GOVE GROUNDS FORMER TEAMMATES

ALBANY, NY - Dave Gove recorded three points on the night (2+1), including the game-winning goal, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins posted a 4-3 win against the Albany River Rats on Friday night.

The victory in upstate New York raised the Pens' record to 47-26-2-4, and moved them three points ahead of the Philadelphia Phantoms in the race for the East Division championship. The Phantoms dropped a 4-2 decision to the Hershey Bears on Friday, keeping them at 97 points (45-26-4-3) with two games to play. Philadelphia needs to win both of its remaining games, and hope for a Penguins loss against Norfolk on Saturday, to capture first place.

Gove, acquired from Albany for Joe Jensen on February 1, netted his 13th and 14th goals as a Penguin in just 35 games - with five of those proving to be game winners. His nine deciding goals overall on the season are tied for the AHL lead with Chicago's Brett Sterling.

His first of the evening came with Tim Wallace serving an interference call late in the first period. The shorthanded goal was Gove's third as a Penguin, a team-leading total.

Jean-Michel Daoust picked up his second goal in as many games early in the second period to extend the visitors' lead to 2-0.

The Pens looked as though they would take the two goal advantage into the third period. That is until Nicolas Blanchard and Bryan Rodney netted goals at the 18:56 and 19:56 marks of the second frame, giving the Rats the momentum headed to the final 20 minutes.

But Wilkes-Barre/Scranton battled back, with Tim Wallace picked up the go ahead goal midway through the third, and Gove netting his second of the night with four minutes to play to make the score 4-2. A late goal by Mike Angelidis made things interesting, especially when Connor James was sent off for holding the stick with 38 seconds to play.

But John Curry weathered the storm, turning aside 13 of 14 shots in the third period, and 34 of 37 on the night to pick up his 24th win of the year.