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A Fan Site By A Fan and For The FansNEWS STORIES 2003-2004 Regular Season
February02/29/04 Grebeshkov
LA Times Staff ReportIt took him six hours and a couple of late-night plane changes, but defenseman Denis Grebeshkov finally made his NHL debut.
Grebeshkov, selected 18th overall by the Kings in the 2002 draft, had two shots and logged 17:54 of ice time in the Kings' 2-1 victory Saturday over the Ducks.
He was called up from minor league affiliate Manchester (N.H.) after defenseman Jason Holland was put on the injured reserve list because of a thigh bruise suffered Wednesday against the Dallas Stars.
"I don't know if he has a pulse or not," King Coach Andy Murray said of Grebeshkov. "He got in at about quarter to 12 [on Friday]. Just stepped in the lineup today. Very smooth and cool with the puck."
Grebeshkov had one goal and four assists in 25 games for Manchester.
02/29/04 Monarchs fall in overtime
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union Leader
MANCHESTER — The Monarchs discovered this bear hunting season is no picnic.
Last night an old friend, former Monarch Rob Valicevic finished a short rebound with 1:27 left in overtime giving the Utah Grizzlies a 3-2 victory over Manchester before 9,916 in the Verizon Wireless Arena.
“When it finishes like that you can’t be happier,” said Valicevic, who was a Monarchs forward in the inaugural season.
Today at 4:05 p.m., the Monarchs have the fourth-place Providence Bruins in their sights. Unbeaten in regulation in six straight, the Monarchs (28-21-6-4, 66 points) held onto second in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. The loss was just their second in their last 10.
Yanick Lehoux had a goal and an assist. Adam Hauser made 25 saves in his fifth straight start — the most by any Monarchs goalie this season.
“I thought all three of their goals were bad,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “Little things in front, losing the battles and (Grizzlies) were going to the net.
“We had enough chances to win it,” he added.
Hard to tell that Utah (20-32-4-3, 47 pts.) is at the bottom of the West Division. The Grizzlies snapped a two-game losing streak in their third game of an eight-game road trip thanks in large part to second-year pro goalie Jason Bacashihua. He gave the Grizzlies every opportunity to win. Bacashihua, Dallas’ first round pick (26th) overall in 2001, made 37 saves in the game and singlehandedly kept the Monarchs off the board in the scoreless final two periods.
“That’s why he gets paid the big bucks,” laughed Valicevic of the steady Bacashihua, truly a Dallas star of the future.
The Monarchs have not beaten the Grizzlies in regulation in their four meetings this season. The 2-2 first period set a Big V record for a capacity crowd coming to its feet.
Two Lehoux breakaways and ditto Jeff Giuliano leading to the nearly decapitated Giuliano firing a penalty shot into Bacashihua’s gut. In all six players skated off for fighting including Manchester’s victorious Ryan Flinn in his return from injury.
And there were four goals. Lehoux via a 2-on-1 with Pavel Rosa 50 seconds in, then Bryan Muir’s left circle sonic boom at 14:05. Utah answered each Monarch tally. With 2:42 to go in the first, leading Grizzlies’ scorer Jarrod Skalde poked in Mathias Tjarnqvist’s little rebound tying it 2-2. At 12:30 Timo Helbling, a third-year minor league defenseman on loan from the Tampa Bay Lightning, got his first goal in a season and a half. Hauser nearly had that hot potato three times — popped off his chest, off the glove, off the stick.
“It’s weird.” said Boudreau, “for a coach it feels like a loss. But, we get the point; I thought we battled hard. Close to 40 shots again. Stuff happens. It wasn’t lack of effort.”
NOTES: The L.A. Kings called up rookie defenseman Denis Grebeshkov and the Monarchs loaned rookie defenseman Troy Milam to his old club, the Gwinnett (S.C.) Gladiators of the ECHL. Milam will likely rejoin the Monarchs this week. Grebeshkov’s callup came when the Kings placed former Monarch Jason Holland on the IR with a bruised thigh.
02/29/04 Monarchs: NHL labor strife won’t affect team
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Sunday News CorrespondentThe Manchester Monarchs vow to hold an American Hockey League full season this fall regardless of an NHL lockout or strike.
“From our standpoint there’s no reason to think otherwise,” said Kevin Gilmore, the Los Angeles Kings’ assistant general manager who doubles as the general manager of the Kings’ minor league affiliate Monarchs. “We still have prospects to develop and still have a commitment to the people of Manchester.”
“I’ve had conversations, memos, board of directors meetings — I can’t tell you what was said in those — but through an assimilation of the information I know, there will be a league next season,” said Monarchs president Jeff Eisenberg. “(AHL president) Dave Andrews has had discussions with all the NHL teams and is very confident that we’re moving forward that we’ll have a season.”
This season, 13 of the Monarchs’ 24 players are contracted by the Los Angeles Kings and have two-way clauses in those contracts that denote how much they’ll be paid in each league — the NHL and minor AHL. If those “two-way” players opt to support their NHL union brothers where will Manchester get its players?
“It all depends on what rules will govern who can be sent down and who can’t be. That remains to be determined,” said Gilmore.
Rules governing player movement to the minors will likely be created this summer, according to Gilmore.
Gilmore huffed at the notion that AHL players are being groomed as replacement players for the NHL. But, where will the loyalty lie of players’ on two-way, NHL and AHL, contracts? In his sharp legal mind, Gilmore, who was corporate counsel for the Walt Disney Co., and a member of the NHL’s salary arbitration panel and contract negotiation panel, sees the NHL-AHL predicament as cold fact.
“Once a player is in the minors he’s no longer a member of the NHLPA,” said Gilmore. “Where he’s playing will dictate what collective bargaining agreement he plays under . . . It’s not as though they’re replacement players because they’re members of a different union. At the end of the day the union they’re a member of will govern.”
It remains to be seen if two-way players sent to the AHL by the Kings will defy their union and play for the Los Angeles Kings’-owned Monarchs while there is labor strife in the NHL? The Monarchs have had no trouble in three years, filling their roster with players out of the East Coast Hockey League when the Kings have called up the two-way prospects.
“A player isn’t obligated to play,” said Gilmore, “and then of course we don’t have to pay them.”
There is an NHL labor issue that could potentially directly affect revenue in Manchester. Will locked-out or striking NHL players picket the minor league arenas, probably a far more effective tactic than picketing idle NHL buildings? But, for now the Monarchs are not dealing in hypotheticals.
Monarchs media relations director Mike Kalinowski said he will follow business as usual readying for next season with media guides and information. He anticipates player signings throughout the summer. Kalinowski said hypotheticals right now are just that, “speculation.”
“You can prepare, but you can’t assume a lockout or a strike will happen,” he said.
“The Kings have talent to develop,” continued Eisenberg.
And Gilmore added, “Nothing to me indicates there won’t be an AHL season next year.
“We have every expectation to play hockey. Everybody hopes this gets resolved and we’re playing hockey up here too.”
02/28/04 Monarchs gear up for busy weekend
Union Leader SportsThe Manchester Monarchs were off last night, no doubt resting up for what will be a busy remainder of the weekend.
The Monarchs welcome non-divisional opponent Utah to the Verizon Wireless Arena tonight for a 7:35 faceoff. There will be little time to recover from that tilt as the Providence Bruins come calling tomorrow for a 4:05 game.
Manchester entered the weekend with a record of 28-21-6-3, good enough for second place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division. Utah is 19-32-4-3, mired in last place in the West Division. Providence is 24-20-10-3, fifth place in the Atlantic.
The Monarchs are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and have 14 divisional games remaining. Of those 14, eight of them come at the Verizon. The playoffs open April 13 with the teams finishing fourth and fifth in the Atlantic playing each other in a best-of-three qualifier.
Manchester (65 points) is chasing the Pack, specifically the Hartford Wolf Pack, the team sitting in first place in the Atlantic with a record of 32-16-9-1 for 74 points.
The Atlantic will likely see some serious shuffling and jostling before the regular season closes as only 10 points separate second place from sixth. The Portland Pirates are 22-17-12-7 for 63 points. Worcester is tied with Providence with 61 points each. Even Lowell (23-25-5-4) is not completely out of the picture with 55 points.
Following this weekend’s double-dip, the Monarchs will be off until Friday, when they visit Lowell.
02/26/04 Get set for the AHL postseason
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union LeaderWITH THE Manchester Monarchs making a convincing case for potentially winning the AHL’s Atlantic Division, it’s time to make some tentative plans for the postseason.
The Monarchs are on a five-game unbeaten streak. They are second in the division, nine points behind the Hartford Wolf Pack. On home ice the Monarchs are 15-4-1-2 this season. They have 14 divisional games left, eight at home.
There are seven teams in the Atlantic Division and five will compete in the postseason that opens the week of April 13-18. Teams finishing fourth and fifth play a best-of-three qualifying round that will end by April 18. Teams finishing second and third could start their best-of-seven first round series that opening week, while the division’s regular season champ awaits the qualifying round winner.
With some other events already scheduled in the Verizon Wireless Arena, the Monarchs have a few post-season hurdles to jump. First is a tentative home show Thursday, April 15-Sunday, April 18. Country singer Alan Jackson holds a concert on Saturday, April 24, and the Manchester Wolves open their inaugural professional indoor football season on Friday, April 30.
“You always try to play all your playoff games on weekends,” said Monarchs president Jeff Eisenberg, “but that never happens. League etiquette is you split weekend dates.”
Eisenberg said the first round will likely have to be completed by the end of April and seeds 1 and 4 will probably start their series on Sunday, April 18. Seeds 2 and 3 can start as soon as the teams agree and will have the most flexibility.
All Atlantic Division best-of-seven series will be played on a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the higher seed would start with two games at home, then two away and rotating single games until a team wins the series. The Atlantic Division winner faces the East Division winner in May and the Calder Cup championship should wrap up in late May or early June.
“We’ll know possibly next week on the home show,” Eisenberg said. “If we finish first we don’t need those (home show dates). If we finish third we would open Wednesday (April 14) and Friday (April 16) away and possibly open Sunday (April 18) at home at night.”
But Eisenberg added, “Everything has to remain fluid because it depends on the other teams as well as whether you’re home or away.”
From the Monarchs’ second place to the sixth-place postseason bubble, there is an 11-point difference. The only certain thing about the jockeying for playoff position in the Atlantic Division is it will go down to the wire.
BIG WEEKEND: Saturday the Monarchs host non-divisional foe Utah at 7:35 p.m. Sunday at 4:05 p.m. the Monarchs face the Providence Bruins in another important divisional battle. Last night there were just single seats for the Bruins game and there were 250 seats remaining for the Utah game.
02/26/04 Monarchs skate to tie with Pirates
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union LeaderMANCHESTER — There were two hockey teams and 9,046 spectators fit to be tied in the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Those pesty Portland Pirates produced their league boring, “ah excuse me,” league leading 24th regulation tie last night — this one scoreless — despite the Manchester Monarchs outshooting them, 33-14. It was the first scoreless tie in Monarchs history.
“It is really boring, but it’s the way they play,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. Portland has “been playing that way since day one.”
“We play overtime every night so we get to practice it every night,” quipped Portland coach Tim Army.
Well, things did heat up with 33 seconds to play in the five-minute overtime. Monarchs goalie Adam “Brick” Hauser laid a beautiful butterfly save on Brooks Laich’s breakaway bid — Portland’s only shot in the OT. Don’t let that offensive outburst deceive. Portland was outshot 6-1 in that final five minutes. Portland goalie Max Ouellet, an AHL all-star last season, made 36 saves.
“Great effort by Hauser,” Boudreau said. “It’s extremely difficult to make that save.”
“You don’t have time to think about it,” said Hauser. “It’s an all or nothing play — It’s either the game goes on or the game stops right there.”
Manchester remains second in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. The Pirates stay in third. The Monarchs (28-21-6-3, 65 pts.) run their unbeaten streak to five and they have just one loss in their last nine outings.
“That’s a playoff game,” said Boudreau. “I don’t think either team wanted to take chances. We were taking it to ‘em pretty good, but you always worry when you’re doing that because of one opening. They get that breakaway they could win.”
The Pirates (22-17-12-7, 63 pts.) have not lost in regulation in 14 outings and are unbeaten in four straight, but they are 0-3-1 in Manchester this season.
Hauser (13-11-6), with 14 saves in his team-leading fifth shutout, produced his best regulation save in the second period. With his right pad jammed against the post he snuffed Graham Mink’s backdoor one-timer from 10 feet. Most notable in the second period was the Monarchs’ killing off a five-minute Pirates power play. Before that power play, the Pirates had just two shots in the first 26:30 of game action.
“I wouldn’t say boring as much as mentally taxing,” added Hauser of Portland’s gritty defensive style.
The Monarchs, who have only allowed five goals over their last seven games, limited the Pirates to a single shot in the opening period. That lone shot in a period stands as the all-time defensive record for the Monarchs.
“We never score a lot of goals against that team,” said Manchester’s Pavel Rosa, who is among the top scorers in the AHL. “That’s why they have the record they have because they play good defense — frustrating.”
02/25/04 Rookie Clarke shines
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to The Union LeaderI‘M SO HAPPY for left wing Noah Clarke. He was named the American Hockey League’s Sher-Wood Player of the Week on Monday.
Clarke had four goals and one assist in three games last week against Atlantic Division opponents, helping us move from fifth place to second place in the standings. It was very satisfying to see him skate over and receive his honor on Monday night before our game with the Binghamton Senators. The smile on his face told the whole story.
Clarke’s steady improvement as a hockey player validates the Los Angeles Kings scouting system. The NHL club saw something in Clarke that many others didn’t. The former ninth-round pick (250th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft) has a bright future in the organization and enters tonight’s game against the Portland Pirates riding a four-game goal streak (five goals in his last four games) and a seven-game scoring streak (6-3—9). Both streaks are the longest of their kind in the AHL.
Clarke, who had an outstanding collegiate career at Colorado College, is a gifted player who cares more about winning than personal accolades. He was robbed of an assist in Friday’s game at Providence but never said a word about it.
The rookie really seems to be pushing himself as he nears the end of his first full pro season. Last December, Clarke fulfilled a childhood dream by skating with the Kings, a team he grew up watching with his family in nearby LaVerne, Calif. Two weeks ago, he represented the Monarchs at the 2004 AHL All-Star Game and won the CCM Fastest Skater Award at the AHL Skills Competition. On Monday, he became the first Monarchs rookie to score 20 goals.
For Clarke to take the next step as a hockey player, he’ll need to improve on his consistency, but that’s nothing new for a young player. In fact, I think its human nature to relax after having a big night, be it in sports or in the business world. But the truly great athletes in our sport don’t relax and don’t take nights off. Their desire to excel makes them regulars in the NHL.
Assistant coaches Jim Hughes and Dane Jackson deserve a lot of credit for incorporating several new players into our system over the last week without missing a beat. They have the team moving in the right direction. We’ve been making wise decisions with the puck and lately the opposition has been forced to skate 200 feet and through three players to score. We’ve allowed just five goals in the last six games because of this commitment to defense.
Players such as defensemen Chad Dameworth and Troy Milam and forward Travis Lisabeth may not be with us at the end of the season. They were added recently because of injuries and recalls. Still, they’ve been asked to play key roles for us in meaningful games. The fact that they’re willing to compete so hard so quickly is a testament to their character.
One of the hardest things a coach must do is say good-bye to the Lisabeths and Dameworths even though they did everything asked of them. But, when players like center Steve Kelly and defenseman Richard Seeley return to the lineup, we’ll have to send some players back to the ECHL. It’s a reality that the players in the ECHL understand. Still, it’s reassuring to see that our organization is able to bring in players that can help our team win. We are very fortunate in that regard.
2/24/04
02/23/04 Monarchs' Clarke named week's best
The American Hockey League announced today that Manchester Monarchs left wing Noah Clarke has been named the Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week for the period ending February 22, 2004. In three games, Clarke recorded four goals and one assist as the Monarchs climbed into a second-place tie in the AHL’s Atlantic Division standings.
With three critical intra-divisional road battles on the schedule, Clarke began the week with two goals and an assist in Manchester’s 3-0 win at Lowell on Wednesday. Two nights later, he scored a third-period power play goal to secure a 3-1 victory in Providence, and on Saturday, Clarke scored the tying goal with 1:58 left in regulation, forging a 1-1 draw in Portland. The Monarchs’ unbeaten week allowed them to close out a 3-1-2-0 road trip and jump from fifth place into a tie for second in the tightly-contested Atlantic Division.
In recognition of his achievement, Clarke will receive a Sher-Wood leather jacket, presented to him during an on-ice ceremony prior to an upcoming game. In addition, Sher-Wood will donate five travel bags to the Concord Youth Hockey Association in Clarke’s name.
Drafted by Los Angeles in 1999, Clarke is in his first season out of Colorado College, where he was an All-American as a senior in 2003. The native of La Verne, Calif., currently ranks third among AHL rookies with 19 goals and 38 points in 52 games with Manchester this season. He made his NHL debut on Dec. 16, becoming the first Los Angeles area native ever to skate for the Kings. Winner of the CCM Fastest Skater event at the 2004 AHL All-Star Skills Competition, Clarke has picked up a point in each of his last six games (5g, 3a) since returning from the All-Star event in Grand Rapids.
Other nominees for Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week include Bridgeport right wing Martin Kariya, Chicago left wing Eric Healey, etc etc......
CONGRATULATIONS NOAH !
02/21/04 Monarch's Hauser stymies Bruins
Special to The Union LeaderPROVIDENCE, R.I. — Goaltender Adam Hauser turned aside all 19 of the shots he faced in relief as the Manchester Monarchs slipped by the Providence Bruins, 3-1, last night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Defenseman Troy Milam, center Jerred Smithson and left wing Noah Clarke added goals for the Monarchs, who beat the Bruins for the fifth time this season (5-3-0-0), disappointing the majority of the 9,810 fans that witnessed the game.
With the win, the Monarchs (27-21-4-3, 61 points) moved into sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Division and extended their winning streak to two games. The loss was the second straight for the Bruins (23-19-10-2, 58 points), who remain in fifth place in the division.
Left wing Ivan Huml’s team-leading 14th goal gave the Bruins the 1-0 lead through one period. Huml cashed in with his backhander through the slot at 6:19. Defenseman Kevin Dallman had the only assist on the goal, the fifth of the season for Huml against the Monarchs.
The Bruins nearly opened a two-goal lead later in the period, but goaltender Milan Hnilicka bailed out Clarke, who had his pocket picked by center Matt Herr near center ice. Hnilicka snuffed out Herr’s close range wrist shot with a pad save with 3:40 remaining in the period.
Hnilicka, appearing in just his 12th AHL game after suffering through a myriad of injuries this season, saw his night end prematurely about two minutes later when left wing Darren VanOene barreled into him near the crease. Following the contact, Hnilicka was slow to get up. He later was helped off the ice by Monarchs’ athletic trainer Chris Kingsley and did not return.
Hnilicka left the game with six saves on seven shots.
Defenseman Bryan Muir was whistled for roughing on the play, so Hauser entered the game cold with just 1:23 remaining in the period. He faced two quick shots on the ensuing power play, including a slicing backhander from center Andre Savage, but did not yield a goal.
Milam and Smithson each struck for goals in the middle period as the Monarchs took a 2-1 lead. Milam, appearing in just his second game after signing a tryout agreement with the Monarchs on Tuesday, tied the contest with his first career AHL goal, scored short-handed at 9:31. The rookie from Ferris State University pounced on a loose puck left by goaltender Tim Thomas, who moments before had been handcuffed by left wing Jeff Giuliano’s drive from the right circle.
The Monarchs took the lead when Smithson’s seeing-eye shot from just outside of the crease beat Thomas at 13:41 of the period. The goal was just the fourth on the power play for the Monarchs in eight head-to-head meetings with the Bruins this season. Muir and center Yanick Lehoux assisted on Smithson’s fourth of the year.
The Monarchs iced the game with a second power play goal, scored by Clarke with just 5:19 remaining in the third. The rookie from Colorado College took Lehoux’s cross-ice pass and lifted it over the blocker of Thomas. The Monarchs were enjoying a five-on-three man advantage at the time. Lehoux and right wing Pavel Rosa, assigned to the Monarchs by the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the day, assisted on Clarke’s 18th. With the goal, Clarke extended his scoring streak to five games (4-3-7).
Hauser (12-11-4) nailed down his 12th victory with 10 third period saves. Five of his 12 wins have come against the Bruins this season.
Thomas (12-9-5), who had given up two or less goals to the opposition in nine straight games, saw his streak come to an end against the Monarchs. He finished with 30 saves.
The Monarchs wrap up their six game road swing when they meet the Portland Pirates at 7:05 at the Cumberland County Civic Center today. The Monarchs open a four-game homestand at 7:05 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena against the Binghamton Senators on Monday, February 23.
NOTES: The Los Angeles Kings, the NHL affiliate of the Monarchs, yesterday assigned right wing Pavel Rosa to Manchester and recalled center Michael Cammalleri and goaltender Mathieu Chouinard. The Kings yesterday also placed goaltender Roman Cechmanek on the injured reserve (retroactive to Thursday) with a groin strain.
02/20/04 Callups, injuries test depth
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union LeaderROOKIE NOAH CLARKE and second-year pros Mike Cammalleri and Yanick Lehoux take over as the Monarchs scoring leaders, as injuries and callups have removed five of the Monarchs’ top 10 scorers from the lineup.
And they will be supremely tested as the Monarchs play six games over the next 10 days starting tonight at 7:05 in Providence, R.I. The Monarchs will finish their season-long, six-game road swing with a game at Portland, Maine, tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Then, starting Monday with the Binghamton Senators at 7:05 p.m. the Monarchs will play four home games — their longest homestand for the remainder of the season.
The Monarchs are playing without five of their top 10 scorers, including their best two scorers, Pavel Rosa and Steve Kelly. Rosa, who leads the Monarchs in scoring and is second in the AHL, is on his first callup to the Los Angeles Kings this season. Kelly is out with a separated shoulder, but said Wednesday night that he could return possibly as soon as next weekend. His shoulder is healing better than anyone anticipated.
“Obviously these guys are stepping up and playing well and that’s good to see,” said Kelly, who watched Wednesday’s game from the stands. “That will only make us better.”
Clarke and Cammalleri answered the call immediately Wednesday when they each figured in on two goals in a 3-0 victory over arch-rival Lowell. Clarke is on a four-game point streak. Cammalleri has assisted on six goals in his last four games.
Lehoux has been snake-bitten offensively at times this season and has had some trouble stringing together three solid games, but now he sees the chance to capture consistency.
“I know for myself, I cannot speak for Noah or Cammi, it’s a great opportunity for me,” said Lehoux. “Last year was not the greatest season for me overall. And this year I haven’t had a chance to show that I could be a go-to guy. I can prove myself.”
Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau has given a lion’s share of credit to assistant coaches Jim Hughes and Dane Jackson for working all the new players and line combinations into a cohesive group. But even undermanned,, the Monarchs are the envy of the AHL with their solid deep talent.
“We’re a little down on numbers right now, but there are still good offensive guys in the lineup,” added Lehoux, as Wednesday’s whitewashing of Lowell proved. “It’s a chance for everybody to step up to the plate and prove they can do it. Look around the league. A lot of teams around the league would take our lineup the way it is now. Sometimes you get spoiled.”
( 02/19/04 )
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02/19/04 Rookie Clarke turns it on in Monarchs victory
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports WriterLOWELL, Mass. — Undermanned but not overpowered, the Manchester Monarchs handled the Lowell Lock Monsters, 3-0 last night on a pair of goals from all-star rookie Noah Clarke and the first shutout of the season by veteran goalie Milan Hnilicka.
Hnilicka, who made a pair of huge stops in the first period to maintain the Monarchs’ momentum, came off the NHL injured reserve list Tuesday after not playing since Dec. 20. He finished with 22 rock-steady saves, anesthetizing the 3,832 in Tsongas Arena.
Due to a slew of injuries and some NHL callups, the Monarchs were skating with nine players who did not start the season in Manchester, while Lowell was also down five key skaters.
“It’s a good bunch of guys. They don’t quit,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “They knew (Troy) Milan was playing for the first time, so I think they dug down, played smart and played strong,” he said, referring to Manchester’s newest defenseman.
Manchester (26-21-4-3, 59 pts) with one loss in its last five beat the Lock Monsters for the third straight time in the 11th of their 12 meetings this season. The Monarchs move into a three-way tie for second in the Atlantic Division with Portland and Worcester.
Lowell (22-24-4-3, 51 pts.) has lost five straight not scoring a goal in more than eight straight periods of hockey.
Rocket rookie Clarke made it 3-0 with the only goal of the second period and from there the result could have been mailed in. Clarke’s second goal of the game — his 17th goal in a brilliant pro debut — came on a slick power play wrister while streaking through the right circle. He teamed beautifully all night with second-year pro Mike Cammalleri, who has clearly regained his scoring touch the Los Angeles Kings felt may have slipped.
The Clarke-Cammalleri connection put Manchester up 2-0 in the first period. Clarke’s deflected wrister in the left circle off a Cammalleri dish handcuffed Sabourin with :59 seconds left in the stanza. Cammalleri drew first blood 3:46 into the game laying a quick finish on Clarke’s perfect pass from behind Lock Monster netminder Dany Sabourin.
“You could tell they had some jump together,” added Boudreau of Colorado College-product Clarke and Michigan-product Cammalleri.
There was no rust on Hnilicka. He made 10 stops in the first period including a stick save on wide-open AHL all-star game MVP Mike Zigomanis 6:50 in and then Hnilicka dazzled with a sprawling, reaching glove snuff of Ryan Bayda’s solo slice across the crease with 1:19 to go in the first. Those first period saves were “a confidence builder,” according to Hnilicka.
“The way the guys came out tonight was unbelievable,” said Hnilicka. “Not really nervous, but I was kind of curious the way it was going to be because I hadn’t played in so long. I had some tough shots, but most of the time the guys kept it outside and that helped a lot.”
“(Hnilicka’s) a veteran and a classy guy. He loves to play,” said Boudreau, noting that Hnlicka controlled rebounds and settled the play down throughout the game.
“Something only a veteran can do,” Boudreau said.
NOTES: The shutout was the eighth of the season for the Monarchs — a team record . . . Russian rookie defenseman Denis Grebeshkov made his return to the Monarchs lineup last night . . . Newcomer rookie Troy Milan (Ferris State) replaced Monarchs defenseman Doug Nolan, who injured his shoulder last Sunday . . . Lowell’s scoreless streak is 176 minutes and 34 seconds . . . In a stretch of six road games, Friday the Monarchs play road game four at Providence (7:05 p.m.).
02/18/04
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to The Union Leader
02/16/04 P-Bruins trip up Monarchs
Special to The Union LeaderPROVIDENCE, R.I – Center Andre Savage and left wing Ivan Huml each collected two points and goaltender Hannu Toivonen collected 29 saves as the Providence Bruins won for the first time in five games on home ice, edging the Manchester Monarchs, 3-1, before a crowd of 8,234 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center yesterday afternoon.
The loss was the first in four games for the Monarchs (25-21-4-3, 57 points), who entered yesterday’s game 2-0-1-0 in their last three contests.
The win also halted the Bruins’ (23-17-10-2, 58 points) three-game losing streak. With the victory, the Bruins moved past the Monarchs into third place in the Atlantic Division.
The fourth place Monarchs are 4-3-0-0 seven games into their 10-game season series with the Bruins.
Each team notched a power play goal in the opening period. Left wing Chris Schmidt opened the scoring when he beat Toivonen from the high slot at 8:05. Forward Noah Clarke and defenseman Chad Dameworth assisted on Schmidt’s fifth of the season, scored shortly after Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser poke-checked the puck away from Savage. His play effectively thwarted Savage’s short-handed attempt from the top of the right circle. Bruins defenseman Milan Jurcina was in the penalty box for high sticking when Schmidt scored.
The Bruins capitalized on a late period double minor assessed to Monarchs left wing Kip Brennan (boarding; unsportsmanlike conduct) to tie the game at 1 apiece. Savage tied it with his 13th goal, scored on a power play rebound at 17:21. Savage scored into an open net a split second after Hauser rejected Jurcina’s 20-foot rip from the slot.
Defenseman Ed Campbell also collected an assist on the play. The Bruins led 2-1 through two periods, thanks to rookie center Brett Nowak, who scored his third of the season at 14:21. The Harvard University grad registered the goal just 13 seconds after serving a penalty, by jabbing right wing Pat Leahy’s crease feed into the net. Nowak, who was in the box for interference, started the play by knocking down Leahy’s outlet pass at center ice. He next sent Leahy into the Monarchs’ zone on a breakaway with his feed along the right wing. Leahy misfired on his shot, but the rebound caromed to Huml, who sent the puck back to Leahy at the right circle.
The Bruins converted on a five-on-three power play advantage early in the third period to extend their lead to 3-1. Savage and former Monarchs defenseman Rich Brennan assisted on Huml’s 13th of the season, uncorked from the right circle at 1:05. Late-second period penalties to Dameworth (tripping) and Hauser (roughing) led to the Bruins’ 25th power play goal in 25 games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center this season. The Bruins entered yesterday’s contest with an AHL-leading 21.5 percent power play conversion rate on home ice.
Toivonen (10-10-1), mired in a personal five-game losing streak, played well after allowing the first period goal. He closed the game with 21 saves over the final two periods and earned his 10th win.
Hauser (11-11-4), the only Monarchs goalie of record against the Bruins this season, finished with 24 saves.
The Bruins were 2-for-7 on the power play. The Monarchs were 1-for-5.
The Monarchs continue their season-long six game road swing through New England when they meet the Lowell Lock Monsters at 7 p.m. at the Tsongas Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The Monarchs’ schedule also includes road games at Providence on Friday, Feb. 20 and at Portland on Saturday, Feb. 21. After that, they open a four-game homestand at the Verizon Wireless Arena against the Binghamton Senators on Monday, Feb. 23, at 7:05 p.m.
02/16/04 Monarchs blank Albany, 3-0
Special to the Sunday News
The Manchester Monarchs entered yesterday’s road game against the Albany River Rats knowing they would need to fill a void in scoring.They were without the services of center Steve Kelly (injured shoulder) and right wing Pavel Rosa, who was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the day.
They also knew they would need a strong performance from goaltender Mathieu Chouinard.
Manchester got both while posting an efficient 3-0 win over the River Rats, disappointing the majority of the 5,514 fans on hand at the Pepsi Arena.
The win extended the Monarchs’ (25-20-4-3, 57 points) unbeaten streak to three games (2-0-1-0) and moved them into a second place tie with the Worcester IceCats in the Atlantic Division.
The loss was the first in four games for the River Rats (14-23-8-6, 42 points), who remain in seventh place in the East Division.
The Monarchs, who also beat the River Rats, 2-1, at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester on Nov. 9, finished their season series with a 2-0-0-0 record against the River Rats.
Right wing Sam Ftorek cleaned up a rebound near the right post and lifted the puck into the net at 9:13 of the opening period to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead. Center Yanick Lehoux and defenseman Bryan Muir assisted on Ftorek’s fourth goal. The goal also represented Ftorek’s 200th professional point (99-101—200). Ftorek, who lists his home as Wolfeboro, has appeared in 339 professional games over the past six seasons.
The Monarchs led 2-0 through two periods, even though they skated over half of the middle period short-handed. Center Jerred Smithson was credited with the only second period goal, scored when he sliced his shot from the bottom of the right circle by goaltender Matus Kostur just 56 seconds in. Right wing Leon Hayward and defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov assisted on Smithson’s third of the season.
The Monarchs’ penalty troubles began when Ftorek was whistled for a high sticking major at 2:09. Ftorek clipped defenseman Victor Uchevatov with his stick and drew blood.
The River Rats had several chances during the ensuing power play, but failed to get anything by Chouinard, who finished with 10 saves in the period. Albany was 0-for-4 on the power play in a period that included Ftorek’s major and Muir’s double minor for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Through two periods, the Monarchs had 32 penalty minutes compared to the River Rats 11.
Left wing Noah Clarke’s one-timer from the slot with 7:38 remaining iced the game. Center Michael Cammalleri and forward Jeff Giuliano assisted on Clarke’s 15th this season.
Chouinard (8-5-0) nailed down his fourth shutout of the season with 12 third period saves. His eighth win included 29 total stops.
Kostur, who finished with 19 saves, saw his record drop to 0-3-0.
For the game, the Monarchs were a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill, while the River Rats were 3-for-3.
02/13/04 Injury knocks Kelly off record pace
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Union Leader Staff Union LeaderMANCHESTER — Steve Kelly was starting to sound like a broken record.
On the verge of shattering nearly every Manchester Monarchs scoring record, the veteran pro hockey forward sustained a separated right shoulder Wednesday night in Worcester. The official injury report says Kelly is “week to week.”
But Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau is preparing for a slightly longer Kelly absence.
“When I hear separated shoulder I always think four to six weeks,” said the coach. “But, if there’s anyone who can come back earlier than predicted, (Kelly) can. He’s a warrior. Many other players would have needed help off the ice the other night with that injury. Steve would have none of that.”
“It’s frustrating,” said Kelly, who has played 144 games in the NHL between the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils and L.A. Kings. “The year’s gone pretty good. I think it will be two to three weeks for sure. I don’t want to come back and be timid. I want to be able to play the game and hit when I need to hit.”
Two days after the peak of his minor league hockey career — an all-star game appearance — Kelly absorbed an “awkward” injury. He was sliding toward the boards head-first and the first thing he thought of was turning his head and face away from hitting the wall. With 190-pound Ice Cat Aaron MacKenzie on top of him, Kelly could not move his arms to protect himself. Instead his shoulder made full contact first. It looked harmless, but sudden stops in a high-speed game are often the ones that do harm.
Without Kelly, who leads the Monarchs in assists with 35 and is a top-10 scorer in the AHL with 48 points in 42 games, Boudreau is conjuring up a “mindset” change for his offensive-minded team. While Kelly is out one to four weeks, the Monarchs’ best offense will be defense.
“We need to play a tighter game,” Boudreau said. “We’ve lost our second-leading scorer and a very important member of our team. We need to allow two goals or less — not the four goals we’ve been allowing — which will be beneficial in the playoffs, too.”
In the meantime the Monarchs will call up third-year pro Travis Lisabeth from the Mississippi Seawolves of the ECHL. Lisabeth, a 6-foot, 200-pound left wing, was cut from the Monarchs pre-season camp and will be making his first leap into the AHL.
“(Lisabeth) deserves a chance,” said Boudreau. “He had a slow start but has been playing well. We told the guys who came to camp with us we might call them. We are trying to keep our word.”
For Kelly the timing of the injury could not have been worse. The L.A. Kings are making a strong run at the NHL post season and clearly Kelly had to be on their short list of prospective callups in the event of injuries. Now Kelly will strive to get back on the minor league ice as soon as he can to continue impressing the flock of scouts who fill the team’s Verizon Wireless Arena each weekend. The NHL trade deadline is just a month away. If Kelly can’t help the Kings, he could certainly help some other contender.
“That didn’t even come into my mind,” said Kelly. “(Monarchs) are in the same kind of playoffs battle. We were already short some players so the first thing that came into my mind was I felt bad I was leaving them even more short-handed.”
Kelly is upbeat about his return to the Monarchs lineup and so is Boudreau because the injury will not require surgery.
“There’s no surgery involved so I think Steve will be back before the trade deadline,” added Boudreau. “I don’t think this is the kind of thing that would hold an NHL team back from taking Steve in a trade.”
“If anything I’m going to have some rest and come back with a little jump and be ready to play,” Kelly said.
Tomorrow the Monarchs are at Albany at 4 p.m., and Sunday they travel to Providence for a 4:05 p.m. start.
INJURY UPDATE: Rookie defenseman Denis Grebeshkov is skating and could be back by the end of the month. Ditto veteran goalie Milan Hnlicka. All good news for a Monarchs playoff run.
CAT KILLER: Seven of Chris Schmidt’s 10 points on the season have come against the Worcester Ice Cats. He has three points in 21 games against the rest of the AHL.
02/12/04 Undermanned Monarchs hang tough to gain a point
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union LeaderWORCESTER, Mass. — It was far from a cinema blockbuster, but it was an entertaining small miracle on ice that the Manchester Monarchs never trailed and escaped with a 4-4 tie against the Worcester Ice Cats before a meager crowd in the Centrum last night.
The Monarchs (24-20-4-3, 55 pts.), who are winless in four on the road, were outshot 42-28.
Monarchs leading scorer Pavel Rosa found the net twice and defenseman Bryan Muir assisted on a pair as the Manchester remains tied for third place in the Atlantic Division with the Ice Cats (22-18-10-1, 55 pts.).
Defenseman Tom Koivisto, a veteran of the Finnish Elite League in his second North American pro season, and left wing Peter Sejna, down from the St. Louis Blues, were each in on two Worcester goals.
The Monarchs survived a short-handed situation in overtime and goalie Adam Hauser made three clutch saves in the extra frame to protect the point. Credit Hauser for nailing it down with 38 stops in the back-and-forth contest.
Fighting back to tie the game 4-4, Worcester’s Mike Glumac slipped away a reaching backhander with 7:44 to play. Less than three minutes earlier, Joe Rullier’s seeing-eye shot from the right point stunned the Ice Cats for a 4-3 Monarchs lead. Denver rookie Aaron MacKenzie had worked the Ice Cats into a rousing 3-3 tie 7:49 into the third period.
Chris Schmidt gave Manchester a 3-2 lead by finishing George Parros’ feed on a power play at 13:16 of the second period. Worcester’s Johnny Pohl tied it 2-2 with a backdoor snap shortly into a 5-on-3 advantage at 9:20. The second-leading scorer in the league, crafty right wing Rosa patiently picked his spot on a wrister from the top of the left circle 1:39 into the second as the Monarchs forged ahead 2-1.
The timely scoring came after impromptu juggling of lines by Manchester coach Bruce Boudreau. With five minutes to go in the tied first period, Monarchs all-star right wing Steve Kelly left the game injured. Ice Cats rookie defenseman MacKenzie sat atop the prone winger as the pair slid into the side boards for a loose puck in the Ice Cats’ zone. Monarchs assist leader Kelly left under his own power and did not return . Boudreau said he may have a separated shoulder.
The teams traded power play goals in the 1-1 opening period. Midway through the period Worcester knotted it via the first goal of the season from Koivisto. He has 22 St. Louis Blues’ games under his belt, but has struggled the majority of this season with injury. Rosa got the Monarchs on the board first during a two-man advantage. His 21st goal of the season was a rip from the high slot over Johnson’s far-side shoulder 5:08 in.
Goalie Brent Johnson, who started his pro career with the Ice Cats in ’97 and has played 143 games with the Blues, most recently backing up Chris Osgood, played his second AHL game of the season. He remains undefeated after making 24 saves. With 2:05 to play in OT, Johnson snuffed a Rosa bid to win by sliding into the left circle before Rosa could set up for the shot.
“(Johnson) read it,” said Boudreau. “You could tell he’s been in the NHL, no matter whether he played good or bad, because he didn’t hesitate. He knew exactly what he was doing right away. If he had hesitated, Rosa has an empty net goal.”
Both teams were undermanned entering the game. The Monarchs were playing without four injured players, while defensemen Tomas Zizka and Tim Gleason and forward John Tripp were all recalled by Los Angeles earlier in the week.
The Ice Cats are missing four injured players including NHL veteran sparkplug Scott Pellerin and four others are up with the St. Louis Blues — three of those are defensemen.
“I applaud the guys for effort. We were able to stay with them,” said Boudreau. “We gave them the two goals in the third period by just bad giveaways . . . If we want to gain in the standings we have to play smarter in certain situations.”
NOTES: Defenseman Chad Dameworth, a 31-year-old nine-year pro out of North Michigan, played his first Monarchs game last night. Manchester is Dameworth’s 17th pro team . . .
02/11/04 Monarchs eye post-break push
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to The Union LeaderNow that the American Hockey League All-Star break has come and gone, it’s time to get back to business. Our team will gather later this morning for the first time in three days to practice at the Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett.
Today’s practice will not include a lot of teaching. Instead, our coaching staff will run several drills geared toward getting the players back into the flow after a few days off. Fortunately, we’re playing a familiar opponent in the Worcester IceCats later today at the Worcester Centrum Centre (7:05 p.m.), so we have a pretty good understanding of what we need to do to win.
Many of our players took advantage of some rare time off to go home and visit with family and friends. Four players, however, had other commitments. Left wing Noah Clarke, center Steve Kelly, defenseman Bryan Muir and right wing Pavel Rosa all spent the last couple of days in Grand Rapids, Mich., representing the Manchester Monarchs at the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic. Kelly and Muir were members of the Canadian All-Star team, a squad made up of players born north of the border. Clarke and Rosa were members of the PlanetUSA All-Star team, a squad made up of players from the U.S. and Europe.
It turned out to be quite a weekend for Clarke, who already is enjoying a remarkable rookie season. The former ninth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings won the fastest skater event at Sunday’s All-Star Skills Competition. I’m sure he surprised a few people. We all knew he could skate. Now the rest of the AHL does as well.
As expected, Kelly, Rosa and Muir showed just what kind of professionals they are. Kelly and Rosa each collected points and Muir did his best to limit the scoring chances in a game that included no penalty minutes and plenty of breakaways. I know all four of the players enjoyed the experience, even though they’ll probably be a little tired this morning.
The Kings took advantage of the NHL’s All-Star break and signed head coach Andy Murray and his staff to contract extensions. This is great news for our organization. Continuity within the ranks aids player development. It’s very reassuring to know that Murray and his staff value our role in the development of their future stars. On a personal note, I’m a better coach because of Murray. I admire his loyalty within the organization.
Center Jerred Smithson, who missed the last two games with a groin injury, may be ready to return action against the IceCats. That would be greats news for our team, especially with the Kings recalling defensemen Tim Gleason and Tomas Zizka, and right wing John Tripp on Monday. The Kings yesterday began a seven-day, five-game road trip in St. Paul, Minn., against the Minnesota Wild.
Tonight’s game against the IceCats is the first of six straight on the road for our team. After tonight, we travel to Albany, N.Y., to face the Albany River Rats on Saturday, and then bus to Providence, R.I., on Sunday to face the Providence Bruins. Next week’s schedule also includes road games at Lowell, at Providence and at Portland.
Although the next two weeks will be a huge challenge for us, we have played better on the road lately. Going into the break, we were 3-3-1 in our last seven road games. I know it’s a coaching cliché, but we’ll just take it one game at a time. Once this tough stretch is over, we’ll be rewarded with four straight home games at the Verizon Wireless Arena to close the month.
"Congratulations also go out to our 4 Monarchs ALL Stars !"
February 8th & 9th, 2004
2004 AHL All Star Classic
Steve Kelly, Pavel Rosa, Noah Clarke, Bryan Muir
( left to right )Noah Clarke wins the "SPEED EVENT" in The Skills Competition
Click here for the All Star game recap
02/08/04 Monarchs respond to coach’s lecture
By JOHN HABIB
Staff Sports Writer Union LeaderMANCHESTER — When you lose to the worst team in the American Hockey League and your coach calls it your worst effort of the season, you better respond.
The Manchester Monarchs did just that last night, turning back the Worcester IceCats 3-1 before a sell-out crowd of 9,916 at the Verizon Wireless Arena last night.
The win snapped an 0-3-1 winless streak for Manchester (24-20-3-3, 54 points), which is now tied for third place with Worcester (22-18-9-1) in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
Pavel Rosa, the AHL’s third leading scorer, and winger Chris Schmidt, voted the game’s No.1 star, each paced the Monarchs with a goal and an assist. Center Michael Cammalleri also added two assists, while John Tripp cashed in the only power play goal for the Monarchs.
Before the start of last night’s game, head coach Bruce Boudreau, talking to the Monarchs Radio Network, said his club gave its worst effort of the year against the last place Springfield Falcons in a 4-0 loss Friday night.
Whatever he said to his troops before the start of the game in the locker room didn’t trigger an immediate spark from the Monarchs in the first period.
Actually, aside from two strong scoring bids from Cammalleri, who was turned away from seven feet out by Worcester netminder Curtis Sanford (9-8-1, 25 saves) in the waning seconds of the frame, it was a relatively bland start for the Monarchs.
The IceCats enjoyed the only power play opportunity of the period, coming away empty as Manchester goalie Adam Hauser (11-10-3, 26 saves) held the fort, stopping three testers, including two from the point.
But other than a brief skirmish between Schmidt and Worcester’s Christian Laflamme that really resulted into nothing more than a wrestling match, the local faithful really had nothing to cheer about.
But all that quickly changed just 1:05 into the middle period and, of all players, All-Star Rosa (20 goals, 34 assists) got to light the lamp by simply being at the right place at the right time.
Schmidt, skating down the left wing with a defender blanketing him, slid the puck harmlessly across the middle that drifted through traffic.
Rosa, skating alone down the right side, scooped up the loose puck and registered his 20th season goal past Sanford for the 1-0 lead. Cammalleri was also credited with an assist, perhaps a little justice there, considering how he was robbed twice by Sanford late in the first period.
Rosa’s goal also lit a fuse, as the intensity level heated up. Sam Ftorek, a Saint Anselm College product who needed just one point coming in to reach the 200-point plateau for his career, received 17 penalty minutes after hammering Worcester’s Jame Pollock to the ice in a lop-sided fight at the 3:45 mark.
Finally, after a lackluster first period , a hockey game was finally breaking out.
Working on their first power play, the Monarchs converted on a goal that gave the 11th season sell-out crowd an indication that this was going to be their night to break out of their winless streak.
Sanford handled Tim Gleason’s blue line shot with ease, but committed the Cardinal sin by directing his rebound right on the stick of Tripp. Stationed just outside the crease, Tripp rammed home his eighth season goal for a 2-0 lead with 10:44 to play in the period.
Suddenly momentum was all on Manchester’s side and the Monarchs kept it, getting another score two minutes later when Schmidt blasted his third season score past Sanford, who was starting to wonder whether his defense was still in the building.
As for Hauser, he was rolling along towards a shutout. He had nine saves in the first period and seven more in the second period, handling his toughest chance late in the second frame when he batted away a shot from Mike Glumac who was charging the net.
But as fate would have it, Hauser lost his shutout bid on the softest shot he faced all night.
Peter Sejna, from the blue line, lofted a high shot towards Hauser, who misplayed the easy pop-up and watched the puck glance off his glove and land into the cage behind him with 12 minutes to go.
But five minutes later with Manchester still ahead by two goals, Hauser made up for his mistake with a big save, denying Johnny Pohl in front that eventually added up to a well-deserved win after last night’s debacle against Springfield.
02/07/04 Falcons blank the Monarchs
Staff Report Union LeaderSPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Chris Ferraro scored a goal and assisted on two others last night as the Springfield Falcons upended the Manchester Monarchs 4-0.
Jean-Marc Pelletier made 33 saves for the Falcons to earn the shutout.
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Frantisek Lukes and Erik Westrum.
Lukes scored halfway through the first period, and Westrum scored three minutes later while Manchester (23-20-3-3) was down two skaters.
Springfield (15-26-5-2) made it 3-0 at 8:56 on Ferraro’s power-play goal.
Westrum scored his second of the game into an empty net with 21 seconds remaining in the game.
The Monarchs will play at the Verizon Wireless Arena tonight against the Worcester IceCats at 7:35 p.m.
02/06/04 Divisional foes on tap for Monarchs this month
Staff Report Union LeaderPlaying nine divisional games this month, the Manchester Monarchs hope to make some ground on Atlantic Division-leading Hartford in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League.
Tonight at 7:35, the Monarchs (23-19-3-3) hit the road to face the Springfield Falcons at the Springfield Civic Center. The Falcons (14-26-5-2) are last among the 14 teams in the Eastern Conference with 35 points.
Manchester is in fourth place with 52 points, trailing Hartford (59 points), Providence (55) and Worcester (54). Hartford has played two more games than the other three.
After tonight, Manchester returns home to play Worcester at 7:35 p.m. tomorrow at the Verizon Wireless Arena, then returns to action against the IceCats in the Bay State next Wednesday. Manchester is scheduled to play Providence three times this month, including twice in one week on the road.
The Monarchs announced yesterday that Fox Sports Net New England will air the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Four Monarchs, including left wing Noah Clarke, center Steve Kelly, defenseman Bryan Muir and right wing Pavel Rosa, will represent the team at the game.
In 48 games played, Rosa has racked up 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points, while Kelly has 13 goals and 35 assists for 48 points in 40 games with Manchester.
Clarke has chalked up 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points in 44 games, while Muir had 27 points including 20 assists in 42 games.
All four players will be making their first AHL All-Star appearance.
NH Business Review Interview
2/05/04
02/04/04 Staff focuses on the positive
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to The Union LeaderI MUST COMMEND the American Hockey League schedule makers for doing a fabulous job. We’re nearly 50 games into the season, and with the majority of our remaining 30 games against teams within the Atlantic Division, it’s easy to see how meaningful the final two months of the regular season will be. Win two in a row, and you’re in great shape. Lose two in a row, and you’re worried about making the playoffs.
We’ve had a few days to reflect on Saturday’s tie with the Worcester IceCats. Although we’re never happy to see a lead slip away, we worked hard, we competed and we prevented the IceCats from taking the extra point in overtime. That point would’ve pushed them past us into third place in our division.
Our coaching staff addressed the players after the game. We didn’t concentrate on the three-goal lead that got away. Instead, we focused on the determination and resolve shown by players such as center Jerred Smithson and left wing Chris Schmidt during the five-minute overtime when we were shorthanded. We stressed to the players that there was a huge difference between the IceCats game and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers game on Friday night. In that game, our determination to win seemed to fade away soon after we allowed the eventual game-winning goal on a short-handed breakaway.
As coaches, we demand two things from our athletes: effort and execution. We know they’re going to make mistakes because that’s what hockey is: a game of mistakes. Our goal entering every game is to make the fewest mistakes possible.
The Monarchs will be well represented at this year’s Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic, scheduled for Sunday and Monday at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. In many ways, it’s surprising that older players such as center Steve Kelly, right wing Pavel Rosa and defenseman Bryan Muir will be joining rookie left wing Noah Clarke at the All-Star event because the AHL likes to showcase young prospects. Credit Kelly, Rosa and Muir for having great seasons and credit the AHL for doing the right thing by including them. All four have had tremendous seasons, and all four will be making their first AHL All-Star appearances.
Kelly, who collected his 100th assist as a Monarch last weekend, leads the AHL with 35 assists. Rosa ranks second in the league with 33 assists and 52 overall points (19-33-52). Muir ranks fourth among AHL defensemen with 27 points (7-20-27). His seven goals rank fifth among blueliners. Clarke ranks fourth among AHL rookies with 14 goals. His 30 overall points (14-16-30) rank fifth among first-year players.
So who would I like to see win the All-Star Game? Kelly (Vancouver, British Columbia) and Muir (Winnipeg, Manitoba) are on the Canadian All-Star roster. The PlanetUSA roster includes Rosa (Most, Czech Republic) and Clarke (LaVerne, Calif.). That’s a tough one because I was born in Canada and I’ve lived in the United States since 1986. I’d like to see a tie, with all four Monarchs playing key roles for their respective teams.
All four of our players will represent the city of Manchester and the state of New Hampshire well. They won’t go through the motions. They’ll make us proud.
I know the folks in Grand Rapids will put on a great show. A good number of the Monarchs’ front office staff will also be attending the event as they continue to prepare for the 2005 AHL All-Star Classic, scheduled for Feb. 13-14 of next year. Knowing President Jeff Eisenberg and his hard-working crew, the 2005 AHL All-Star Classic will be a hard act to follow.
02/01/04 IceCats claw back to tie Monarchs, 3-3
Union Leader SportsWORCESTER — Defenseman Trevor Byrne’s goal with 14.4 seconds remaining in regulation completed a three-goal third period comeback as the Worcester IceCats skated to a 3-3 tie with the Manchester Monarchs last night at the Worcester Centrum.
A crowd of 10,109 erupted with joy as Byrne tied it with goaltender Brent Johnson on the bench and an extra attacker on the ice. Forwards Johnny Pohl and Jay McClement assisted as Byrne collected his fourth goal this season.
The IceCats threatened to win the game in overtime, outshooting the Monarchs 5-2. They also enjoyed a power play advantage after Monarchs’ defenseman Randy Perry was whistled for hooking at 2:35.
Despite the advantage, Hauser protected the tie with close range stops on McClemment, Pohl and left wing Scott Pellerin. The tie was the second in five meetings between the teams this season. The Monarchs and the IceCats also skated to a 1-1 draw at the Centrum on November 7.
With the tie, the Monarchs (23-9-3-3, 52 points) remain tied with the IceCats (21-16-9-1, 52 points) for third place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. They are winless in their last three games. The tie extended the IceCats’ unbeaten streak to four games.
After a scoreless opening period, defenseman Bryan Muir gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead with his one-timer from the right circle at 3:59 of the middle period. Center Steve Kelly and right wing Pavel Rosa assisted. The Monarchs held a 5-on-3 man-advantage at the time. The goal was Muir’s seventh this season.
The Monarchs doubled their lead to 2-0 with left wing Noah Clarke’s 13th goal, scored when he tapped home his own rebound with a soft backhander at 10:07. Clarke finished an odd-man rush moments after IceCats left wing Peter Sejna chipped his shot off the post.
Kelly and left wing Chris Schmidt earned assists on the first of two goals in the period for Clarke. He later extended the Monarchs’ lead to three goals by jamming Rosa’s crease rebound into the net at 13:20. Kelly earned his third point of the game with an assist on the play, his 100th as a Monarch.
Defenseman Terry Virtue’s 200th point in an IceCats’ uniform made it a 3-1 game two minutes into the final period. Sejna set Virtue up in the slot with the IceCats on the power play. Virtue’s fifth goal this season halted a lengthy penalty-killing streak for the Monarchs. Prior to the goal, they had killed off 28 straight power plays from the opposition over the last seven games.
Center Brendan Brooks pulled the IceCats to within one with his third goal in eight games, scored after he worked himself free in the slot at 15:23. Pohl and Virtue shared assists on the play.
Johnson earned the tie with just over 24 minutes of work. He stopped all eight of the shots he faced after replacing starter Curtis Sanford at the beginning of the third period. Sanford had 17 stops.
Johnson’s appearance was his second in an IceCats’ uniform after being assigned to the team by the St. Louis Blues Jan. 14. Hauser finished with 25 saves and his third tie. The second-year pro is 10-10-3 after 24 appearances this season.
The Monarchs return to action at 7:05 p.m. Friday when they meet the Springfield Falcons at the Springfield Civic Center. After Friday’s game, the Monarchs host the IceCats at 7:35 p.m. Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
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