AHL notes: Boychuk always keeps suitcase packed

For his entire pro career, now in its fifth year, a change of seasons has also meant a change of address for Johnny Boychuk.

Drafted by Colorado in the second round, 61st overall, in 2002, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound defenseman played his first four seasons on the Avalanche farm.

Boychuk started in Hershey, then found himself in Lowell when the Avs and Carolina Hurricanes shared an affiliation there. That partnership moved to Albany in 2006-07 before the Avs decided to field their own farm team, Cleveland’s Lake Erie Monsters, last season.

“It’s kind of weird. You don’t usually see that with one organization to have four different

minor league teams in four years,” Boychuk said. “It’s kind of tough, because you don’t know where to get apartments or go to eat. You have to really find your way around each year.”

Colorado remains in Lake Erie in 2008-09, but Boychuk did not. He was traded to the Boston Bruins for forward Matt Hendricks, and is now patrolling the blue line in Providence.

“It was a little bit of a shock, but in this game, you’ve got to be ready for anything, really,” Boychuk said. “Providence is real nice. It’s very beautiful. New team, new organizaton; getting off to a real good start helps a lot.”

From his boyish grin to his bone-shattering hits, Boychuk has made an immediate impact on his new team. Entering the weekend, Boychuk led Providence with 17 assists and 21 points in 18 games.

His fast start had Boychuk more than halfway to his career-best offensive totals, when he had 32 points in 74 games for the former Lowell Lock Monsters.

“I didn’t know much about him,” said Rob Murray, in his first year as Bruins coach after five as an assistant. “I remember him from Lowell and Albany and he’s a lot bigger than I remembered. His offensive ability so far this year has been great. He’s done a great job on the power play. He’s getting his shots through, and he’s got a bomb of a shot.”

Boychuk has also been durable, missing only six of his first 240 regular-season games before losing 20 games to a broken hand early last season. He recovered to make his NHL debut with four games for Colorado, who was experimenting with him on right wing.

“That was a really enjoyable time,” Boychuk said. “I knew I could do it, but getting the opportunity was the big part. I was there four years and didn’t get an opportunity until last year, and then they called me up as a forward. I’m just sticking to defense now.”

HALL ADDS FOUR

Current Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau is among the four newest inductees to the AHL Hall of Fame.

Boudreau is joined by Jimmy Anderson, Les Cunningham and Louis Pieri in the Class of 2009. They will be enshrined in the on-line Hall during the all-star festivities Jan. 26 in Worcester.

Boudreau won a Calder Cup with the Adirondack Red Wings in 1992. Cunningham (MVP) and Pieri (top coach) each have year-end awards named in their honor. Anderson led Springfield to three straight Calder Cups from 1960-62.

PUCK LUCK

Former Rats center David Gove, now captain in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, was credited with a goal last weekend even though the puck never went in the net.

On a breakaway with the puck on his stick and staring at an empty net, Gove was hooked from behind by Syracuse’s Clay Wilson.

Gove was awarded the goal at the discretion of referee David Banfield, as is allowed by the AHL rulebook.

“I was like, ‘What do you mean it’s a goal?’” Gove told the Times. “Then I actually thought about the rule and realized it was. You take ‘em any way you can get ‘em.”

Rochester’s David Collins scored twice on Sunday without the benefit of a shot. He had a centering pass redirected off the stick of Manchester’s Davis Drewiske for his first goal, and another feed deflected in by Monarchs forward Trevor Lewis.

STREAK CRUNCHED

Josh Hennessy’s power-play goal with 24.1 seconds left gave Binghamton a 2-1 win on Sunday and ended Syracuse’s home win streak at 18 regular-season games.

The Crunch came up one shy of the AHL record, though it did tie another mark for picking up at least a point in 24 consecutive home games before the loss.

Syracuse coach Ross Yates said the hooking penalty on Ryan Garlock that led to the winning power play was “awful. I wouldn’t have called that if we were winning,

10-0,” he told the Post-Standard.

“It was going to happen. We were going to lose a game at home. It’s just a bitter way to lose it.”

WELCOME BACK

Coming off February hip surgery, Islanders forward Mike Sillinger was sent to Bridgeport last week for three games of condtioning.

Sillinger, 37, hadn’t played an AHL game since May 11, 1993 for the Adirondack Red Wings in a 6-5 OT win over the Springfield Indians.

He picked up an assist on his first two shifts and finished with three in a 4-2 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.

SHARKS ADD BITE

Three-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux signed a pro tryout with the Worcester Sharks last week.

At 43, Lemieux takes over from Manitoba captain Mike Keane (41) as the AHL’s oldest player. A 20-year NHL veteran, Lemieux launched his comeback with San Jose’s affiliate in Shanghai, China.

Lemieux has not played since getting seven games in Switzerland in 2003-04. He split the 2002-03 season between Phoenix and Dallas.

In 1,197 NHL games, Lemieux has 379 goals, 785 points and 1,756 PIM.

“Claude called and inquired about resuming his hockey career, and we have given him an opportunity to pursue it with Worcester,” Sharks GM Wayne Thomas said. “He is here to help this team win games.”

EX-FILES

Petr Sykora ranked sixth in scoring for Pittsburgh with 12 points (4-8) and was minus-3 playing 17 of the first 20 games. Three of his goals came on the power play, and he was tied for the team lead with two game-winners.

Jeff Finger had four assists and was plus-1 with four PIM in 13 games since returning to the

Toronto Maple Leafs lineup from a hand injury.

Forward Jason Ryznar was scoreless and plus-1 with eight shots on goal playing in each of Houston’s first 18 games.

Jeff Hamilton had a goal and three assists Nov. 22 vs. Grand Rapids, making him 1-6-7 and minus-1 with 17 shots in seven games for Chicago. He played in the Wolves opener, then missed 12 straight before his Nov. 14 return.

Injured Syracuse forward Steve Kelly (ribs) skated last week for the first time since being hurt. He is expected to miss another two weeks.

Chris Ferraro led ECHL Las

Vegas with seven goals and 14 points, was second with a plus-9 rating and fourth with 31 PIM in 14 games.

Defenseman Chris Murray was assigned to ECHL Charlotte last week after going 0-3-3 and plus-4 with 19 PIM in 12 games for Hartford.

After two years in Sweden, Steve Kariya is back in Finland, leading HPK Hameenlinna with 10 goals and 20 points in 23 games. Kariya had 108 points (46-62) in 111 Finnish games from 2004-06.

Defenseman Jaroslav Modry, 37, was 2-3-6 and minus-4 with 26 PIM in 22 games for Liberec Bili Tygri HC in the Czech Republic. Modry played 725 NHL games from 1993-2008.

AROUND THE BOARDS

u Altamont native Jay Leach

recorded his first NHL point, the primary assist on ex-Rat Zach Parise’s 13th goal in a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. It was the seventh career major-league game for the 29-year-old journeyman

defenseman.

u Shawn Weller of South Glens Falls was 1-3-4 and even with 16 PIM in 18 games for Binghamton.

u Lowell right wing Jon DiSalvatore went 2-5-7 and plus-3 in three games to be named player of the week. Goalie Justin Peters (1-1-0-1, 2.17, .938, 1 shutout, 91 saves, 3 games) was the Rats’ nominee.

u Rockford’s Tim Brent had 14 points in his first 17 games this season, but none have come at even strength. He had 13 on the power play and one short-handed goal.