AHL Notebook: Competitive race in Atlantic Division

The Metropolitan Division has made headlines across the NHL, with five of its members owning the third through seventh best records in the League.
Its American Hockey League counterpart, the Atlantic Division, is making its own noise as well.

Consider some of the early returns from what is shaping up to be the AHL's best division:
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' .729 percentage leads the AHL. They have managed to do so even after losing rookie forward Jake Guentzel to the Pittsburgh Penguins for nearly three weeks. Guentzel leads AHL rookies with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 19 games.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have been spurred in part by an aggressive offseason from the parent Philadelphia Flyers, who brought in veteran defensemen T.J. Brennan and Will O'Neill along with forwards Greg Carey, Andy Miele and Mark Zengerle. The Phantoms have an AHL-best 17 wins even without goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who remains on NHL recall. Rookie goaltender Alex Lyon has a 2.57 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
The Hershey Bears had a 10-game point streak (8-0-2-0) until they lost 6-2 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday. But Hershey rallied at home on Sunday, defeating the Rochester Americans 5-1. The Washington Capitals affiliate has at least a point in 14 of its 15 home games (10-1-3-1).
Hershey and Lehigh Valley each has a .700 point percentage, third-best in the league.
The three Pennsylvania teams each have a league-leading 35 points.
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are three points behind the Pennsylvania teams, putting them fourth in the division. They are 7-3-0-0 in their past 10 games and could move within a point of the Phantoms with a regulation win at Lehigh Valley on Wednesday. Bridgeport's 16 wins are tied with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for second-most in the league despite the losses of defensemen Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock to the New York Islanders and injuries for extended stretches.
The implications of such a strong division already are becoming very clear for the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring. The top four teams in each of the AHL's four divisions qualify for the postseason.
That could leave some quality Atlantic Division teams outside of a playoff spot when April arrives.
Fifth in the Atlantic Division, the Providence Bruins are 11th in the AHL but out of a playoff position. Providence began the season with four wins in its first 13 games. But a 12-game point streak (8-0-2-2), the AHL's longest this season, has put the Bruins back in contention.
The Springfield Thunderbirds have to make up ground quickly. Through 24 games, the sixth-place Thunderbirds already are seven points out of a playoff spot despite a .521 point percentage. They can begin to close some of that gap when they visit Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey this weekend.
WITH HONORS
San Jose Barracuda goaltender Troy Grosenick has a shutout streak of 181:36, helping him to win the CCM/AHL Player of the Week award for the period ending Sunday. He had back-to-back shutouts for the Barracuda, who are fifth in the Pacific Division. Grosenick's four shutouts lead the AHL. His 1.98 goals-against average ranks fifth and his .928 save percentage is tied for sixth.
STAT PACK
The Milwaukee Admirals' .717 point percentage leads the Western Conference. … Bakersfield Condors forward Taylor Beck has taken over the league lead with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists). … Hershey forward Christian Thomas and forward Kasperi Kapanen of the Toronto Marlies are tied with a league-leading 12 goals. … Stockton Heat goaltender David Rittich leads the AHL in goals-against average (1.38) and save percentage (.950). … The Tucson Roadrunners power play (27.0 percent) is first; Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goals-against per game (2.08) and penalty kill (89.9 percent) each rank first. … The Texas Stars lead the league with 3.91 goals per game. … Hershey forward Chris Bourque earned his 600th AHL point with an assist at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Saturday.
WHO'S HOT
Hershey forward Paul Carey has a 15-game point streak (five goals, 10 assists). … Guentzel has a four-game point streak (four goals, five assists). .. Springfield forward Shane Harper has an eight-game point streak (four goals, five assists) and forward Kevin Labanc of San Jose has a seven-game point streak (four goals, nine assists). … St. John's IceCaps forward Chris Terry has a five-game point streak (four goals, six assists).
GAME TO WATCH
Hershey at Lehigh Valley (Dec. 16) -- The Pennsylvania rivals play five times in the next five weeks. They split a home-and-home series Dec. 2-3, and each team has won twice in the four games of the season series.
ON THE MOVE
Defenseman Slater Koekkoek and forwards Erik Condra and Cory Conacher of the Syracuse Crunch, are on recall with the Tampa Bay Lightning. … Milwaukee has added forward Reid Boucher on a conditioning loan from the Nashville Predators. … San Antonio Rampage goaltender Spencer Martin has been recalled by the Colorado Avalanche; his 1,040 minutes are second-most in the AHL. … Goaltender Michael Leighton is back with the Charlotte Checkers after an extended stint with the Carolina Hurricanes. … The Cleveland Monsters have signed veteran defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron to a tryout and released defenseman Sheldon Brookbank. Bergeron, 36, has played 490 NHL games and played four with the parent Columbus Blue Jackets in the preseason. … Toronto goaltender Antoine Bibeau and defenseman Dillon Simpson of Bakersfield are the latest AHL players to make their first appearance in the NHL; this season 51 AHL players have debuted in the NHL.
AROUND THE AHL
Daniel Briere and Terry Murray will serve as the honorary captains for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic. … The Chicago Wolves are on a six-game point streak (5-0-1-0) that has pushed them into third place in the Central Division. … After early-season goaltending instability, the Ontario Reign are second in the Pacific Division and have a six-game point streak (5-0-1-0). Goaltender Jack Campbell has allowed two or fewer goals in five of his past six starts. … Charlotte ended a seven-game losing streak (0-6-1-0) Tuesday. … The Rockford IceHogs have a nine-game losing streak (0-5-1-3) and are last in the Central Division. … St. John's begins a 10-game road trip Wednesday and does not return home until Jan. 13.