I really liked our team. They played hard for each other and they never quit. Even last Saturday, when we were down 5-1 to the Worcester IceCats heading into the third period of Game 6, I felt like they believed they could come back and force a Game 7.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The IceCats now wait to face either the Hartford Wolf Pack or the Portland Pirates in the Atlantic Division final of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Although we didn’t accomplish our ultimate goal of winning a championship, I think we really grew as an organization in 2003-04. For the second straight season, we led the AHL in attendance. Our guys were also model citizens, representing the team at countless schools, youth hockey practices and other public appearances throughout the season.

On the ice, we were able to witness the growth of several players who could someday soon call the NHL their home. I believe defensemen Tim Gleason and Denis Grebeshkov will be regulars on the Los Angeles Kings’ blue line in the not-too-distant future. Forwards Scott Barney, Michael Cammalleri and Noah Clarke all took big steps forward in the system, and like Gleason and Grebeshkov, they have a better understanding of what it takes to be in the NHL after spending time with the Kings during the past season.

Left wing Ryan Flinn picked up his game in a big way down the stretch. He skated a regular shift for us over the last 20 games. The emergence of goaltender Adam Hauser was also a major story this season. He went from a training camp invitee to one of the best netminders in the AHL. Left wing George Parros took a major step forward in his development, as did left wing Jeff Giuliano, the only player to appear in all 80 games for us during the regular season.

For the first time ever, the Monarchs had a first team AHL All-Star in defenseman Bryan Muir. Fans in the Queen City also witnessed an extraordinary season from right wing Pavel Rosa, who blew away the competition and ran away with the AHL’s scoring title. Center Steve Kelly also deserves a lot of credit for Rosa’s breakout year. He collected 70 points (21 goals, 49 assists) in just 59 games. Imagine the numbers he could’ve put up if he had stayed healthy all year.

I could see the disappointment on the faces of our players during Monday’s exit meetings. We met with each player individually and talked about what they accomplished, and what they needed to work on over the summer to improve their games. I think the exit meetings are beneficial for both the players and the coaching staff. We received quite a bit of feedback from the meetings. That feedback makes us better coaches.

In closing, I would like to say thank you to The Union Leader and the Manchester Monarchs for giving me the unique opportunity to write a weekly column throughout the season. I really enjoyed the chance to talk about the day-to-day happenings of our team. Some columns were easier to write than others, but I often found myself looking forward to my chance to speak to the best fans in the AHL.

For all of you that read the column and had such nice words for me throughout the season, especially when my father passed away in December, I say thank you. I wish you all a great summer, and I look forward to having the same chance to share my experiences with the Monarchs next season.

While the Monarchs enjoyed another successful regular season, finishing second in their division with 90 or more points for the third straight season, there was no joy in bowing out of the postseason in the first round for the third straight time.

“It’s disappointing,” said Hubie McDonough III, director of hockey operations for the Monarchs. “We can only imagine what this city would be like if we went further than the first round of the playoffs. We just met with the players (yesterday) and they’re disappointed. The bottom line for us is to win the championship. The goal for the players is, if they’re not playing in the NHL, they want to play here and win a championship.”

According to public relations director Mike Kalinowski, 16 players were called up at some point in the season to play for the Los Angeles Kings. Last year, 18 Monarchs players made the trek across the country to the parent team.

“From the standpoint of developing players for the NHL and the Kings, we’ve still maintained that success and we intend to in the future,” said McDonough. “It’s still too early to tell who’s coming and who’s leaving our team. I would hope the majority of players are back because of the three teams that we’ve had here since coming to Manchester, this one jelled together as a team. Last year’s team was good too, but we had an influx of players come down from the Kings late in the season and they didn’t have time to jell. This year’s team bonded together and that’s why it was more of a disappointment that they didn’t get past the first round.”

Great news came to the Monarchs yesterday in that not only did the franchise lead the American Hockey League in attendance during this past season for the second straight season, Manchester also finished with the top attendance average in all of North American minor pro hockey, out-drawing 97 other teams.

Manchester averaged 9,141 fans per game this season. The Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League, which had been the top drawing card in North America the last three straight seasons, averaged 8,764 fans this season — 377 below Manchester.

Manchester led the AHL in attendance last year, averaging 8,986 per game. This year they improved that mark by 155 fans per contest. Manchester had the third-best AHL attendance in its first year, averaging 8,199.

“To be honest, three years ago no one in our organization would have predicted we’d be tops in North America in attendance,” said Monarchs president Jeff Eisenberg. “But don’t get me wrong, we knew we had something special here. And really it’s the fans who come to our games and the outstanding effort from our entire arena staff who deserve credit for getting our attendance to where it is today.”

Eisenberg also praised the team for playing at a high level and giving the local fan base a team it can be proud to call its own. As for the future, Eisenberg thinks there’s still room for attendance figures to soar higher.

“At some point we’re going to level out, but our challenge now is to level out where we are now,” said Eisenberg. “A majority of our success has been that we’ve been able to give our fans a solid entertainment value package. The mullet night and the video package we provide have been highly successful among other things. The biggest challenge now for us is to maintain the quality of the program and to deliver customer service that a mature fan expects every game.”

As to whether the other two minor league franchises, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Manchester Wolves, will impact the attendance for future Monarchs’ games, Eisenberg said “No. We’ve got a strong fan base for hockey and we’re extremely happy with the attendance figures we’ve had since we arrived here. Again I knew we had something special in year one and we’ve grown to the point where we’re tops in all of North America.”

In Los Angeles yesterday, Kings assistant general manager Kevin Gilmore said he has eveny intention of re-signing AHL scoring champion Pavel Rosa and forward Steve Kelly.

“I’m planning to discuss (contracts) with their agents (this summer),” said Gilmore, who said he wasn’t surprised when he learned that both players recently signed contracts to play in Europe next season. Rosa, who tallied 39 goals and 49 assists in 77 games this season, signed with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Super League. Steve Kelly, the Monarchs’ second leading scorer with 13 goals and 49 assists in 59 games, inked a contract with Adler Mannheim Eagles of Germany’s Division I Bundesliga. Rosa played only two games with the Kings and Kelly played in only three.

The reasoning behind the signings is that with a possible lockout by NHL management or a player strike looming next season, AHL players like Rosa or Kelly are falling back on the European leagues for security.

Last Saturday, Kelly told The Union Leader, “If I were a solid NHL guy, I’d stick it out, but I have to think about my family now.”

As for Gilmore, he still believes their will be an NHL season next year. “I have every expectation that the NHL will play next year,” said Gilmore. “As for Rosa and Kelly, it’s not uncommon for players to sign to play in Europe. This year while the Kings were still playing (goalie) Cristobal Huet signed a deal with Switzerland. I can understand that because if the NHL doesn’t have a season next year, some players’ jobs won’t be available to them in the NHL.”

Gilmore said if there is a lockout or player strike in the NHL next year, established Kings players like Luke Robitaille and Josef Stumpel will not be playing for the Monarchs. “You’re not going to see a player making $1 million on the NHL level negotiating a deal with the AHL to make say $60,000. That would be economic suicide,” said Gilmore. “There’s obviously a big risk, especially with injuries, and quite frankly the AHL is more into developing players.”

Players like Robitaille and Stumpel, who have NHL contracts, could find their pacts void (until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached) should the players go on strike next year.

As for the other players, Gilmore said “If there is a lockout, there will be rules on who can and who can’t be assigned to the AHL.”

click here for Saturday's Apr 24 game recap

click here for Thursday's Apr 22 game recap

click here for Tuesday's Apr 20 game recap

click here for Sunday's Apr 18 game recap

click here for Saturday's Apr 17 game recap

click here for Thursday's Apr 15 game recap

Courtesy of a 6-1 loss on Saturday night, the Manchester Monarchs season came to a close, losing a best-of-seven divisional semifinal opening round series to the Worcester IceCats, 4-2.

After losing a heart-breaking 3-2 triple overtime contest Thursday at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, the guess among the Monarchs’ faithful was that somehow, someway, the locals were going to force a Game 7.

After all, entering the sixth game both teams had won all of their games on enemy ice. Why would the trend change Saturday night?

In fact, after their grueling loss Thursday, and despite not skating all day Friday and Saturday until game time, it was the Monarchs who came out of the gates strong. Manchester peppered the net, outshooting the IceCats 13-2 after the first period — a period that ended in a 1-1 tie.

But the hockey gods played a cruel trick on the Monarchs. For the first time all year, the power play did in the Kings’ franchise. Not one, two or three, but four power play goals got the best of goalie Adam Hauser and Manchester, sending the Monarchs home (or golfing) after the first round.

“It’s extremely disappointing,” said Manchester head coach Bruce Boudreau. “It’s funny, but when the playoffs roll around, you never think of losing until you’ve lost and don’t play again until next year. It’s tough to go out the way we did, but our guys showed great character.”

Manchester could have easily folded its tents after losing the first two games at home but, behind two shutouts by Hauser at the Centrum in Games 3 and 4, the Monarchs showed they were in no mood to exit the playoffs in quick fashion.

But any momentum gained was lost after Worcester erased a 2-0 lead in Game 5 before winning in triple overtime.

Worcester wrapped up the series, 4-2, and will face the winner of the Hartford-Portland series. The loss marks the third time in as many seasons that Manchester has not advanced past the first round of the AHL’s Calder Cup playoffs.

“A disappointing end,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “Give that Worcester team credit, but I still think the better team lost.”

When last the teams had played in the Centrum — Game 4 — the Monarchs slapped the IceCats with an embarrassing 6-0 defeat. And the Monarchs’ loss last night was just their first in six games in the Centrum.

Referee Harry Dumas called three penalties against the Monarchs in the second period and the IceCats promptly scored on all three for a 4-1 lead with 11:11 left in the period.

Asked if officiating swung the game to the IceCats, Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau said, “We had the same guy twice who calls all these little things. I don’t want to sound like a complainer on the referees. I’m just answering the question ... We didn’t get the job done. We’ve never allowed four goals in a period this year.”

In the end the IceCats were 4-for-5 on the man advantage, while for just the second time this season the Monarchs allowed four goals in a period.

“To allow four goals, that’s pretty disappointing,” Boudreau said. “They were pretty easy goals. It didn’t look like (IceCats) had to work too hard for them.”

Worcester’s Scott Pellerin added a breakaway goal with 1:17 left in the second period as the Monarchs pressed hard to get one back, but ended up down 5-1 with only a period left in their season.

“We got our breaks and we made good on them,” said IceCats’ coach Don Granato.

IceCats goals in the second period came from Mike Glumac on his own rebound, Jeff Panzer off pretty passing, Peter Sejna on a loose puck in front and Pellerin doing what an NHL vet is expected to do.

After Panzer put the IceCats up 3-1 at 6:14 of the second, Monarchs rookie Noah Clarke grazed a backhander off the far post that could have made it a new game — “the turning point,” in Boudreau’s eyes. Instead, Manchester’s Steve Kelly was whistled for an elbow 21 seconds later and last year’s Hobey Baker winner via Colorado College, Sejna, tucked away Terry Virtue’s knocked-down wrister for the 4-1 cushion.

“Pretty surprising,” said IceCats’ captain and former North Dakota star Panzer, who had the only even-strength goal for his side. “That’s what happens. Sometimes you get some bounces. In the second period we obviously got some bounces, a couple rebound goals and it turned the momentum.”

It was officially over when the IceCats’ only Ivy Leaguer, Trevor Byrne, from Dartmouth rifled home his first career playoff goal on another power play only 1:39 into the third period.

To the IceCats’ credit, goalie Curtis Sanford (28 saves) solidly turned back a first period barrage by the Monarchs who, if they were facing a lesser netminder, could have easily gone ahead by a couple goals.

“I felt really good after the first period,” Boudreau said. “But, I was sitting in here worried. I’ve seen it happen so many times when a team outplays another team so bad and the score is tied, there always comes a letup. And the letup was there.”

The Monarchs outshot Worcester, 13-2, in that opening period and knotted the stanza, 1-1, as a result of the charge at Sanford. With 3:10 left in the first, Scott Barney pushed a short centering pass from the goal line into the slot where defenseman Bryan Muir snuck in to wrist it over Sanford.

The IceCats made the Monarchs pay for the only penalty in the period. For their 1-0 lead, Blake Evans tipped in Jon Coleman’s left point wrister 5:56 in. Evans’ goal ended the IceCats’ scoreless streak on home ice at 266 minutes and 54 seconds.

“Sanford was the key for us,” said Granato, “because we were clearly off-kilter in that first period and the Monarchs did a good job to put us off-kilter ... Sanford weathered the storm for us. It could have been 3-1 for sure. He was solid and that was enough. I felt our leadership took over from that point, Pellerin and Virtue.”

AHL scoring champion and all-star Pavel Rosa, who was called on to play only two games with the Los Angeles Kings this season, wasted no time signing with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Super League. The Czech hockey Web site “hokej.cz” reported the Rosa move this week, a two-year high-profile deal. It’s not a big surprise, since Rosa was clearly unhappy after not fitting into the Kings’ lineup.

Following suit, the Manchester Monarchs’ second-leading scorer, Steve Kelly, has signed with the perennial champion Adler Mannheim Eagles of Germany’s Division I Bundesliga. Kelly, who played only three Kings’ games this season, signed on March 28. Rugged winger John Tripp, who played 24 games with the Monarchs and finished the season in 34 games for the Kings, signed with Mannheim on April 2. Kelly and Tripp will be joined in Mannheim by forward Jason Morgan, who has chosen to depart the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization. All four players have been AHL all-stars.

Others will likely follow suit as it appears European and Russian teams have declared “open season” on NHL and AHL free agents.

“A lot of guys are in the same boat as me,” said Kelly, an “eighth-year pro who played on New Jersey’s 2000 Stanley Cup championship team. “They don’t know what lies ahead. If I were a solid NHL guy I’d stick it out, but I have to think about my family now. And (John) Tripper probably can’t afford to sit out either.”

That said, Kelly has not entirely shut the door to playing in the AHL. He told The Sunday News he would stay in Manchester if the Kings or Monarchs at least matched the one-year deal he has struck with Adler Mannheim. In fact, Kelly has included an escape clause with Adler Mannheim just for that possibility. He can sever his Bundesliga deal anytime prior to July 15.

Whether for leverage or just coincidentally, Kelly has signed with the direct Bundesliga competitor of the Anschutz Group. The Anschutz Group owns the Kings and the Bundesliga’s Hamburg franchise. In the Bundesliga playoffs Hamburg just knocked out Adler Mannheim. Also Mannheim will build a new arena this season with plans to open it sometime in 2005 marking the final season in the famed Eisstadion, which has a roof but no walls so spectators stand and sing the whole game.

Kelly said he was overwhelmed by European and Russian offers starting this past January. He passed up greater money for the pastoral and old world charm of Mannheim and the prospects of eventually playing in another brand new building. In Manchester, Kelly is the answer to a trivia question since he won the first-ever faceoff held in the Verizon Wireless Arena three years ago. He has proven a valuable player for Manchester.

“I’m going unless things change,”Kelly said. “I’m still willing to sit down and listen. And I think Manchester could still use some veteran players, especially if the Kings send down their young guys like Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov if there is a lockout or strike.

“I still think full well I can play in that league (NHL), but it’s out of my hands.” he said. “I’ve felt good about the hockey part of things and I still feel I could get back there,” added Kelly.

MANCHESTER — An old friend stabbed the Monarchs in the back and hopefully not the heart.

Former Monarch Brendan Brooks scored six minutes into the third sudden death overtime lifting the Worcester IceCats to an emotional and exhausting, 3-2 victory over the Manchester Monarchs last night in Game 5 of the Atlantic Division semifinals. It was the longest game in the history of both clubs and the 11th longest in AHL history.

The battle lasted a grueling 4 hours and 31 minutes (106 minutes of on-ice action) with most of the 4,652 spectators in the Verizon Wireless Arena still in their seats for the game-winning goal. The loss leaves Manchester on the brink of elimination, down to 3-2 in the best-of-seven with Game 6 tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. in the Worcester Centrum. Game 7, if necessary, would return to Manchester Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

AHL scoring champion Pavel Rosa was in on both of Manchester’s regulation goals — both in the first period. The Monarchs frustratingly extended their home playoff losing streak to 0-6 — a three-year-old blemish.

The dominutive yet rugged Brooks, who played with the Monarchs in the inaugural season three years ago then ended up with the Monarchs’ ECHL affiliate Reading Royals, swept home a short, backdoor rebound of Peter Sejna’s hard shot from the high slot.

Monarchs’ playoff rookie goalie Adam Hauser, who was greeted with a standing ovation during his introduction, made 20 saves in regulation and eight in the first OT. His three stops in the second OT were each solid game-savers. He finished with 34 saves. The busier netminder was the IceCats’ Curtis Sanford. He was sparkling, making 32 saves in the regulation, 12 in the first OT and 10 in the second OT. The Monarchs outshot the IceCats, 62-37.

Only 5:26 into the second overtime, Leon Hayward’s shot while moving into the slot from the left circle just grazed Sanford’s weak-side post. Five minutes later, Sanford saved the night again. This time on his knees from a Tim Gleason bid, Sanford gloved Gleason’s stab of his own rebound.

Then with 5:49 to go in the second OT, it was Hayward again making a deadly pass back into the crease with Sanford down and out from a save. But, Manchester’s Greg Koehler could not convert on the empty net as he rushed through the crease. Worcester rushed the loose puck to the other end and Hauser made a breathtaking stop on Peter Sejna’s close-range backhander.

Brooks also had the best chance to win it in regulation. It came 6:30 into the scoreless third period. Breaking free from the right wing boards, the IceCats’ Brooks sliced alone across the crease and laid a solid backhander on Hauser. Hauser, down, made the save. On the rebound Brooks lifted another backhander at Hauser, who dove back to the goal line and covered the trickler.

With 4:03 left in the second period, Worcester defenseman Aris Brimanis knotted the game, 2-2. His high, glove-side wrist shot cleanly beat Hauser. Both IceCats’ goals were scored in the wild and wooly second period.

The IceCats finally snapped their 121-minute scoring drought against Hauser 1:02 into the period. NHL veteran Scott Pellerin, who won Game 2 with an overtime tally, put away a loose puck in the slot. Pellerin, however, was kicked out of the game several minutes later for roughing up Rosa in the penalty-filled period. The IceCats were whistled for 43 minutes worth of infractions and the Monarchs were caught for 28 minutes.

During the playoffs, we want the players to skate just enough to keep their muscles loose. We also want to make sure they have plenty of time to recharge their batteries between games.

Calder Cup playoff games are emotional, draining and physical. We chart hits during every home game throughout the season and, according to the stats, our hits have more than doubled during the series compared to the regular season.

I expect the IceCats to play their best game of the series tonight at the Verizon Wireless Arena (7:05 p.m.). They’ve had recent success on our home ice and they’re a proud hockey team with strong leadership in head coach Don Granato and assistant coach Steve Pleau. Both are excellent tacticians that will have the IceCats refocused and ready to play. We’ll need to be at our best to beat them.

Our team is feeling good after battling back from two games down in the series, but we also realize that we’re only halfway to the prize. By this weekend, one team will have the wonderful satisfaction of winning a series and moving on. The other team will have that empty feeling that goes along with a promising postseason that ended way to soon.

Four games into the series and both teams are still looking for their first home win. Why? That’s hard to explain. But based on what we’re seeing in the other Calder Cup playoff series, maybe it’s not so surprising. Going into last night’s action, AHL home teams were 7-16 in the playoffs. That same trend has also held in the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, where the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames recently won Game 7s on the road.

The support shown by the Los Angeles Kings to our organization over the last week has been tremendous. Andy Nowicki is a good example of what we in Manchester can expect from the Kings. The goaltending consultant called me shortly after the Kings were eliminated from postseason consideration and asked, “What can I do to help?” He’s committed to staying in Manchester for the duration of our playoff run.

Nowicki is upbeat and positive, and with three goaltenders on our roster, he’s able to give them extra attention and guidance. He’s a great mentor during practice, and he’s also another set of eyes up in the press box during games. Throughout the series, he’s taken detailed notes on both goaltenders, and then shared his thoughts with our coaching staff the next day.

The Monarchs are truly part of the Kings’ extended family. In addition to Nowicki, we’ve enjoyed visits from Dave Taylor (Kings senior vice president/general manager), Kevin Gilmore (Kings vice president of hockey operations/assistant general manager/Monarchs general manager), Bill O’Flaherty (Kings director of player personnel) and Andy Murray (Kings head coach). All have offered their support, and all have been respectful of our time, realizing that we have a job to do.

I don’t know what other organizations are like, but I do know that we’re lucky to have the support of the Kings. They want us to win every bit as much as we want to win. They believe that developing a winning a tradition in Manchester will make our young prospects better hockey players at the next level.

WORCESTER, Mass. — Rookie sensation Noah Clarke scored a pair of goals and Adam Hauser’s Midas touch in goal secured a second straight shutout, this time a 6-0 Monarchs walloping of the Worcester IceCats in the Centrum last night. Manchester pulls even in the best-of-seven AHL Atlantic Division semifinal series at two games apiece.

Clarke, Pavel Rosa, Petr Kanko, Bryan Muir and Leon Hayward did the scoring. Rosa, the AHL scoring champion, extended his two-season playoff points streak to seven games. He figured in on three goals last night as did surging second-year pro Yanick Lehoux and defenseman Tomas Zizka.

The worst playoff defeat in a decade of IceCats’ history has now reduced the series to a best-of-three with the Monarchs having won back home-ice advantage. The Monarchs return home to their Verizon Wireless Arena for Game 5 tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

“The next one is brand new, starting all over again,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “Did (Worcester) have momentum after their two wins?”

“Brick” Hauser made 26 saves and stays unbeaten against the IceCats, 4-0-3. Hauser played behind NHL veteran Milan Hnilicka in the first two games of the series — both Monarchs losses at home.

“Now we’re back to even,” said Hauser, noting that he is not ready to breathe a sigh of relief.

“We’re getting the good hops and the lucky breaks,” said Boudreau.

It was a stinging defeat for the IceCats, who have not scored a goal in post-season play in the Centrum for 13 periods — 240:58 minutes — dating three years. The IceCats were 0-for-8 on the man advantage.

The Monarchs tallied three times in the third period to heap embarrassment onto the rout. Clarke’s third goal of the playoffs made it 4-0. Rosa was dealing at will on the IceCats’ back door during a 5-on-3 power play. After Rosa hit the cross bar, the puck was cycled back to the sniper where his quick center found Clarke for a weak side one-timer at 8:03. And with less than five minutes to go it went to 5-0 with Muir’s rip from the right point on another 5-on-3 advantage. And still on a power play Hayward added a 2-on-1 finish off a turnover.

The Monarchs led 3-0 in the second period. As is his trademark, Rosa patiently finished a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush with 2:31 left in the second. Lehoux sparked the get-away thanks to a turnover as IceCats’ fans booed the home team. The Ice Cats were booed again as they went to their locker room.

Monarchs rookies Kanko and Clarke scored goals 2:19 apart jumping the underdogs out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

With 3:48 left in the first, Kanko struck for his first pro playoff goal. Scott Barney made a brilliant no-look, between the legs back pass to the on-rushing Kanko whose low, quick shot appeared to surprise IceCats’ goalie Curtis Sanford (29 saves). Clarke’s first goal of the game put the Monarchs ahead 2-0. Uncovered in front, Clarke nearly missed the handle on Lehoux’ short centering pass from the goal line. But Clarke got enough of it to lift a tumbling knuckler past the besieged Sanford.

Worcester leads the best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinal series, 2-1, but the Manchester win guarantees the best-of-seven affair will return to New Hampshire’s Queen City on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. for Game 5. Tomorrow, the IceCats host Game 4 of series at 7:05 p.m.

“Every game is like a war,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. Monarchs players praised Boudreau for providing words of encouragement at a team meeting yesterday morning in Manchester. As an AHL player, Boudreau recalled winning a Calder Cup with Adirondack over St. John’s where the teams did not get a win in their own arenas in the 4-3 series. Boudreau’s low-key approach worked.

The Monarchs halted their playoff losing streak at seven games, a haunting streak that dated to the inaugural season, April 17, 2003.

“I was really thrilled to see them have a little bit of success,” Boudreau said.

Hauser made 25 saves in his first career AHL playoff start and on the season stays unbeaten against the IceCats, 3-0-3.

“It’s not the shutout, it’s the win. We needed a win right now,” said Hauser in terms of personal satisfaction from the victory.

Boudreau would not comment on Hauser’s mastery of the IceCats and the fact that NHL veteran Milan Hnilicka was in goal for the two losses that opened the series, but Boudreau did say, “(Hauser) played great today, no doubt about it. He played really good. . . . It’s a low scoring series and I think the goaltending has been great. It’s just good, tight defensive hockey.

“I’m not going to say the goaltending was the difference. I thought our defense played extremely well,” he said.

Barney’s game winner was the first AHL postseason goal of his career. He struck 4:04 into the final period, completing the picture-perfect centering pass from veteran Chris Schmidt.

Before Schmidt’s backhand pass found Barney on the weak side, it threaded a seemingly impossible needle under IceCats’ forward Mike Glumac and defenseman Aris Brimanis. Hustle by Monarchs rookie Petr Kanko had sent Schmidt up the right wing.

“Just fortunate it got through,” said Schmidt. “Not a lot of margin for error at this point, but the guys battled all night. Finally it paid off and it does wonders for the confidence.

“It was a great play,” said Barney. “We came out to win. . . . I don’t think we were worried. We were a little down, but we’ve been in every game. It’s not like we’ve been getting blown out. Just little mistakes we’ve been making have been costing us. Now we’ve just go to come out hard again Tuesday and look for the same result.’

Lehoux’ goal, the insurance tally midway through the third period, was his second of the playoffs. With virtually nothing to shoot at he somehow managed to bank his power play wrister between Worcester goalie Curtis Sanford’s leg pad and the short-side post.

“Huge for us,” said Lehoux. “(Worcester) plays so good defensively there is nothing they give. . . . We had to come back and win in their building.”

Manchester turned up the heat in the second period out-shooting Worcester 13-11 but to no avail since the game remained scoreless. The best chances to score in the opening period belonged to the IceCats, who rang the post twice on a power play with under five minutes left in the scoreless stanza.

“It was incredibly tight,” Boudreau said. “We got the lucky break and then we got a lucky power play goal. I’m sure (Worcester) will be coming at us like gangbusters Tuesday.”

“Chess match,” said Worcester coach Don Granato, admitting that the IceCats were not as sharp as they should have been. “I used it the other day and tonight was no different.”

“It’s a Game 2. We’ve got to win it,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “I put every bit of importance on it as I would have said winning Game 1. When you have to win four, they’re all important.”

Thursday night the Monarchs fell, 2-1, in the series opener to the Worcester Ice Cats before only 4,233 — the Monarchs’ smallest crowd in more than a year. After tonight the series switches to the Worcester Centrum for two games, Sunday at 5:05 p.m. and Tuesday, April 20, at 7:05 p.m. The Monarchs need a win tonight to avoid a potential sweep by the Ice Cats. A year ago at this time the Monarchs were swept by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

“As a coach you’re not panicking,” Boudreau said. “You got to go about business. We’ll make some adjustments after having watched (Ice Cats) play.”

Both teams will likely return to their Game 1 starting goalies. Worcester to Curtis Sanford, who was shaken up in the first period of Game 1 by a Tomas Zizka slap shot, and Manchester to NHL veteran Milan Hnilicka, who was booed by the home crowd when the Ice Cats scored both of their goals in the first 3:45. Worcester coach Don Granato said Sanford was pulled from the game as a precaution.

And Boudreau said that spectators would not influence his lineup decisions.

“None of them are going to sway the fact of who we think can win the game for us,” Boudreau said. “I have no trouble with the goaltending . . . (fans) can read what they want into it. They’ll know at 6:50 Saturday night just as anybody else will, who’s starting in goal.

“We’ve got great fans. We’ve got the best in the league. I would expect the fans to support our team and every individual,” he added.

The Monarchs’ second-leading scorer, Steve Kelly, missed Game 1 with a shoulder injury. Kelly is skating and said he is “day-to-day.”

“We won’t know until tomorrow,” said Boudreau of a possible Kelly return. “He and (trainer) Chris Kingsley will work out in the morning. If Steve feels he can play and Kinger clears him to play we’ll play him.

MANCHESTER — Goals by Blake Evans and Ernie Hartlieb in the first 3:45 erased the Manchester Monarchs’ home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinal opener. The Worcester IceCats stole away with a 2-1 victory last night before 4,233 in the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Goalie Curtis Sanford, the IceCats’ starter in the last 18 games, left the contest at the end of the first period. Rookie Jake Moreland out of St. Cloud State took over, stopping every shot he saw. Sanford had been clearly stunned by a Tomas Zizka blast from the right point 11:30 into the game that smacked hard off Sanford’s mask.

Moreland, in only his third AHL game, ended with 17 saves, including three in the final minute when the Monarchs put on some heavy pressure with an extra man and an empty net in hopes of tying things. Sanford gets the win because he was between the pipes when the game winner was scored.

It was a rough night on both sides for goalies. The Monarchs’ veteran Milan Hnilicka (27 saves) was soundly booed when the IceCats used little time to build their 2-1 lead in the first period.

To get it, Evans and Hartlieb each scored on Worcester’s first two shots of the game. It took the IceCats just 3:45 to interrupt the Monarchs’ home-ice advantage in front of Manchester’s smallest crowd in more than a year.

Evans deflected defenseman Jame Pollock’s left point power-play drive 24 seconds in. Manchester answered 1:08 later. Monarchs rookie Noah Clarke redirected the high-slot wrister of AHL scoring champion Pavel Rosa. But, Hartlieb answered right back with a short-side quick finish of rookie Jay McClement’s little center.

The Monarchs played without injured second-leading scorer Steve Kelly (upper body). Although canceling out any IceCats’ advantage from that loss was Worcester skating without injured third-leading scorer Johnny Pohl (orbital bone).

Game 1 of the Atlantic Division semifinals opens at 7:05 p.m. Game 1 of a maximum 28 games followed by maximum jubilation, or a minimum four games followed by 365 days wondering what went wrong.

Open the bag of sports cliches because they all fit. It’s a new season and it will be anyone’s game. Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau has predicted “a war,” the only element of this best-of-seven rivalry against the Worcester Ice Cats he believes is a certainty.

Manchester’s scorers have all guns blazing. Right wing Pavel Rosa won the AHL scoring title with 39 goals and 49 assists and center Steve Kelly was not far behind with 21 goals and 49 assists. Kelly has played in the Calder Cup finals with Hamilton and he won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey. Just like the Monarchs the Ice Cats feature two formidable lines of snipers. Leading the way is red-hot rookie Mike Glumac with 28 goals and 24 assists, last year’s Hobey Baker Award winner via Colorado College Peter Sejna with 29 assists, Johnny Pohl of Minnesota Gophers’ fame, Jeff Panzer of North Dakota fame and Scott Pellerin with 536 NHL games to his credit.

Daunting defense

Slim advantage

Goaltending questions

When I think of the IceCats, I think of an aggressive, competitive hockey team that never quits and that finished the regular season on a high note. We met the IceCats 10 times during the regular season, including five times at the Verizon Wireless Arena. We finished with a 4-3-3-0 record against the IceCats with three of the four wins coming on home ice. I expect another tight-checking, emotional game when we meet the IceCats in Game 1 of our best-of-seven series tomorrow night at the Verizon Wireless Arena (7:05 p.m.).

To beat the IceCats and advance to the next round, we will need to balance our excitement of being in the playoffs with the understanding that the series will likely be a long one with plenty of ups and downs. We will need to guard against having our players wound so tight that they can’t react and just play the game to the best of their abilities.

Unlike in the regular season, a feeling of urgency exists in the playoffs. That feeling is especially present in the first round, and that’s why coaches often say the first round is the toughest one to advance through.

Yesterday after practice, the coaching staff addressed the team. We talked about the price of success during the playoffs. If we want to win the Calder Cup, we must be willing to sacrifice our bodies for the good of the group. The team left standing when the next AHL champion is crowned in June will be the ultimate survivor. I see it every year, players in crutches and slings limping their way onto the ice to join their teammates for a championship celebration.

I’ve watched the movie “Miracle” several times over the last couple of weeks. As coaches, I think we can all identify with the character of Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russell in the movie. Brooks isolated himself and pumped his fist in a private moment of celebration after his team, the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, beat the Russians and went on to win the gold medal. Only a coach, and maybe his wife, can understand that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Once you’ve tasted that satisfaction, you want it even more. That’s why it’s so much fun to go to work at this time of the year. As players and coaches we grind our way through the long and grueling regular season just hoping for a chance to make the playoffs. Once we’re in the postseason, we savor every hit, every battle along the boards and every win.

During yesterday’s video session, we concentrated on our general systems. We looked at examples of what we’ve been doing on the ice lately and talked about what we needed to do to improve in preparation for the IceCats. Today’s video session will focus more on the IceCats, their tendencies and what we’ll need to do to slow them down.

I think we all go into a playoff dreaming about a championship. That said, we’re focused on the IceCats and we’re anxious to get the series started on our home ice and in front of the best fans in the AHL.

Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. in the Verizon Wireless Arena, the Monarchs host the Worcester IceCats in the opener of a best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinal playoff. Time to conduct some business.

The Monarchs have lived a fairytale existence in Manchester, but their two postseasons have been short horror stories. Last year, they were embarrassingly swept by the East Division champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In their inaugural season, the Monarchs were knocking on the door of playoff advancement only to get bitterly knocked out in the second overtime of Game 5 of a best-of-five series at Hartford.

Of the T-shirts, Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau said, “Just as a reminder, all year every day when they put them on, it reminded us that we expected more from ourselves. We just thought as a team we had such high expectations last year and we didn’t achieve them.”

“We made the playoffs for all three years and have never gotten out of the first round,” said Monarchs scorer Steve Kelly. He’s been with the Monarchs since the beginning. “I think we have the best all-around team this year but it doesn’t mean anything when it comes to the playoffs.”

Kelly, who won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, went on to describe a scenario where one team jumps out and breaks the will of the other.

“The weather’s getting nicer outside. A team wins and the mentality becomes, ‘this is a lot of fun’ or a team loses and guys start thinking they’d rather be somewhere else than playing hockey,” said Kelly. “It’s a confidence edge. You let a team get a confidence edge on you, it can take them a long way.

“Do we want to win? Do we want to go on? That’s the bottom line,” said Kelly. “Out of all the years, this year we definitely have the team to do it.”

On the ice, Worcester and Manchester are, statistically, near-mirror images. The Monarchs may have edged the IceCats in the season series, 4-3-3, but numbers in pro hockey rarely predict the future. Take for instance Worcester only losing three times in its last 13 outings, but Manchester holding a 3-1-2 advantage in the last six meetings with the IceCats. Manchester finished the season losing two straight and five of its last eight, but with three games to go, the Monarchs produced one of their best games of the season at Worcester.

“We’re very evenly matched,” said Boudreau. “I noticed yesterday, statistically, we were so close in every department. We’re very close on the goals for and against, shots for and against. They had better special teams numbers than ours but I thought we were matched very closely on the ice. In the final analysis, we were two points ahead of them after 80 games so I think that is a very evenly matched series . . . I don’t know if there’s an edge to them. I can’t say there’s an edge for us.”

One prediction Boudreau will make?

“It’s going to be a war,” he said. “(Worcester’s) a very talented team. I don’t know what kind of series it’s going to be, but I expect hard hitting, very intense tight checking. This is what everybody plays for, success in the playoffs.”

“We’ve been very even and I think they know that, too,” added Kelly. “The team that first sets the tempo of how the series is going to be played and sticks with it, will come out on top. The playoffs come down to so much confidence, not the better team on paper.”

MANCHESTER - The local faithful honored one of its own last night.

Jeff Giuliano of Nashua received The Union Leader Fan Favorite Award. The award recognizes the player chosen by Union Leader customers as their fan favorite. Fans selected the winner by returning ballots to the Monarchs and The Union Leader this year.

“It’s a good award to get and it means a lot to me,” said Giuliano. “I go out and try to work hard every night. This award shows that the fans really appreciate it.”

Jeff Eisenberg, president of the Manchester Monarchs, praised Giuliano, calling the 5-foot-9 winger “small in stature, but huge in the heart. People relate to him. Plus it’s a lot of fun for people to cheer on the hometown boy. A lot of the things Jeff does don’t show up in the statistics, but those things are as meaningful as stats.”

Vin Sylvia, The Union Leader Deputy Managing Editor for Sports, presented the award to Giuliano, who racked up 113 career points at Boston College (1998-02) where he was a member of the Eagles’ 2001 Frozen Four championship team.

After completing his collegiate career, which included three Frozen Four appearances with the Eagles, Giuliano joined the Reading Royals of the ECHL for 38 games, scoring 30 points in the 2002-03 season.

Giuliano was called up by the Monarchs in January of 2003, playing 47 games and amassing 15 points.

This season in 79 games for the Monarchs, he has 20 points, including 14 assists.

Pavel Rosa ended up with the most hardware yesterday. He garnered the Manchester Monarchs Booster Club Player of the Year Award, which goes to the player that the booster club believes has helped the team the most during this season.

Hubie McDonough III, director of hockey operations, also presented Rosa with the Ace Bailey MVP Award, an honor that recognizes the player who the team depends upon most for his contributions on the ice, in the locker room and in the community.

Eisenberg presented defenseman Bryan Muir with the Monarchs Community Service American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award. He is now eligible to win the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the AHL’s Man of the Year.

McDonough also presented defenseman Joe Rullier with the Mark Bavis Unsung Hero Award, that recognizes the player whose contribution often goes unnoticed, but without him, the team would not enjoy the success it has.

MANCHESTER — A playoff preview went Worcester’s way last night.

Third-period goals from Brendan Brooks and Greg Black lifted the IceCats to a 3-2 American Hockey League win over the Manchester Monarchs before 8,715 fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Manchester will open a best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinal series against Worcester on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Big V. Game 2 is slated for Saturday in Manchester at 7:35 p.m.

Manchester (40-28-7-5, 92 points), which got both of its goals from AHL scoring champ Pavel Rosa (39 goals, 49 assists, 88 points) who also became the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer with 67, was already assured of home ice advantage before the start of yesterday’s regular season finale.

What was hanging in the balance was which team — Providence or Worcester — would emerge as Manchester’s first-round opponent. Providence entered the day one point behind the IceCats for the third spot and it stayed that way when the Baby B’s lost to Hartford 2-1 earlier in the day.

Word of that final result got to both Worcester and Manchester at the end of the first period.

“I told the team after the first period that we were going to play Worcester in the playoffs,” said Manchester coach Bruce Boudreau, who felt that both teams went through the motions in what turned out to be a meaningless game in the standings.

“It’s tough,” said Boudreau. “You want to go real hard, but they knew (his players) in their hearts it’s not as important as Thursday (when the playoffs start). It’s a difficult thing. They’re trying hard, but the emotion and passion isn’t in it as much. It was the same with Worcester, which didn’t give us their best. But believe me, come Thursday, Worcester will be a tough opponent to contend with in the playoffs.”

Brooks, a former Monarchs player who played in just nine games of the team’s inaugural eason, tied the game with his sixth season goal at the 5:20 mark of the third period.

Black’s game-winner, his fourth of the season, came on a rebound off the post. Stationed in front, Black collected the loose puck and lifted it over Manchester netminder Milan Hnilicka (27 saves) who played very well and deserved a better fate.

In the second period with the score knotted at 1-1, Worcester went on a 5-on-3 power play when Denis Grebeshkov was whistled for interference followed by a five-minute major on Chris Schmidt, who cut Worcester’s Jame Pollock’s chin with his stick.

But Hnilicka denied the IceCats, even when Manchester defender Michael Cammalleri broke his stick trying to clear the puck. Cammalleri was on the ice for 30 seconds without a stick.

Midway through the second period Worcester head coach Don Granato, knowing his team had sewn up third place, inserted back-up goalie Jake Moreland (8 saves) for starter Curtis Sanford (17 saves) who should be getting the bulk of the playing time in the playoffs for the IceCats.

Moreland, like most goalies in the league this year, couldn’t stop Rosa, who put the locals ahead at 16:15 of the middle period with a traffic rebound shot just outside the crease.

The final minute of the second period ended in a flourish starting with Nashua’s Jeff Giuliano, who was awarded a penalty shot but fanned on his attempt as he challenged Moreland.

Peter Sejna gave the IceCats (1-for-7 on the power play) a 1-0 first period lead with the man advantage, but Rosa answered at 16:15 as he was set-up nicely in front by Cammalleri.

Rosa closed out the regular season with 151 career points.

“It was a real important win for us,” said Cammalleri. “It was a big game. It was a test. We play all year for this time of year. You’ve got to perform your best now. It’s a gut check.”

Worcester absorbed just its third loss in its last 11 and had its three-game win streak halted.

With the victory the Monarchs (40-26-7-5, 92 points) will finish in second place in the Atlantic Division and open a best-of-seven divisional semifinal series Thursday, April 15, before their league-best partisan crowd in Verizon Wireless Arena.

Manchester will either host Worcester (36-26-12-3, 87 points) or the Providence Bruins (36-28-10-4, 86 points).

“It was a big game,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau.

Goalie Milan Hnilicka started back-to-back games for Manchester for the first time since Dec. 20. He finished with 38 saves and that alone tells the story of a game that could have finished on a losing note had not Hnilicka been at his NHL best. He was the clear difference in the crucial second period where the Monarchs came out ahead despite being outshot, 12-4. Among Hnilicka’s stellar stops was a stoning of last year’s Hobey Baker Award winner via Colorado College, Peter Sejna, on a shorthanded breakaway.

“I was very happy with Milan tonight. I thought he was rock solid,” said Boudreau. “He kept coming up big, a great game for him.”

Kelly’s 21st goal of the season was an empty-netter with 44 seconds to play — the only goal of the third period. To go up 3-1, Cammalleri scored the only marker of the second period. Just 5:18 in he redirected Scott Barney’s right circle slap shot. It was Cammalleri’s 20th goal of the season.

Kelly and Cammalleri each made solo breaks look easy as the Monarchs went up 2-1 in the first period. Worcester had scored first just 3:02 into the game. Marc Brown scored on Jeff Panzer’s rebound. Panzer had picked off the outlet pass of Manchester defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov — “a mistake,” Boudreau said. But Kelly tied it 1:30 later with a brilliant tricky streak through the middle off a great Pavel Rosa feed. Late in the opening period it was 2-1 Monarchs. Collecting Yanick Lehoux’ perfect breakaway lead pass, Cammalleri patiently deked down Sanford and tallied with 2:46 left in the opening period.

“I really liked the way we came out and we came right back and scored,” added Boudreau.

Goalie Curtis Sanford made 22 saves in his 15th straight Ice Cats start.

One best-of-seven opening-round series and hardly enough room for three talented ‘tenders. Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau is playing this one as close to the vest as ever. And on paper it sure looks like a stew.

Adam Hauser has played the most, 42 games with a 20-14-7 record. Hauser learned quickly that college fame doesn’t necessarily buy an NHL meal ticket. The underrated goalie out of Minnesota, who the Edmonton Oilers passed over several years ago for the University of New Hampshire’s Ty Conklin, has stated his case for the AHL postseason. He has lost only once in his last 15 games.

In four years at Minnesota and now two as a pro, Hauser has never had a season without a shutout. He leads the Monarchs with seven. The problem is he gave up five goals on 22 shots in his last game and Boudreau lifted him in the third period. In fact, it was the most goals the Monarchs have given up since Jan. 30.

“Luckily it’s not up to any one of us to make the decision,” said Hauser. “We’re just working hard every day. Every day is an interview.”

Mathieu Chouinard played in 22 games this season with a 10-6 record. He has credentials. A first-round draft pick (15th overall) of the Ottawa Senators in 1998, Chouinard has averaged a shutout every 10 games in four years as a pro. When Chouinard is on, he is right on, and the L.A. Kings are committed to developing the 23-year-old’s first-rate talent. The problem is he gave up four goals on 16 shots in his last game and Boudreau said, “The goalie has got to make those saves. (Chouinard) stopped four breakaways, but there’s four bad goals on 16 shots. It’s frustrating for the rest of the guys.”

Tenth-year pro Milan Hnilicka has played 121 games in the NHL. He won an AHL championship Calder Cup with the Hartford Wolf Pack four years ago. Playing only 20 games so far this season, Hnilicka has uncharacteristically battled injuries. But, now he has returned to the lineup in the best of health. Wednesday night he faced only 17 shots against last-place Springfield and Boudreau said he looked “rusty.” Hnilicka’s real season could be the postseason.

Boudreau said he will get Hnilicka more playing time this weekend.

“I’m ready for sure. I’m just concentrating on getting myself ready for the playoffs,” said Hnilicka, who is not even phased by three goalies on the same team. “It’s pretty common for the playoffs.”

“Is Hauser the guy or do you go with a guy with NHL experience who has been to the Calder Cup?” asked Boudreau. “We’ve got three good goalies. We want to get Milan some work this weekend . . . We don’t have to make that choice yet, so we won’t.”

By the numbers, Hauser should have the inside track on the postseason, with Chouinard running second. But Hnilicka has invaluable pro playoff experience. The guess here is that Hnilicka will be named the playoff starter with Hauser and Chouinard waiting in the wings.

Controversy?

No, because there are some controversy-laden ingredients missing among these men — animosity and jealousy are just two.

“These guys all get along,” said Boudreau.

“I would think there’s great competition now,” the coach added. “If they have a bad outing, somebody’s ready to step in. It’s a friendly competition. They all knew this was going to happen ... It’s going to work itself out.”

Manchester was winless in four and a five-game negative streak would have marked its longest of the season. You would have never known it watching last night’s domination of the last-place Falcons. Instead, with a vengeance the Monarchs also halted a three-game losing string — four would have been their longest.

“The losses just woke us up,” said the AHL’s leading scorer, Pavel Rosa, who scored a pair with under 2:15 to play. “Tonight we looked like the team that was on the winning streak.”

Mike Cammalleri, Ryan Flinn, Steve Kelly and Petr Kanko scored the Monarchs’ goals. Defenseman Tomas Zizka was in on three tallies and Kelly assisted on two. The Monarchs never trailed.

With the victory the Monarchs (39-26-7-5, 90 points) secured third place in the Atlantic Division and avoid the best-of-three play-in round that starts Tuesday next week for the fourth- and fifth-place finishers in the division.

Now the Monarchs are battling head-to-head with the Worcester Ice Cats for second-place (and home-ice advantage in the opening round) in the division. The Monarchs are at Worcester tomorrow night at 7:05, where a Manchester victory would secure second place.

If there was any doubt of the Monarchs’ desire after Falcons defenseman Nikos Tselios made it 3-1 with 3:28 to play in the second period, then Manchester’s Mike Cammalleri settled it. Cammalleri completed a 360-wheel around the Springfield net with a perfectly placed backhander from the slot only 1:52 into the third period. Manchester led 4-1 and never looked back as Rosa nailed the door shut on a rocketed breakaway slapper with 2:13 to play and scored his second with 21 seconds left.

“It was important for our psyche,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “We didn’t want to go into Worcester on Friday in a real tough situation . . . We wanted to feel good about ourselves. There was a lot of balance tonight.”

Kelly and Flinn had scored the first two goals of the period for the 3-0 cushion. Just 4:27 into the second, Kelly put away his 19th goal of the season. Suddenly Falcons’ rookie defenseman Joe Callahan wasn’t at Yale anymore as the AHL all-star Kelly absolutely cooked him one-on-one at the Falcons’ blue line. Kelly appropriately finished by 5-holing Cornell rookie goalie David LeNeveu. Flinn followed with a one-timer at the back post from rookie Greg Hogeboom (Miami-Ohio) and Kelly.

Manchester led 1-0 in a lopsided first period. Czech rookie Kanko scored his first career pro goal 9:38 into the first period. Camped on the goal line Kanko zipped a wrister over LeNeveu’s shoulders for the only goal of the stanza. Yanick Lehoux created the chance with seconds to go on a power play by freezing the defense with a fake slapper in the right circle. Lehoux then pushed a pass straight ahead to the hungry Kanko.

Milan Hnilicka made 16 saves for the Monarchs as Springfield was outshot, 43-17. Hnilicka said it was a tough comeback for him considering the low amount of shots. He expects more action this weekend.

After practice, we all gathered at the Verizon Wireless Arena to go over video of our games against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Springfield Falcons and the Portland Pirates. We compared that video with footage from March when the team was on a season-long seven-game winning streak. We used the winning streak video as a tool to show the players that the line between a rut and a groove can sometimes be a fine one.

A few minor breakdowns kept us out of the win column last week. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened a lot lately. Last week was our first week with a losing record since January.

The Falcons deserve a lot of credit for their Saturday win in Springfield. They rebounded well after losing to us, 8-3, at the Verizon Wireless Arena on March 21. We played a much better game the following day against the Pirates, but still settled for the some result — a disappointing loss. We scored two third-period power-play goals against one of the best penalty killing units in the league to tie the game, and then allowed the game-winning goal with just two minutes left to play.

It’s clear that we weren’t as sharp as we needed to be in the three games. Over the course of an 80-game schedule, that’s going to happen from time to time. Every season has its peaks and its valleys and even Mario Lemieux has an off game on occasion. It’s our job as coaches to identify problems and correct them.

We enter tonight’s contest against the Falcons (7:05 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena) in second place in the Atlantic Division, three points ahead of the third place Worcester IceCats and eight points behind the division-leading Hartford Wolf Pack. With four games left on the schedule, nothing is settled. We can still finish as high as second or as low as fourth. Because of this, it’s a waste of time to speculate about which team we might face in the playoffs.

From the fans’ perspective, the playoff format should be very appealing. Our fans already have great rivalries with fans of the IceCats, the Providence Bruins, the Pirates and the Lowell Lock Monsters. Facing one of those teams in the playoffs will only intensify the rivalries between the cities.

The rivalries between the players are already intense and rightfully so. By Monday, we will have seen every potential first-round opponent at least 10 times. We’ll have a good read on the strengths, weaknesses and tendencies of our opponent, and they’ll have a good read on ours.

This is what it’s all about. This is why we get into sports. Although the regular season is very important, it’s nothing compared to the playoffs. At the end of the rainbow there’s a ring, and as an athlete or a coach, that’s what you play for.

As kids, we don’t play hockey in the backyard pretending to win the 46th game of the regular season. We envision ourselves scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the seventh game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. No matter if you’re an athlete or a coach, winning a championship ranks right up there with the best moments of your life.

MANCHESTER — Manchester Monarchs head coach Bruce Boudreau did some math last night and he certainly doesn’t like the numbers right now.

He’s particularly upset about the defensive end as the Portland Pirates, on a goal from Boyd Gordon with two minutes remaining, handed the locals a frustrating 4-3 American Hockey League loss before 9,707 fans at Verizon Wireless Arena.

“Since we had our big run, our problem has been our goals against,” said Boudreau. “I bet you it’s over 3.5 (goals) over the last 10 games. You win in this league with defense. Last night (Saturday’s 5-3 loss to lowly Springfield), we allowed five goals on 23 shots and tonight we allowed four goals on 16 shots. Do the math.”

The coach is close. In the Monarchs’ last 10 games, the team has conceded 28 goals, for an average of 2.8 per game.

The numbers are even a little shaky in the Atlantic Division.

Winless in their last four outings (0-3-1), Manchester (38-26-7-5, 88 points) is now fighting for its life to secure second place.

Hartford, which nudged Providence, 3-2, yesterday, took a commanding eight-point lead for first place over Manchester with four games to go. That means the only way the Monarchs can clinch first place is to have Hartford lose its last four games and Manchester win its last four.

Considering the chances of that happening are slim, Manchester must concentrate on holding off a hard-charging Worcester club that crept within three points of the Monarchs yesterday after its 8-2 rout of Lowell.

Both Manchester and Worcester each have four games left, including two against each other on Friday (away) and next Sunday (home) in the regular season finale.

As of now, the playoff picture is shaping up for the Monarchs to meet Worcester in the first round of a best-of-seven series.

If Manchester holds onto second place, fans can circle April 15 and April 17 as the first two home playoff dates according to the league office.

Before the playoffs begin, the Monarchs must straighten out their defensive problems.

Yesterday Portland, which recorded its season-best fourth straight win, only took 16 shots, but made the most of odd-man rushes. The winning goal by Gordon, who steered the puck past Manchester goalie Mathieu Chouinard, came off an odd-man rush.

“The guy chips it (puck) right next to me, it touches someone and jumps in,” said Chouinard on Gordon’s goal that came after Manchester tied the game 3-3 on a pair of third period power play tallies from Yanick Lehoux and Scott Barney just 2:09 apart.

Portland, which jumped ahead of Lowell by two points in the battle for the fifth and final playoff berth in the division, grabbed a 2-0 first period lead on goals from Ivan Ciernik, 1:58 into the game, and former Monarchs’ player Jared Aulin, who was traded to the Washington Capitals for Anson Carter on March 8.

Manchester cut its deficit to 2-1 at 8:03 of the first period when Lehoux, who scored two goals for the first time since Nov. 29, found the top shelf with a pretty backhand move over Portland goalie Rastislav Stana (12-5-4, 1.54 goals against average) who was an AHL All-Star selection this season.

But Portland restored its two-goal lead with a minute left in the second period on a score from Jason Ulmer, who re-directed the puck past Chouinard.

Center Kiel McLeod, center Jason Jaspers and defenseman Jeremiah McCarthy had the third period goals for the seventh place Falcons, who beat the Monarchs for the fourth time in eight meetings this season. The Falcons and the Monarchs are scheduled to meet twice more before the 2003-04 regular season wraps up on April 11.

Despite the loss, the Monarchs (38-25-7-5, 88 points) remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with five games to play. They trail the Hartford Wolf Pack (40-21-12-2, 94 points) by six points in the race for the division title. They also lead the third place Worcester IceCats (34-26-12-3, 83 points) by five points.

With the win, the Falcons (25-39-9-2, 61 points), who will miss the Calder Cup playoffs for the third time in four seasons, gained a measure of revenge against the Monarchs, who blew them out, 8-3, at the Verizon Wireless Arena on March 21.

Left wing Martin Podelsak collected the only first period goal as the Falcons vaulted out to a 1-0 lead. Podelsak jumped on a loose puck in the slot and swept it through the pads of goaltender Adam Hauser at 12:53. Center Chris Ferraro registered the only assist on Podelsak's fifth goal of the season.

McLeod doubled the Falcons lead 7:59 into the middle period with his sixth goal of the season. The 6-foot-6 rookie fought through center Michael Cammalleri's back-check and jammed a rebound by Hauser to make it 2-0. Right wing Peter Ferraro had the only assist on the play.

The Monarchs closed the period with an onslaught of offensive activity and tied the game with goals from right wing Pavel Rosa and center Yanick Lehoux. Rosa netted his team-leading 35th goal of the season from the high slot at 9:55. Defenseman Tim Gleason and forward Leon Hayward shared assists on the goal, Rosa's seventh against the Falcons this season.

Lehoux's sweet backhander through the slot fooled goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier and tied the game at 18:02. Rookie right wing Petr Kanko and Hayward assisted on Lehoux's 12th goal of the season.

Peter Ferraro and defenseman Joe Callahan set up McLeod's second goal of the game, scored just 1:14 into the third period to give the Falcons back the lead at 3-2. The Falcons added to their lead near the midway point of the period with two more goals in a span of 40 seconds. Jaspers redirected his shot by Hauser at 8:04, and McCarthy completed the Falcons scoring flurry with his sixth goal, scored on the power play from the slot at 8:44. Left wing Frantisek Lukes and defenseman Todd Reirden helped with Jaspers' 16th goal of the season. Jaspers and Peter Ferraro assisted on the McCarthy tally.

Monarchs head coach Bruce Boudreau pulled Hauser and replaced him with goaltender Mathieu Chouinard after the McCarthy score. Minutes later he replaced Chouinard with an extra attacker to give the Monarchs a 6-on-4 power play advantage. The move worked, as defenseman Tomas Zizka pushed right wing Sam Ftorek's crease feed by Pelletier at 17:17 of the period. Lehoux also collected an assist on Zizka's fourth goal of the season.

The Monarchs replaced Chouinard for a second time with just over a minute to play, but they were unable to get anything more past Pelletier (9-23-5), who finished with 34 saves and his third win against the Monarchs this season.

Hauser (20-14-7) stopped 17 shots and took his first loss in 15 outings. He entered Saturday's action with an eight-game winning streak and an unbeaten-in-regulation streak of 14 games (9-0-3-2).

MANCHESTER — Someone forgot to remind the Monarchs and Bridgeport Sound Tigers that the AHL playoffs are still two weeks away.

In a tight battle that had “playoffs” written all over it, the teams skated to a 2-2 finish last night before the 18th sellout crowd of the season in Verizon Wireless. Arena.

All the scoring played out in the second period. AHL all-star Jeff Hamilton, Bridgeport’s all-time goal scorer, netted a goal and assisted on the other. Bridgeport is on a three-game unbeaten streak. Jerred Smithson and all-star Bryan Muir had the Monarchs’ goals.

The Monarchs (38-24-7-5, 88 pts.) are still prowling to unseat Atlantic Division leader, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Tomorrow, the Monarchs host the Portland Pirates at 4:05 p.m.

“We knew what they were going to do. Jeff Hamilton. Jeff Hamilton. Jeff Hamilton. And that’s what we got, a lot of Jeff Hamilton,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau, who played Hamilton straight by not shadowing him. But Boudreau said that could change if the teams meet in the post-season.

Bridgeport (38-23-10-4, 90 points), the team that eliminated the Monarchs from the postseason last year in a sweep, is in a tight fight with the Philadelphia Phantoms for first place in the East Division.

Monarchs goaltender Adam “Brick” Hauser is on an eight-game unbeaten streak and made 22 saves. Dieter Kochan, who has played every game this season in the four-game series against Manchester, stopped 27 Monarchs shots.

“You could tell both teams didn’t want the other to score in overtime. I just thought it had an intense game feel,” Boudreau said.

“Tight, hard-nosed hockey,” said Hauser. “Neither team really wanted to give up anything after that second period that was wild and crazy . . . We were just so close to winning.”

The Monarchs quickly answered each Bridgeport tally coming from behind twice in the 2-2 second period.

Smithson made it 1-1 on a shorthanded breakaway. He stole the puck from Martin Kariya at the Sound Tigers’ blue line and, although the tally was unassisted, credit the Monarchs’ Chris Schmidt for wreaking havoc ruining the power play in the first place. Smithson’s goal came just 2:34 after Hamilton had scored the game’s first goal 5:28 into the second on a power play wraparound lifter.

“It’s a war of attrition type thing,” said Schmidt, describing what could have turned into a frustration to score for the firepower-laden Monarchs. But Schmidt said the Monarchs kept their heads and kept it tight.

Then veteran Muir absolutely raised the roof, knotting it 2-2. Sneaking toward the goal on the weak side, Muir one-timed a backhander that trickled between Kochan’s pads. Muir’s goal came 48 seconds after Luke Curtain potted his first AHL goal off Hamilton’s seeing-eye short center giving Bridgeport their short-lived 2-1 lead.

Bridgeport was outshot 8-2 in the opening period and the Sound Tigers did not muster their first shot on Hauser until there was 7:04 left. The best scoring chance of the stanza belonged to none other than the AHL’s leading scorer, Pavel Rosa. With 3:54 left, Rosa sliced in alone and had his backhand bid poked away by Kochan. From there the Sound Tigers shadowed Rosa all over the ice, intent on keeping him off the scoreboard.

“This was a good test for us for the playoffs,” said Rosa. “We just have to take care of our game.”

“This is the way (Bridgeport) plays,” added Boudreau. “They lull you to sleep and then they come out strong for little periods of time. They did and they got two goals, ended up a tie.”

Notes: Tonight at 7:30 the Monarchs are at the last-place Springfield Falcons . . . Winger Scott Barney and defenseman Tim Gleason were back from the L.A. Kings last night. Boudreau is expecting the first-round draft pick Gleason to play every game the rest of the way. Gleason’s first period fight last night against Kevin Colley was the first of Gleason’s career . . . Czech winger Petr Kanko made his professional debut with the Monarchs last night and had two shots in the first period. He has spent all of this season with Kitchener of the OHL . . . The Monarchs have not lost a game in regulation (23-0-2-2) when they lead after two periods . . . Mary Gaughan, a season ticket holder from Merrimack, won a Suzuki Verona automobile last night just for showing up. Now that’s fan appreciation.

THE AHL swiftly responded to yesterday’s “Monarchs Insider” that took the stance the league has outgrown its selection process for the AHL all-star awards. In an e-mail to The Union Leader and the Manchester Monarchs, AHL director of public relations Jason Chaimovitch said, “While I understand the points you make regarding the selection process itself, what you failed to mention even once is that the players who were selected ahead of Pavel Rosa, Steve Kelly and Adam Hauser were all perfectly legitimate candidates and more than worthy on their own of the honors they received.”

Chaimovitch went on to point out that The Union Leader’s ballot included many of those who were honored. And in further fairness it should be pointed out that the newspaper was unable to vote for Manchester Monarchs. Had the newspaper’s ballot been so allowed Pavel Rosa would have been the top right wing, Kelly the number two center and Hauser the number three goalie.

And Chaimovitch, a good-hearted fellow who doesn’t mind swapping a good ribbing, finished, “And I can’t imagine the Monarchs organization — or its legion of knowledgeable fans — really considers it a ‘letdown’ that two of its own were singled out among the top 12 players in the entire American Hockey League.”

MONARCHS REPLY: Manchester coach Bruce Boudreau had this to say on AHL leading scorer Rosa not being honored among the league’s first team stars: “I think (The Union Leader) was right on. I don’t care whether you play left wing. Pav has played left wing and right wing. He definitely was a better choice than Denis Hamel (Binghamton Senators).

“He’s the league’s top plus-minus guy. He’s the top scorer. He’s second in goals. He’s played 70 of 73 games. The only games he’s missed here were due to NHL callups. He’s been an iron man. He has very few penalty minutes and plays hard. I don’t know how you can overlook that.

“If (The Union Leader) keeps going at it, maybe the American Hockey League will stand up and listen to them.”

DEEP THOUGHTS: On working with his deepest roster in the AHL ever (26 players), Boudreau said, “We’ve been absolutely up front with them. Tell them how much they’re going to play, who’s going to play and when they’re going to get an opportunity. Like we told everybody this week, ‘you’re either part of a solution or part of a problem. If you’re going to mope because you’re not playing or you’re not on the line you want to be on, then we’re going to send you home.’”

GO WEST YOUNG MAN: Concord’s Mick Mounsey, a defenseman for the University of New Hampshire the past four seasons, is making his professional debut this weekend skating with the Idaho Steelheads of the East Coast Hockey League. The Steelheads are affiliated with the Dallas Stars of the NHL. Mounsey, a free agent, will return to UNH after this weekend to continue his studies and will ultimately join the Steelheads for the upcoming ECHL postseason when Idaho meets Las Vegas.

FAVORITES ON THE FLY: Not to influence your decision, but the last two fan favorite award winners wound up with different teams the following year.

Ted Donato won the first award and moved on to the Providence Bruins and eventually Boston Bruins.

Eric Healey won it last season and is now playing with the Chicago Wolves (Atlanta Flames).

Both players fell victim to the Los Angeles Kings’ wealth of young depth. In order to make room for the many draftees, the Kings let Donato and Healey go.

THE AHL postseason honors are out. On what should have been a great day for the Manchester Monarchs, it was a letdown.

Veteran defenseman Bryan Muir, a University of New Hampshire product, was a shoe-in for first team AHL all-star honors. He made it. The awards would have been a total farce had Muir been named anything less. He is the league’s second-leading scoring defenseman, one point back of Milwaukee’s Curtis Murphy — also a first team honoree.

Bravo. They got two right.

Nothing is obvious with this AHL voting though. Right wing Pavel Rosa, the league’s leading scorer, was named to the AHL second team. Center Steve Kelly, who was one of the leading assistmen in the league all season, was completely ignored in the voting. Kelly has 64 points in 54 games. What’s a guy gotta do?

The flaws in the selection process are many. The two most glaring problems? The honorees are chosen by a vote of the media (one media ballot per team) and players (also one ballot per team). Since the AHL has expanded across North America, there isn’t a media member or player in the league who sees every team.

And secondly the league’s first and second team honorees for forward are chosen by position. Instead of the best six forwards, the six forwards are chosen by how they lineup for faceoffs. Note that the league does not honor defensemen based on left or right defense.

“If Pavel Rosa had been a left wing he would have made the first team,” speculated Monarchs publicist Mike Kalinowski.

Has anyone ever addressed what happens when a player plays half the season as a wing, but then switches to center because of callups and injuries? That is reality in minor league hockey. Rather than go on and on, suffice to say the league has outgrown its selection process. And this year’s results prove it.

Solutions?

It would be more representative to issue regular-season awards on a divisional basis. To arrive at divisional honorees, a nominating committee that includes coaches, media members and players from each division should be formed. Each division’s finalists would be chosen by conference call. Finalists would be put forth for voting by all divisional media members, coaches and players. The league could even further open up the voting to fans via the AHL website — one vote per internet e-mail account.

Quite frankly, in the close-knit and rivalry-filled Atlantic Division how many really care about the San Antonio Rampage?

DENIED: Another without a mention in the AHL awards was goaltender Adam Hauser, who is on a seven-game win streak with an overall 1.85 goals against average. Now here’s the kicker.

Hauser is closing in on the AHL’s 66-year-old record of 1.79 GAA set by Frank Brimsek in 1937-38. Brimsek continued on playing nine seasons for the Boston Bruins.

The Monarchs’ season record for goals against was established by Cristobal Huet with a 2.29 last season. Hauser also has a .930 save percentage equaling Travis Scott‘s amazing season of 2001-02. Correction, former Monarch goaltender Scott is the only San Antonio Rampager on ice folks in Manchester might care about. Incidentally the Rampage was shut out of AHL all-star mentions.

HOT SEAT: Approximately 300 seats remaining for tonight’s 7:35 game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (N.Y. Islanders). Sunday the Monarchs host the Portland Pirates (Washington Capitals) at 4:05 p.m. with approximately 400 seats left.

FALCONS ON A WING AND A PRAYER: Saturday the Monarchs are at Springfield at 7:35 p.m. A Springfield tie or loss eliminates them from the Atlantic Division playoff race leaving Portland and Lowell battling for the fifth and final playoff spot in the division.

4/1/04   Muir makes the 1st 2003-2004 AHL All Star Team.  (congrats to Bryan)... Joe Z.
but ....
ROSA doesn't make the 1st 2003-2004 AHL All Star Team. 
THIS IS TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE & UNACCEPTABLE ! ... Joe Z
 

The American Hockey League yesterday named Manchester Monarchs left wing Noah Clarke and former University of New Hampshire defenseman Garrett Stafford to the AHL’s All-Rookie team.

Clarke, 24, the first Monarch to be named to the All-Rookie team, leads all league rookies in scoring with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 69 games. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound native of LaVerne, Calif., is tied for second among rookies with 25 goals, and his 25 assists rank fifth best among first-year players. Clarke became the first Southern California player to suit up for the Los Angeles Kings when he made his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 16.

He was also a member of PlanetUSA at the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic and he gained Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 16-22.

Stafford, a member of the Wildcats from 1999-2003, scored 14 goals and notched 67 assists in college. In 67 games with the AHL’s Cleveland Barons, the defenseman has amassed 12 goals and 34 assists.

The award is voted on by AHL players and media in each of the league’s 28 member cities.

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