AlbanyRiverRats.com takes you around the Western Conference with this weeks AHL Notebook.

West Division

CHICAGO WOLVES (Thrashers) -- G Milan Hnilicka posted wins over Milwaukee on December 6-7, extending the Wolves' winning streak to a season-high five games. The 2002 Calder Cup Champions have reached the .500 mark for the first time this season (9-9-1-2). ... G Norm Maracle stopped 82 of the 85 shots he faced over three starts between November 23-30, allowing just one goal per game to start the winning streak. ... RW J.P. Vigier netted the game-winner in a 2-1 overtime victory over Central Division-leading Grand Rapids on November 30 and again on December 7 in the 4-3 win over the Admirals. He leads the team with 10 assists and is tied for the team lead in points (19) with LW Steve Maltais, who leads the team in goals (10).

HOUSTON AEROS (Wild) -- The Aeros have been struggling of late, dropping four of their last six games and six of their last 10. ... In three games this month, the Aeros have had a tough time scoring, going just 1-for-13 on the power play. Only C Rickard Wallin and C Dan Cavanaugh have scored more than one goal (two apiece) and three players share the team lead in points this month with three. ... Since the Minnesota Wild began their affiliation with Houston in 2001, 10 different Aeros have been called up to the NHL.

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS (Predators) -- Rookie RW Darren Haydar continues to lead his club in goals (12), assists (17), points (29) and plus/minus (+14). Haydar's 29 points ties him for third overall in the league. ... The Admirals pulled out a big 2-1 win over Houston on December 8 but have not taken advantage of the Aeros' recent struggles, going 2-6-2-2 since mid November. During that stretch, Milwaukee has scored three goals or less in 10 games. ... Milwaukee is 3-4-1-0 when tied after one period and has only outscored its opponents by two goals this season (84-82). ... G Chris Madden is 1-1-0 this month with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE (Panthers) -- The Rampage upset the East Division-leading Bridgeport Sound Tigers on December 10, extending their unbeaten streak at home to nine games (7-0-2). After picking up just two wins through its first 10 games of the season (2-7-1), San Antonio has not lost in regulation since (7-0-4-2) and now trails division-leading Houston by just eight points. ... G Chris Mason has played a large role in his team's turnaround, going 6-1-2 with a 1.63 goals-against average in his last nine decisions. ... Over the last two weeks, the Rampage have outscored their opponents, 20-11, but have not capitalized on the power play. They have scored just 15 man-advantage goals in 23 games, the second-lowest total in the league. ... C Jim Campbell, who has a seven-game point streak (3 goals, 12 assists), was recalled by Florida on December 10.

UTAH GRIZZLIES (Stars) -- Due to the loss of Dallas forwards Ulf Dahlen and Kirk Muller to injury, RW Jon Sim was recalled by the Stars on December 9. The 25-year-old was leading the Grizzlies in points (27), assists (18) and plus/minus (+8). To replace him, Utah called up RW Fraser Clair from their ECHL affiliate Lexington. ... The Grizzlies have been inconsistent over the last two weeks, going 3-3-0. They won a pair of games over Manitoba, November 29-30, fell to San Antonio 4-2 on December 4 and completed a seven-game road trip by splitting two games with Grand Rapids. ... Despite a winning record of 13-12-0-1, Utah has been outscored by its opponents, 78-69. The Grizzlies are 1-7-0-1 when trailing after the first period.

Central Division

CINCINNATI MIGHTY DUCKS (Mighty Ducks) -- The Mighty Ducks have earned at least one point in each of their last four games (1-0-2-1) but remain in second place in the division with 25 points, seven behind Grand Rapids. ... Cincinnati's six ties this season are tied for the most in the league. ... C Brendan Yarema scored a goal in each of his last three games, December 4-8, and has tallied eight goals over his last 10 contests, November 20-December 8. ... G Jean-Francois Damphousse has been dominant in recent games, going 1-0-1 with a 1.42 goals-against average in his last two starts and 3-0-3 with a 2.07 GAA in his last six appearances between the pipes. ... Beginning with their game against Syracuse on December 11, the Mighty Ducks play three of their next four games at the Cincinnati Gardens before embarking on a five-game road trip.

CLEVELAND BARONS (Sharks) -- The Barons are winless over their last five games (0-3-1-1) after posting a 6-3-0 record from November 10-29. They have been held to one goal in each of their last four games. The club was on the losing end of a 15-1 pounding by Hamilton on December 8. ... Cleveland has a dismal 72.5 penalty-killing efficiency rating in seven games since November 27. ... C Graig Mischler, a product from Northeastern University, halted a season-opening 12-game goal drought with his first career hat trick during a 7-2 victory at Syracuse on November 27. ... Former University of Maine star RW Niko Dimitrakos leads all rookies with 18 assists and is first on the team with 27 points. ... RW Miroslav Zalesak has six goals in his last six games and leads the club with 13 markers.

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS (Red Wings) -- The Griffins suffered their first regulation loss in over a month on December 2. They had a 14-game unbeaten streak (11-0-3) from October 25-November 27. In the six games since, the club has just one victory and five losses, including two in overtime. ... Grand Rapids has converted just three of its last 42 chances on the power play. ... D Danny Groulx, who finished tied for third in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 83 assists for the Victoriaville Tigres last year, netted his first professional goal during a 3-1 victory at Hershey on November 27. ... LW Michel Picard has a four-game point-scoring streak through December 10 and is second on the team with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists). ... G Marc Lamothe snapped a personal four game losing skid by making 24 saves in a 3-2 victory on December 7.

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (Sabres) -- The Americans have rebounded from their season-opening, 12-game winless skid, posting an 8-4-2 record since November 8 and have a season-high, five-game unbeaten streak through December 7. ... Rochester is 7-for-31 on the power play and 38-for-40 on the penalty kill since November 27. ... LW Jason Botterill netted his team-leading 14th goal of the season in a 4-1 triumph at Norfolk on December 6. Through Tuesday, he was tied for the team lead in points with 21. ... C Chris Taylor has 12 assists and 13 points during his current six-game assists streak. ... RW Jaroslav Kristek has a five-game goals streak through Tuesday after recording just one point in his first 17 games. ... G Ryan Miller has a 1.74 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage during his four-game winning streak.

SYRACUSE CRUNCH (Blue Jackets) -- The Crunch have lost five of their last six games after dropping just two of 10 (7-2-1) from November 2-24. They have been outscored, 29-17, since November 27 and rank last in both the division and the conference with 19 points. ... Syracuse has just three goals in its last 35 power-play attempts and has surrendered 12 markers over its last 41 shorthanded situations. ... C Blake Bellefeuille halted a 20-game scoring drought dating back to April 3 with a marker during a 7-2 loss to Cleveland on November 27. His drought included five games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. ... C Chris Nielsen snapped a season-opening, 20-game scoring drought with a goal and an assist in the Crunch's 4-3 loss to Hershey on November 30. He has six goals and 14 points in 52 career NHL games, all with Columbus.

South Division

HERSHEY BEARS (Avalanche) -- With back-to-back ties against Cincinnati, December 6-7, the Bears extended their unbeaten streak to six games (3-0-3). They sit comfortably in second place with 32 points, 10 ahead of Wilkes-Barre and just two behind the Western Conference-leading Norfolk Admirals, who will square off against Hershey twice next week. ... The Bears have allowed the fewest goals in the league (61) due in large part to the second-best penalty-killing unit. With a success rate of 89 percent, they have allowed just 15 power-play goals in 24 games, the second fewest league wide. ... In four games this month, G Peter Budaj has a 1.85 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage and G Philippe Sauve has a 2.21 GAA and a .918 save percentage. ... 6-3, 210-pound rookie C Charlie Stephens has nine goals, 21 points and a plus-6 rating in 24 games.

NORFOLK ADMIRALS (Blackhawks) -- The Admirals dropped a pair of games to the hot Rochester Americans, December 6-7, and are 3-2-0-1 over the last two weeks. The three wins were nail biters with back-to-back, 5-4 victories over Wilkes-Barre and Houston on November 27-29 and a 4-3 overtime victory over
Milwaukee on December 4. ... Norfolk is tied for second in the league in wins (16) and points (36). ... The Admirals have allowed four or more goals in four of their last six games. ... The third-highest scorer on the club, C Brett McLean (7 goals, 16 assists), was recalled by Chicago on December 10 and D Steve McCarthy was recalled on December 6. RW Mike Peluso still leads the club in goals (12), assists (17) and points (29) and is tied for third in the league in points.

PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS (Flyers) -- The Phantoms have not been above .500 since October 19 and rank last in the division with 21 points. ... RW Kirby Law registered his third career hat trick in a 4-1 victory at Bridgeport on December 7. ... Philadelphia has held its opponents to league-low 26.13 shots per game. ... RW Mark Greig had a goal and an assist during a 4-2 triumph over Rochester on November 27, giving him eight goals and 17 points during his 10-game point-scoring streak, which was snapped two nights later. Through December 10, the 32-year-old veteran was leading the team with 12 goals and 24 points. ... D Jim Vandermeer set a career high with his second goal of the season but the Phantoms fell to Hershey, 3-1, on December 6.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (Penguins) -- The Penguins are 5-2-1-2 since November 16 after opening the season with a dismal 4-10-1 record, including a six-game losing skid. ... G Sebastien Caron leads the league with 545 saves but has lost a league-leading 11 times. ... Wilkes-Barre has converted eight of its last 32 opportunities with the man advantage. ... RW Tom Kostopoulos had two goals and eight points during a season-high, four-game point-scoring streak from November 20-27. ... C Milan Kraft halted a seven-game goal drought with a pair of tallies in a 4-3 triumph at Saint John on November 29. Through December 10, he was leading the team with 12 assists while owning a share of the top spot with 18 points.