scored twice, while Marchment and Dmytro Timashov added two assists each. Calvin Pickard would stop 35 of 36 Phantom shots.
Toronto’s road swing continues up Interstate 81 this week, visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday before a pair of game with Binghamton this weekend.
Utica Comets
The Comets finally returned to the comforts of home this week with three games, but with only a 1-1-0-1 record to show for it.
In Wednesday’s home opener against Rochester, after battling the Amerks to a 2-2 tie in regulation, Utica would ultimately fall 3-2 after a 8 round shootout. Thatcher Demko would stop 29 of 32 in 65 minutes, but gave up the winning shootout goal in the 8th round. Darren Archibald would lead all Comet skaters with a goal and two assists.
Friday night, a goaltending duel between Demko and Binghamton’s Ken Appleby would end up in a 2-1 loss to the Devils. A third period rally, where Utica would outshoot the Devils 16-4, would only produce one goal by Evan McEneny. After Friday’s game, Demko would be recalled to Vancouver to fill in for father to be Andreas Nilsson.
In a rematch with Rochester on Saturday, the Comets would get their revenge with a 3-2 shootout win of their own. Utica was ahead 2-0 going into the third period, but two Rochester goals in a 2:24 span early in the final stanza would send the game into overtime. Nikolay Goldobin was the only skater in the shootout round to score, adding to his goal in regulation. Richard Bachman, pressed into duty with Demko’s recall, stopped 22 of 24 shots in 65 minutes and all three shootout attempts.
The Comet homestand continues this week with a pair against Charlotte on Wednesday and Friday.
Division Standings as of November 6th, 2017
- Toronto: 12 GP, 9-3-0-0, 18 points, .750 pct
- Laval: 13 GP, 7-4-2-0, 16 points, .615 pct
- Binghamton: 9 GP, 5-3-1-0, 11 points, .611 pct
- Rochester: 11 GP, 6-4-0-1, 13 points, .591 pct
- Utica: 10 GP, 5-4-0-1, 11 points, .550 pct
- Belleville: 12 GP, 5-6-0-1, 11 points, .458 pct
- Syracuse: 12 GP, 3-6-1-2, 9 points, .375 pct
This Week’s Schedule
Wednesday, November 8th
Binghamton @ Belleville, 7:00 PM Charlotte @ Utica, 7:00 PM Toronto @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 7:05 PM
Friday, November 10th
Rochester @ Belleville, 7:00 PM Charlotte @ Utica, 7:00 PM Toronto @ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
Saturday, November 11th
Rochester @ Belleville, 7:00 PM Charlotte @ Syracuse, 7:00 PM Toronto @ Binghamton, 7:05 PM Laval @ Springfield, 7:05 PM
Sunday, November 12th
Laval @ Hartford, 5:00 PM
