news Feb 04/05

Monarchs Related News Articles

Regular Season FEBRUARY 2005

2/27/05 The Monarchs lose a close one to the Bruins... Monarchs 1 Providence 2
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Clarke; 2nd period... ; 3rd period...
Hauser in goal
click here for game details

2/28/05 Bruins get past Monarchs
Special to The Union Leader

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Goaltender Chris Madden had 33 saves and forwards Keith Aucoin and Brad Boyes had goals as the Providence Bruins edged the Manchester Monarchs, 2-1, before 7,993 fans at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center last night.

With the win, their 20th on home ice this season, the Bruins helped keep their playoff hopes alive. Providence moved into third place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division with a record of 30-21-3-6 and 69 points. With the loss, the Monarchs missed out on an opportunity to increase their lead in the Atlantic. The Monarchs remain in first place in the division, four points ahead of the idle Hartford Wolf Pack, with a record of 37-14-3-3 and 80 points.

Madden, signed by the Bruins when No. 1 goaltender Hannu Toivonen went down with a knee injury on Feb. 18, was at his best in the third period as he finished with 16 saves. The fifth-year pro improved to 3-0-0 on the season.

Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser took the loss even though he stopped 32 shots. His record dropped to 13-7-0 on the season.

Monarchs left wing Noah Clarke collected the only first period goal. The second-year pro stuffed a behind-the-net pass from center Michael Cammalleri into the Providence net to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead at 17:56.

Cammalleri (32 goals, 46 assists, 78 points) fought through a check to register his team-leading 46th assist and 78th point. Right wing Tom Kostopoulos had the second assist on Clarke’s 19th of the season and second in as many games.

The Bruins tied the game 11:49 into the middle period with the 17th goal of the season from Aucoin, and then took the lead with a power play goal from Boyes 3:03 later. Aucoin ripped his shot home from the right circle with assists to left wing Dan LaCouture and Boyes. Aucoin and center Patrice Bergeron shared assists on the league-leading 16th power play goal of the season for Boyes, scored from the left side of the Manchester net. Boyes is second on the Baby Bruins with 26 goals overall this season. He leads the AHL with eight game-winning goals this season.

The win was the second straight for the Bruins in head-to-head action with the Monarchs. The Monarchs lead the season series with a record of 4-2-0-0.

The Monarchs return to action tomorrow when they host the Worcester IceCats at 7:05 p.m. at Verizon Wireless Arena, on what will be “Mullet Night – The Final Cut.”

2/26/05 The Monarchs keep the WolfPack Howling in 2nd place.. Monarchs 4 Hartford 1
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... ; 2nd period... Brown, Kostopoulos, Ryan, Kinasewich; 3rd period...
Garon in goal
click here for game details

2/27/05 Monarchs cage Wolf Pack
Special to the Sunday News Union Leader

HARTFORD, Conn. — The Manchester Monarchs tied a season high with four goals in a period and solidified their hold on first place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division with a 4-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack before 7,928 fans at the Hartford Civic Center last night.

With the win, the Monarchs (37-13-3-3, 80 points) moved four points ahead of the second place Wolf Pack (36-18-2-2, 76 points) in the division. The win was also the second in a row for the Monarchs in head-to-head action with the Wolf Pack. Five games into the season series, the Monarchs have a record of 2-1-2-0 against Hartford.

The teams skated through a scoreless opening period, thanks to Hartford goaltender Steve Valiquette (30 shots, 26 saves), who finished with 15 saves in the stanza. Valiquette’s best save came late in the period when he rejected a backhander in the slot from Monarchs right wing Tom Kostopoulos. The Monarchs were enjoying their fourth power play of the period at the time.

The Monarchs took advantage of that fourth power play in the middle period by scoring the first goal of the game. Left wing Dustin Brown was credited with the goal, fired home from the right circle just 34 seconds in. Left wing Noah Clarke and center Michael Cammalleri shared assists on Brown’s 24th of the season.

The Monarchs added to their lead at 12:14 when Kostopoulos redirected a slap shot from defenseman Joe Rullier into the Hartford net. Cammalleri, who took advantage of an odd puck bounce out of the right corner, also assisted on the 19th of the season for Kostopoulos.

The Monarchs added two more goals in the last half of the period and took a four-goal lead into the locker room. Rookie center Matt Ryan sliced a penalty shot through the pads of Valiquette at 14:22, and rookie right wing Ryan Kinasewich beat Valiquette high glove side at 16:18. Defenseman Denis Grebeshkov assisted on Kinasewich’s first career AHL goal. The penalty shot was awarded to Ryan by referee Gord Dwyer after Ryan was hooked down in front of the Hartford net.

The middle period also included three spirited fights. Kostopoulos and Hartford defenseman Lawrence Nycholat fought at 12:38, Monarchs left wing Ryan Flinn and Hartford left wing Trevor Gillies dropped their gloves at 16:07, and Rullier and left wing Garth Murray traded punches at 16:37.

Hartford goaltender Jason LaBarbera (10 shots, 10 saves) replaced Valiquette to start the third period and the Wolf Pack scored just 1:36 later when right wing Jed Ortmeyer beat Monarchs goaltender Mathieu Garon for his sixth goal of the season. Defenseman David Liffiton had the only assist on the play.

Garon (24-10-3) set a Monarchs single season record by registering his 24th win of the season. He finished with 30 saves. Valiquette (13-9-1) took the loss, his second against the Monarchs this season.

The game included 126 penalty minutes between the two teams.

The Monarchs return to action when they travel to Providence to meet the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center at 4:05 p.m. today. The game against the Bruins will be the fourth of four straight on the road for the Monarchs, who return to the Verizon Wireless Arena to host the Worcester IceCats 7:05 p.m. Tuesday

NOTES: The Monarchs welcomed four players back from injury last night. Back in the lineup were left wing Ryan Flinn (out since Nov. 6 with a foot infection), right wing Tom Kostopoulos (out since Jan. 16 with an abdominal strain), right wing Brad Smyth (out since Jan. 30 with a knee sprain) and right wing George Parros (out since Feb. 18 with a lacerated finger).

2/25/05 Monarchs get players back from injury
Staff Report Union Leader

With the anticipated return this weekend of three Monarchs forwards, Manchester has released forwards Doug Christiansen and Leon Hayward and has sent down right wing Dan Welch to Reading, Pa., of the ECHL.

Monarchs forwards expected back from injury are enforcer Ryan Flinn (foot infection), fourth-leading scorer Tom Kostopoulos (abdominal strain) and fifth-leading scorer Brad Smyth (knee sprain).

The Monarchs are at Hartford tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. (televised by CN-8, cable channel 3 in greater Manchester), and Sunday the Monarchs travel to Providence for a 4:05 p.m. game.

Right wing George Parros (lacerated finger), who skated in the warmups before Wednesday night's loss at Worcester, is also probable for a return this weekend.

Manchester leads Hartford for first place in the Atlantic Division by a slim three points (two points for a win), and that margin could be even smaller by game time since Hartford played tonight. Providence remains locked in a battle with the Worcester IceCats for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Welch, 24, a third-year pro out of Minnesota, has played in 41 Monarchs games this season, scoring eight points. He goes to third-place Reading, where he has been once earlier this season. Right wing Christiansen will return to the Danbury (Conn.) Thrashers of the UHL, and Hayward will return to Trenton, N.J., of the ECHL.

2/23/05 Worcester Kicks The Monarchs where it Hurts ( In the win Column )... Monarchs 1 IceCats 2
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... ; 2nd period... Clarke; 3rd period...
Garon in goal
click here for game details

02/24/05 Health is a team concern
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Reporter UNION LEADER

MANY HAPPY RETURNS for the banged-up Manchester Monarchs this weekend?

Forwards Ryan Flinn (foot infection), Tom Kostopoulos (abdominal strain) and Brad Smyth (knee sprain) may all return from injury.

"That would be a pretty good shot in the arm if those guys all returned by Saturday," said Mike Kalinowski, publicist for the Monarchs, whose injury list reads more like the roster than the game-day lineup for the AHL's Atlantic Division leader.

Last night at Worcester, the Monarchs opened a grueling stretch of five games in eight days with four of those on the road. Saturday the Monarchs are at Hartford at 7:05 p.m. (televised by CN8, cable channel 3 in Greater Manchester) and Sunday the Monarchs travel to Providence for a 4:05 p.m. game.

Also dressed and skating in warmup last night was George Parros (lacerated finger), and defenseman Denis Grebeshkov returned to action after missing two games with an undisclosed lower body injury.

The Monarchs have losing record against division rivals Harford and Lowell. The Monarchs are 1-0-2-0 against the Wolf Pack and the Monarchs are narrowly clinging to the division's top spot.

The Monarchs are 4-1 against Providence. Providence's drive to the postseason might now be in question since goalie Hannu Toivonen underwent knee surgery and will be out 4-6 weeks. In his place, the Bruins called up ECHL goalie Matt Underhill, a former Monarch who continues to resurface in the AHL. Providence also signed Chris Madden from Long Beach, Calif., of the ECHL. Providence remains locked in a battle with the Worcester IceCats for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Going into the weekend, the Monarchs have 32 players on the roster and 11 of those are on the injury list. Right now, the Monarchs are without three of their top five scorers.

The addition of right wings Kostopoulos and Smyth should pack more into the Monarchs' scoring punch. They are the team's fifth- and sixth-leading scorers. Flinn adds a punch, period. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound heavyweight had 164 penalty minutes in 59 games last season, but this season Flinn has only played nine games, sidelined by a foot infection that eventually required surgery.

If these players are unable to return, the Monarchs may once again dip into the UHL and the ECHL for further reinforcements.

ICE CHIPS: Center Mike Cammalleri needs eight assists over his last 26 games to set the franchise season record. He needs 11 goals to set that all-time team mark for a season. With 15 power play goals this season he holds the franchise record. . . . Nashua's Jeff Giuliano, a left wing, has already equaled his career-best for a season with 20 points. . . . LW Noah Clarke is just three goals shy of a second straight 20-goal season.

PROMOTIONS: The Hanson Brothers, former teammates of Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau and past Los Angeles Kings coach turned broadcaster Barry Melrose, will be on hand for the last Mullet Night — "The Final Cut" — in the Big V on Tuesday, when the Monarchs host the Worcester IceCats. For tickets, call 869-7300 or visit the arena ticket office during daytime hours.

Sunday, March 6, the Monarchs will wear commemorative UNH jerseys when the team honors the New Hampshire Legends of Hockey: Bernard Arguin of Hampton, Dick Boucher of Manchester, the late Alphonse Corriveau of Manchester, Carl Langlais of Berlin, Ken McKinnon of Alton, Dick Roy of Berlin and the late Elmo Theriault of Berlin. These legends will be honored at a luncheon ($30 per ticket) at the Wayfarer Inn that day at noon. For luncheon tickets, contact Dick Theriault at 895-2450. The Monarchs host the Providence Bruins that afternoon at 4:05.

The first 5,000 fans attending the Philadelphia Phantoms game on Friday, March 11, (7:35 p.m.) receive Monarchs chocolate bars. Five bars will be wrapped in gold foil. Fans holding those bars receive autographed authentic Monarchs jerseys as well as other gifts.

Several Monarchs will visit the Peter Woodbury School in Bedford today at 1:30 p.m. Tonight the Wild Rover Pub & Restaurant in downtown Manchester holds an autograph session with some players from 6-8 p.m.

Kevin Provencher covers the Manchester Monarchs for The Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News. His e-mail address is kprovencher@theunionleader.com

02/24/05 IceCats strike fast to beat Monarchs
Union Leader

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — The Worcester IceCats struck for two goals in 56 seconds early in the third period to beat the Manchester Monarchs, 2-1, last night.

Dennis Wideman got his ninth goal of the season at 3:14 of the third period when he took a drop pass from Troy Riddle and snapped a high wrist shot home from the top of the circles.

Jon DiSalvatore gave Worcester the lead at 4:10. Monarchs goalie Mathieu Garon made a skate save on a close-in shot, but the rebound went to DiSalvatore, who lifted a short back-hander into the top of the net.

Noah Clarke gave the Monarchs the lead at 8:04 of the second period when he beat Jason Bacashihua with a wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle.

02/20/05 VICTORY ! Monarchs literally Kicked AZZ in the 1st Period at Lowell and in the OT Shootout ...
Monarchs 2 Lowell 1
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Cammalleri; 2nd period... ; 3rd period...
Hauser in goal
click here for game details

02/21/05 Monarchs solve a Monster mystery
Special to The Union Leader

LOWELL, Mass. — Centers Matt Ryan and Michael Cammalleri and left wing Ryan Kinasewich each scored and goalie Adam Hauser stopped three of the four shots he faced as the Manchester Monarchs halted their three-game losing streak with a 2-1 shootout win before a crowd of 6,755 at the Tsongas Arena last night.

The Monarchs' win snapped a Lock Monsters' six-game winning streak in the season series. Nine games into the season series, the Monarchs have a record of 3-5-0-1 against their closest rival.

With the win, the Monarchs (36-12-3-3, 78 points) moved five points ahead of the second place Hartford Wolf Pack (35-17-1-2, 73 points) in the American Hockey League's Atlantic Division. The Wolf Pack lost to the Norfolk Admirals last night.

Ryan, Cammalleri and Knasewich each scored against Lock Monsters goalie Cam Ward (38 shots, 37 saves), who entered the contest with a four-game winning streak against the Monarchs. Ward's record dropped to 17-9-3 with the shootout loss.

Hauser (30 shots, 29 saves) saw his record improve to 13-6-0 on the season as he beat the Lock Monsters for the first time this year.

Cammalleri had the only goal in a first period that included three fights and plenty of hard hits. Cammalleri scored his league-leading 32nd goal of the season after taking a centering pass from left wing Jeff Giuliano in the slot. Cammalleri took the feed and flipped the puck into the top left corner of the Lowell net. Left wing Dustin Brown also assisted on the goal, scored with one minute remaining in the period.

Cammalleri's goal came just seconds after a scuffle broke out between Monarchs defenseman Tim Gleason and Lock Monsters defenseman Sean Curry. Ryan and Lock Monsters defenseman Danny Richmond also squared off in the period, as did newly signed Monarchs forward Darren Van Oene and Lock Monsters defenseman Mike Commodore.

The Lock Monsters tied the game with the team-leading 27th goal of the season for center Chuck Kobasew, scored 7:18 into the third period. Defenseman Mark Giordano and left wing Colin Forbes shared assists on the play as Kobasew stuffed the puck between the pads of Monarchs goalie Adam Hauser after taking a pass from Giordano in the left corner.

The Monarchs outshot the Lock Monsters, 4-3, in the five-minute overtime period, which led to the Monarchs' second shootout win of the season.

The Monarchs return to action when they travel to Worcester to meet the IceCats on Wednesday.

Notes: The Monarchs, who have 12 players listed as injured, signed forwards Doug Christiansen and Darren Van Oene to professional tryout agreements prior to yesterday's game. Christiansen was playing in the United Hockey League with the Danbury Trashers. Van Oene was playing in the UHL with the Elmira Jackals.

The Monarchs will pay homage to hockey hair one last time when they host the Worcester IceCats at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Tuesday, March 1, for "Mullet Night: The Final Cut." On hand will be former Mullet Hall of Fame winners Barry Melrose, a former coach of the Los Angeles Kings and current ESPN personality, and The Hanson Brothers, immortalized as members of the Charlestown Chiefs in the classic hockey movie "Slap Shot."

These Weekend Home Games were Painful ...
This wasn't Joe Z caught with a Coors Light at the Verizon watching the Manchester Monarchs this weekend ...
This was Joe Z caught with an 18 pack of Coors once he got home from watching the Manchester Monarchs this weekend !

2/19/05 Binghamton defeats the Monarchs ... Monarchs 2 Binghamton 7
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Brown; 2nd period... Giuliano; 3rd period...
Garon in goal Hauser in goal
click here for game details

2/20/05 Monarchs drop third straight
KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union Leader

MANCHESTER — Heard of “The Longest Yard?” The difference in the Binghamton Senators’ 7-2 victory over the Manchester Monarchs last night was five goals and 180 feet.

Deep in his own left wing circle, 180 feet away, defenseman Christoph Schubert airmailed a short-handed slap shot past goalie Adam Hauser’s glove for a 3-1 Senators’ lead near the end of the first period. The longest yards in Monarchs’ history. Sixty yards and the Senators never looked back.

With 11 players injured and out of their lineup, the Monarchs (35-12-3-3, 76 points) have dropped three in a row. It gets no easier as Manchester is at Lowell today at 4 p.m. Lowell has knocked off the Monarchs in six straight meetings.

The Binghamton Senators (30-19-4-4, 68 pts.) lead the East Division and have lost only once in regulation in their last five. League-leading scorer Jason Spezza amassed five points in the blowout.

Neil Komadoski, Brandon Bochenski, and Denis Hamel scored third period goals in a 4:02 span that had the sell out crowd of 9,916 in the Verizon Wireless Arena heading for the exits with 12 minutes to play. Spezza added his 24th tally of the season at 13:48 on a power play as the teams took to fisticuffs to make points.

Manchester’s Jeff Giuliano, with his trademark hard work, scored the only goal of the second period keeping the Monarchs’ comeback hopes alive. The period ended 3-2, but that was the Monarchs’ last gasp.

Credit the undermanned Monarchs for fighting back in the opening period. The bigger, more NHL-poised Senators were thinking one-and-done on the very vulnerable Atlantic Division-leading Monarchs. In the first 11:52 the Senators were up 2-0. All-star rookie Bochenski and the “Romanian Rocket” Arpad Mihaly fired home goals on Monarchs starter Mathieu Garon. Garon was pulled after Mihaly’s right wing keeper on a 2-on-1 just 8:02 into the game. But, Manchester refused to go easy. Dustin Brown scorched past two players on the left wall, cut toward the crease backing two others into Senators’ netminder Billy Thompson and finished at 15:47 making it 2-1.

Schubert’s stunner served as the game winner.

02/20/05 Union Leader Article

Lowell was also successful in taking out 4 more of our players and putting them on the GROWING injured list
( see the above list )

02/18/05 Lowell defeats the Monarchs ... Monarchs 2 Lowell 3
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Clarke; 2nd period... Cammalleri; 3rd period...
Garon in goal
click here for game details

2/19/05   Lowell wins sixth straight over Monarchs
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union Leader

MANCHESTER — We’ve got to stop meeting like this.

Eric Staal scored twice and assisted on another as Lowell beat the Manchester Monarchs, 3-2, last night in the sold-out Verizon Wireless Arena.

The Lock Monsters’ win was their sixth straight over Manchester. Unheard of!

Atlantic Division-leading Manchester did everything in its power to put down this border uprising.

With four seconds to play, Monarchs leading scorer Mike Cammalleri frustratingly watched the puck jump over his stick as he sneaked behind traffic for the wide-open winner in front. With 38 seconds left, Cammalleri was mugged by Lowell’s Bruno St. Jacques. Hauled down in front, Cammalleri was awarded the penalty shot but goalie Cam Ward made the arm save.

The Monarchs (35-11-3-3, 76 points), with points in six of their last eight games, stay atop the division but Hartford and Lowell are closing fast. Tonight at 7:35, the Monarchs host the Binghamton Senators for the first and only time this season in a battle of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Staal, the second overall pick in the 2003 draft, who spent all last season playing for the Carolina Hurricanes, won it NHL-style. He raced in on a shorthanded breakaway. With 4:09 to go, Stall got Monarchs goalie Mathieu Garon to the short side, pulled the puck back onto his backhand and tucked it, in falling over Garon.

Before Staal won it, a lead was a fleeting thing in this game. Lowell led, 2-1, just 2:07 into the second period and held the edge for 1:04. Monarchs’ leading scorer Mike Cammalleri tied it 2-2 on a power play rocket from the right circle.

It was knotted, 1-1, in the first period on power play tallies. Lowell defenseman Mike Commodore struck first at 9:16 with a one-timer from the slot off Eric Staal’s pass from the goal line. Noah Clarke tied it six minutes later, snapping away Jason Holland’s rebound near the goal line.

Monarchs goalie Mathieu Garon absorbed his first regulation loss in five starts. It was only his third regulation loss in his last 14, but all of those losses are at the hands of the Lock Monsters.

Notes: Sunday the Monarchs are at Lowell (30-15-1-4, 65 points) at 4 p.m. . . . Ninth sellout of the season in the Big V. . . . Defenseman Jason Holland had the primary assist on Manchester’s first two goals. . . . Chuck Kobasew has a four-game points streak. . . .? Monarchs public address announcer Sean Sullivan was in the saddle last night despite a bad cold, but after the first period Sullivan gave way to Monarchs publicist Mike Kalinowski.

2/18/05   Monarchs aim to slay Monsters
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union Leader

MANCHESTER — The best third-place team the Monarchs have ever seen thunders into Verizon Wireless Arena tonight at 7:30.

The Lowell Lock Monsters are scary. They have beaten the Monarchs in five straight games — the only team in Monarchs history to have done that.

Lowell has points in six of its last 10 keeping pace the red-hot Monarchs, who lead the Hartford Wolf Pack by seven points in the division’s top spot. The Lock Monsters trail first place by 13 points so in order to claw into this first-place race tonight’s and Sunday’s games loom large. Sunday the Monarchs are at Lowell at 4 p.m.

Tomorrow night the Monarchs host the Binghamton Senators at 7:35 p.m. Binghamton leads the East Division. While Binghamton has points in its last three, the Senators have just one regulation victory in their last eight.

The Monarchs are led by Mike Cammalleri, whose 30 goals and 14 power play goals are both tied for the league lead. The Monarchs remain the most powerful offensive team in the AHL.

Tonight’s game is nearly sold out, with 50 single seats in the bottom bowl and 500 seats left in the upper deck. For tickets call 868-7300 or visit the Big V box office today, starting at 10 a.m.

ICE CHIPS: The Monarchs recalled left wing Ryan Kinasewich from Reading of the ECHL . . . Former University of New Hampshire goalie Ty Conklin looked to be the number one netminder for the Edmonton Oilers. Conklin had played the waiting game all season for the resumption of the NHL to no avail and it was thought an AHL club might try to sign him. Last week Conklin bolted to Germany and is now playing for Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams . . . The ever-popular Monarchs “Mullet Night” promotion is Tuesday, March 1 when the Worcester IceCats return. The hockey club is hinting that this might be the final cut for the promo.

2/17/05   Monarchs sharpen focus
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Union Leader Sports

Monarchs veteran defenseman Jason Holland, who spent all last season with the Los Angeles Kings, said news of the NHL cancellation was “almost a relief.”

He was closely following the final hours of “yo-yo” offers and rejections by the NHL and NHLPA.

“I thought as soon as we said ‘salary cap,’ OK, you just think we have to meet in the middle. You think it’s something that could be done immediately. I just didn’t think that the $6 million or whatever that was in the middle wasn’t a make or break for a season.

Holland continued, “My first feelings are that I’m disappointed and frustrated that these sides couldn’t come to a mutual agreement.”

Los Angeles Kings assistant general manager Kevin Gilmore, who doubles as the GM of the Monarchs, placed the blame for the NHL cancellation squarely on the players, saying there was an “inability on the players’ side to recognize the financial hardship of the league.”

Gilmore added, “The owners are committed to getting an agreement that ensures the long-term health of the sport.”

He said the message the Kings were sending yesterday was an apology to the fans.

“That they have to sit through this process, from an emotional standpoint it is hard to understand,” added Gilmore.

“I’m saddened as a hockey fan,” said Monarchs coach Bruce Boudreau. “I have no control over it. But, my focus to be quite honest is the Manchester Monarchs. We’re playing and we have to go on and be the best we can.

“There’s always the end of the rainbow. The NHL is not gone forever,” Boudreau said. “And our players are not 37-years-old trying to get there. We have some really good young players. And some really good older players. I think their goal when they were down here is to be a part of team that will win the Calder Cup. I hope that goal hasn’t changed.

“These guys have been playing for a common goal since September. And I know they will continue to play as hard as they have played all year,” Boudreau said.

“Today was almost a relief,” said Holland, “because there was an aswer to the question. . . . Now I can be a part of a team that has a chance to win the Calder Cup. What better way to get ahead of guys who have sat out all season than playing until June? I’ve been on a team that went to the finals twice and I can tell you, we’re looking good.”

For now, Gilmore said the Kings are not “actively pursuing” a locked-out veteran to fill the Monarchs’ one open veteran spot, although he won’t rule it out as the playoffs near. The obvious replacement in the Monarchs’ lineup would be a top-six forward since leading scorer Yanick Lehoux is gone for the season with a knee injury. One available veteran is right wing Brad Chartrand, a 30-year-old who has finished his deal with the Kings. Chartrand last played for the Monarchs in 2001-02 producing a point a game in 22 games. He is married to a U.S. citizen so he would not require a green card or visa to play in the AHL.

Kevin Provencher covers the Manchester Monarchs for The Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News. His e-mail address is kprovencher@theunionleader.com

NHL ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF 2004-05 SEASON .....   STOP THE PRESS .....

Friday, February 18

NHL season not totally dead yet; Talks resume Saturday in New York

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) _ The greatest save in NHL history might come at the bargaining table.

Just two days after the season was called off because of the protracted lockout, the announcement was made Friday that the NHL and the players' association scheduled a meeting in New York on Saturday at the request of the league.

``It's the right thing,'' New Jersey Devils president Lou Lamoriello said. ``I've always said that you should do it as quickly as you possibly can and not let any time go by.''

The union denied an online report Friday night that an agreement had been reached on a $45 million salary cap. An NHLPA spokesman told The Associated Press in an e-mail that the report was ``absolutely false.''

On Wednesday, commissioner Gary Bettman canceled the season, saying it was too late to play any semblance of a schedule. That made the NHL the first major North American sports league to lose a full season to a labor dispute.

Or did it?

``I think the timing has always been to get an agreement so that we can play,'' said Lamoriello, who has taken part in previous negotiations. ``Right now, it's still get an agreement, and then if we get an agreement, then can we play?

``I think it's a little different than it was before.''

In a statement released Friday night, the players' association said the NHL made the offer late Thursday night to get together. There was no immediate word on who would take part in the meeting, but rumors were rampant that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were very much involved in the process.

``The way everything has transpired, nothing surprises me,'' said Lamoriello, who declined to say whether he would be in attendance.

NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly was involved in a closed-door meeting Friday evening and had no comment.

There hadn't been any official contact between the NHL and the players' association since Tuesday night _ when the sides traded what they said were final offers.

All proposals were rejected, and Bettman canceled the season Wednesday at a news conference that was scheduled two days earlier.

``I don't think anything was premature. It was a necessity,'' Lamoriello said. ``It didn't appear to be going anywhere and there was too much jockeying going on.

``Right now, there's a chance of people getting down to possibly getting this done.''

Bettman said in a letter to NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow on Tuesday that the league's salary-cap proposal of $42.5 million was as far as he could go and that there was no time or flexibility for negotiation.

Goodenow sent a letter back, proposing a soft cap at $49 million that could be exceeded by as much as 10 percent by teams twice during the course of the six-year deal.

It appeared there was momentum toward reaching a deal and the season had a chance to be saved, because the sides were only $6.5 million apart on their cap numbers. But talking ceased after each side sent two letters to the other on Tuesday night.

``A lot of players, owners, managers saw how close the two negotiating teams got to a deal and I think people are just exploring if that can be explored any more,'' agent Pat Morris said Friday. ``I don't know if it'll have a successful conclusion.''

There were big breakthroughs Monday in Niagara Falls, N.Y., when the NHL agreed to drop its demand that player costs be linked to league revenues, and the union, in turn, came off its steadfast opposition to a salary cap.

``We got through the philosophical end of it, so there's a better chance, but I think there is still a lot of work that has to be done,'' Lamoriello said.

Bettman said the NHL couldn't afford the union's final proposal and said if all 30 teams spent $49 million on player costs, then more money would be paid out to players than last season.

The commissioner said that teams lost more than $1.8 billion over 10 years, the last time a collective bargaining agreement was reached. The previous lockout cut the 1994-95 season down to 48 games per team.

NHL clubs claim to have lost $273 million in 2002-03 and $224 million last season.

Bettman said a deal would have to be in the drafting stages by the end of last weekend if there was going to be time to play a 28-game season and a standard 16-team postseason.

NEW YORK (February 16, 2005) - The National Hockey League announced today that, because a new collective bargaining agreement has not been realized, it no longer is practical to conduct an abbreviated 2004-05 season.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman issued the following statement:

"Every professional sports League owes its very existence to its fans. Everyone associated with the National Hockey League owes our fans an apology for being unable to accomplish what is necessary for our game and our fans. We are truly sorry.

"Five months ago, I stated that the National Hockey League could not function without an economic system that will bring our League into the 21st Century. I said that our 30 Clubs were united in their dedication to an economic system under which the teams and players, sharing common objectives and a commitment to our fans' satisfaction, would work together as partners.

"The time since then has been devoted to the pursuit of that goal. Today, I can tell you that our determination remains every bit as strong as it was in September to secure the partnership required to protect and ensure the future of the League ... for the benefit of the Clubs, the Players, and our devoted fans.

"When I stood before you in September, I said NHL teams would not play again until our economic problems had been solved. As I stand before you today, it is my sad duty to announce that because that solution has not yet been attained, it no longer is practical to conduct even an abbreviated season. Accordingly, I have no choice but to announce the formal cancellation of play for 2004-05.

"We profoundly regret the suffering this has caused our fans, our business partners and the thousands of people who depend on our industry for their livelihoods. We will continue to explore and pursue all available options in order to achieve a successful resolution to this dispute and to get the best game in the world back where it belongs -- on the ice, in front of the best fans in the world.

"As I also said in September, what we must do now is not about the present or the short-term needs of this season. Rather, it is about the future of our League and 30 teams.

"The National Hockey League was formed in 1917, and it has played a season through to a championship in every year but 1919. Through the decades and the generations we have faced a variety of crises and challenges -- some of which seemed catastrophic at the time. The League persevered through all those adversities and the League will persevere through this one, as well -- to emerge with a framework for the future, one that is fair to everyone -- where our players are fairly paid, receiving what we can afford -- no more, no less.

"This is a sad, regrettable day that all of us wish could have been avoided."

2/16/05   Monarchs, fans should take a bow
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to the Union Leader

If Manchester wasn’t on the hockey map before hosting the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, it certainly is now.

Two thoughts quickly come to mind when I reflect on the events surrounding the All-Star Classic. One, Monarchs president Jeff Eisenberg and his staff deserve a lot of credit for delivering an event that Manchester can be proud of. Months of preparation and hard work produced a memorable two days that will be talked about for a long time. His staff didn’t miss a step all weekend. It was first class all the way.

Second, I can’t say enough about our fans and the way they treated our players, coaches and training staff. They were loud and into both the skills competition on Sunday night and the All-Star game on Monday night, and any time one of our Monarchs players did anything, they went wild.

The fans also clearly understood that a nationwide audience was watching. The enthusiasm they had was incredible. From standing ovations during the introductions to the chants of “USA, USA” during Monday’s game, I was amazed by the energy of the crowd. They put on a show in their own way, demonstrating to the hockey world what it is to be a Monarchs fan.

Those same fans were also treated to quite a finish. In a game that couldn’t have been scripted any better, our PlanetUSA All-Stars edged the Canadian All-Stars, 5-4, in a shootout before a capacity crowd of 9,916 at Verizon Wireless Arena.

Early in the game and with PlanetUSA trailing 4-0 on the scoreboard, I wasn’t thinking about a shootout, however. Instead, I was thinking about how embarrassing it would be to lose 12-1 in front of our home fans and before a national television audience.

I also thought about the casual hockey fan watching the game and witnessing American Hockey League hockey for the first time. I didn’t want that fan to think the way we played in the opening period was a true representation of our league.

So what do you do when you’re coaching an All-Star team that’s flat and not playing well? You certainly don’t yell at them because you met most of the players just the day before.

Shortly after the first period ended, assistant coach Jim Hughes addressed the team in his own unique way. His message was simple. We needed to play better as a team. He stressed to the players that they owed it to the fans to work hard and give an honest effort.

Down 4-0 is never a favorable place to be, but in an All-Star game, at least you know you’ll get scoring chances throughout the contest. Our team stepped it up in the second period and produced three goals on 20 shots to make it a one-goal game.

Only one goal was scored in the third period despite several great scoring chances from our side. Credit Monarchs goaltender and Canadian All-Star Mathieu Garon for that. He was simply outstanding.

Garon’s goaltending set the stage for the shootout and PlanetUSA’s first win in six AHL All-Star Classics.

The shootout win capped a truly special weekend for my family. On Saturday night, my wife threw me a surprise 50th birthday party. Imagine my surprise when I came home Saturday night after dinner to find my house full of friends who weeks earlier had said they wouldn’t be able to come to Manchester because of prior commitments.

The 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic energized the city and our organization. It also showed the hockey world what we already knew . . . we have the best fans in the AHL.

Bruce Boudreau is coach of the Manchester Monarchs. Behind the Bench appears Wednesdays in The Union Leader.

02/13/05 Monarchs, Manchester ready to put on a show
By JOHN HABIB
Staff Sports Writer UNION LEADER

No National Hockey League? No problem.

Instead the hockey world will turn its spotlight upon the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester today where 46 talented players will headline the 2005 Dodge American Hockey League All-Star Classic.

Festivities will begin at 7 p.m. with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition (FSNE tape delay, 8:45 p.m.) followed by the AHL All-Star Party Palooza across the street from the arena at the Radisson Hotel.

Tomorrow, the PlanetUSA All-Stars will look to snap a five-year losing streak against the Canadian All-Stars in a 7 p.m. start before a nationally-televised audience (ESPN2) that could reach up to 140 million households combined in the United States and Canada.

Funny as it may seem, the Monarchs opened their offices on Elm Street just five short years ago and few, including team president Jeff Eisenberg, would have predicted that the Queen City would be hosting its first AHL All-Star Hockey Classic this soon.

“I’m surprised as anyone that it’s happened this quickly,” said Eisenberg. “I knew it would come one day, but not this fast.”

Eisenberg represents an organization that continues to lead the league in attendance. The Monarchs have drawn 228,802 fans through 26 games for an average of 8,800.

“It all starts with our great fans,” said Eisenberg. “They have knowledge and the true love of the game. I’m not saying other teams around the league don’t have it, but it’s definitely here. We have great fans who are truly woven in the fabric of our hockey culture here.”

Last night Eisenberg said his organization was still working hard on the smallest of details, getting ready for the two-day event.

“I’m like an expectant father still running around here,” said Eisenberg. “But we have a great staff and we’re going to do our best to make this a great show for our fans and everyone else participating in this classic. The building (inside) looks great and we’ve received great support for everyone in our community. We’ll be ready.”

Center ice will feature both the AHL All-Star Classic and Manchester Monarchs logos as workers yesterday were still busy putting the finishing touches inside the arena.

“Our goal is for us to have an entertaining weekend for the fans,” said Manchester Monarchs head coach Bruce Boudreau, who will coach the PlanetUSA team courtesy of his team’s best record (35-10-3-3, 76 points) in the Eastern Conference. “I’m sure fans miss the National Hockey League, but we want to show that the American Hockey League is a very good product too with many young talented players.”

On paper it appears the Canadian team has the advantage in the scoring department with the league’s top four scorers on its roster. Entering last night’s action, Jason Spezza of the Binghamton Senators was the leading scorer with 23 goals and 51 assists for 74 points.

Michael Cammalleri of the Manchester Monarchs (30-40-70), Simon Gamache of the Milwaukee Admirals (22-45-67) and Kyle Wellwood of the St. John’s Maple Leafs (24-35-59) will also lead a lethal offense for the Canadian team coached by Claude Noel, who guided the Admirals to the Calder Cup title last year.

But Boudreau, being the confident coach he is, wasn’t about to concede much to the Canadian team.

“They have more people to choose from and probably more depth, but I’ll take the 23 players I have and go to battle with them,” said Boudreau. “The Canadian team has talent, but so do we and I like our odds with being in an American city with the crowd behind us.”

The starters for the Canadian team features forwards Cammalleri, Spezza and Michel Ouellet of Wilke-Barre/Scranton Penguins along with defensemen Lawrence Nycholat of Hartford and Dennis Wideman of Worcester.

The Canadian team will start Jason LaBarbera (21-9-1, 4 shutouts, 2.05 GAA before last night) while Manchester’s Mathieu Garon (23-8-3, six shutouts, 1.99 GAA) and Joey MacDonald of Grand Rapids (18-20-1, four shutouts, 2.30 GAA) will also see action.

Boudreau said he was not familiar with the majority of his team players.

“One of the things I’ll ask the players is who has skated together that they are comfortable with and we’ll go from there,” said Boudreau. “They’re all good players and they should all be able to adapt.”

Boudreau’s starting line-up will feature forwards Dustin Brown (22-28-50) of Manchester, Andy Hilbert (27-31-58) of Providence and Zach Parise (11-23-34) of Albany along with defensemen Niklas Kronwall of Grand Rapids and Joni Pitkanen of Philadelphia.

The starting goalie for the PlanetUSA team is Kari Lehtonen of the Chicago Wolves, who was 23-15-1 with four shutouts and a 2.33 GAA before last night. He will share duty with Ryan Miller (29-11-3, seven shutouts, 2.05 GAA) of Rochester and Antero Niittymaki (17-14-4, two shutouts, 1.99 GAA) of Philadelphia.

Since 11 games were scheduled around the league last night, many of the All-Stars weren’t expected into the Queen City until early this morning.

Boudreau said the league has not scheduled any practice sessions, but he expects all the players to be ready for the two-day event.

As for himself, Boudreau said coaching in this game is a great honor.

“I don’t take this for granted at all,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be coaching a group of hard working players, who have us in first place and have allowed me to coach in this game. The icing on the cake is to be behind the bench in a city I’ve called home the last five years. Manchester is a tremendous hockey town and its because of our fans, who come out and support the team every night.”

While most all-star hockey games are high-scoring double digit affairs, Boudreau’s wish is to have a low scoring 7-6 game decided in a shootout.

“We are here to entertain our fans this weekend, but people who know me also know I hate to lose,” said Boudreau. “We’re not here to go through the motions. We can entertain by giving our audience a good solid game and that’s the message I plan to relay to our team. Have fun, but work hard to win.”

02/11/05 Monarchs get Skunked by the Bruins... Monarchs 0 Providence 3
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... ; 2nd period... ; 3rd period...
Hauser in goal / Monarchs Powerless Play Unit goes 0 for 7
click here for game details

02/12/05 Bruins silence Monarchs
Special to The Union Leader

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Goaltender Hannu Toivonen finished with 32 saves and his third straight shutout as the Providence Bruins snapped the Manchester Monarchs six-game unbeaten in regulation streak with a 3-0 win before 8,583 fans at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center last night in Providence, R.I.

Despite the loss, the Monarchs (35-10-3-3, 76 points) stayed nine points ahead of the second place Hartford Wolf Pack (32-16-1-2, 67 points) in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division. The Wolf Pack did not play last night.

With the win, the Bruins (25-18-3-6, 59 points) remained in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division. The Bruins entered last night’s action two points behind the fourth place Worcester IceCats.

02/11/05 Monarchs' Lehoux enjoys support
Staff Report Union Leader

Yanick Lehoux propped himself onto crutches with his arms folded in a restful position, standing in the corner of the locker room. A month ago, before Worcester defenseman Brendan Buckley ended his season with a hip check, Lehoux was the leading scorer in the American Hockey League.

Now he’s a bystander.

“It was great because they didn’t have to do it,” said Lehoux of the victorious war fought with fists the Monarchs waged against Buckley and the IceCats Wednesday night.

“It was great from the guys and it was great from the fans. They kept going all game long,” Lehoux said. “The fans were supportive. Every time (Buckley) touched the puck they were going at him. It was good.”

Lehoux has had a close connection with Manchester’s legion of fans since his arrival in the Queen City three years ago. Lehoux is the Monarchs’ administration’s go-to guy when they need a public appearance.

“He’s very good with the fans,” said Monarchs publicist Mike Kalinowski. “He’s a very personable young man . . . He has opinions. In conversation he’s so much more than a hockey player.”

Lehoux isn’t much for revenge, but his teammates insist wrongful opponents “feel” the love. Joe Rullier, George Parros and Mike Weaver pounded the IceCats Wednesday night.

“I’m not a guy who likes to avenge anything, but it was nice,” smiled Lehoux. “I would have rather been out there. It was hard to see (Buckley) there and me out, but it’s part of the game.”

Lehoux will not skate in his first professional all-star game in Verizon Wireless Arena this weekend due to the knee injury.

Meanwhile, coach Bruce Boudreau has successfully shuffled the Monarchs’ lines, keeping Manchester unbeaten in regulation in six games.

The Monarchs roll into Providence tonight at 7:05. With a win, the Monarchs have a chance to equal their largest first-place lead of the season — 11 points over Hartford. Providence is locked in a three-way battle with Lowell and Worcester for the last two playoff positions in the Atlantic Division.

02/09/05 Monarchs settled a Score ( for Lehoux ) then Scored some More !... Monarchs 4 IceCats 1
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Brown; 2nd period... Parros Ryan; 3rd period... Brown
Hauser in goal
click here for game details

02/10/05 Monarchs pound IceCats in 4-1 win
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer

MANCHESTER — That better be the last time the Worcester IceCats tug on Superman’s cape.

Dustin Brown sandwiched a pair of goals around tallies by Matt Ryan and George Parros, slapping a 4-1 loss on the IceCats last night as the Monarchs became the first team to beat the IceCats five consecutive times in a season in the Worcester franchise’s 11-year history.

Manchester (35-9-3-3, 76 points) is on a ferocious streak of points in 14 of their last 17 contests. The Monarchs have not lost in regulation in six straight games. They are 6-1 against the IceCats.

Parros found his fourth game-winner of the season, a deflection of defenseman Mike Weaver’s right point wrister, midway through the second period. Flying Ryan, the rookie rocket, followed 3:06 later, firing home newcomer Ryan Kinasewich’s steal. Brown added his second late in the third period on solo streak up the middle.

The St. Louis Blues’ minor leaguers were sent home black and blue. Amid those winning moments of Monarchs’ hockey came a flurry of fisticuff-filled distractions as league-leading Manchester avenged the honor of its fallen leading scorer, Yanick Lehoux. IceCats defenseman Brendan Buckley, who knocked Lehoux out for the season with a brutal hip check on Jan. 14, was booed every time he touched the puck in the first period.

That was only the beginning of the Buckley bash.

Monarch Joey “Knuckles” Rullier challenged Buckley to a fight 2:18 in, but Buckley wasn’t game. Then the Monarchs gave up a 5-on-3 for two minutes after Parros got a couple punches in jumping Buckley. Finally, with 4:31 to go in the second, Buckley dropped his gloves and was decisioned by the “Princeton Pugilist” Parros.

In other fights, Rullier held his own on rookie D.J. King, who this past weekend nearly put the lights out on Boston Bruins’ heavyweight hopeful Colton Orr. And the diminutive Weaver landed a few uppercuts on Ryan Ramsay — a short, spirited undercard. The teams combined for 73 minutes in penalties through the first two periods. Not to be outdone, Parros had a go with “The Goon from Saskatoon” King 3:15 into the third period.

Meanwhile, the Monarchs never trailed, leading 1-0 in the first period on Dustin Brown’s back-door conversion of his own little rebound after Mike Cammalleri’s quick center. Worcester’s Aris Brimanis tied it 1-1 just 1:59 into the second period finishing the 2-on-1 pass of Mike Stuart.

The Monarchs hold a nine-point lead in the Atlantic Division over Hartford, which is the largest Manchester lead since Dec. 10.

Worcester (27-19-3-2, 59 points) is on a four-game losing streak.

Goalie Adam Hauser, having shaken off a bad cold, made his second start in the last eight games for his second straight victory.

Friday the Monarchs are at Providence at 7:05 p.m. before hosting the Dodge AHL All-Star Classic Sunday and Monday.

Notes: Monarchs called up rookie left wing Kinasewich from the Reading (Pa.) Royals of the ECHL. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder Kinasewich leads the Royals in assists with 22 and had an assist in his first AHL game ever. He wears No. 18 in Manchester. . . . D Troy Milam was a healthy scratch. LW Petr Kanko was scratched with the flu, necessitating Kinasewich’s call-up. . . . Monarchs have 21 wins in the Big V, leading the league on home ice. . . . Never get tired of the soulful National Anthem belted by Manchester’s Kaleigh Cronin. Encore!

02/05/05 Monarchs 'Big Guns' run out of Ammo in Portland... Monarchs 2 Pirates 3
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... James; 2nd period... James; 3rd period...
Garon in goal
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02/06/05 Portland defeats Monarchs in a shootout
Special to the UNION LEADER Sunday News

PORTLAND, Maine - A shootout goal from center Trent Whitfield gave the Portland Pirates a 3-2 shootout win over the Manchester Monarchs before 5,476 fans at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Saturday night.

The win was the third in a row for the Pirates (20-22-3-4, 47 points), who moved to within 11 points of the Lowell Lock Monsters and fourth place in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division. The top four teams in the division advance to the post-season.

The Monarchs, unbeaten in regulation over their last four games (2-0-0-2), moved another point ahead of the second place Hartford Wolf Pack in the division standings. Now with a record of 34-9-3-3 and 74 points, the Monarchs lead the Wolf Pack (32-15-1-2, 67 points) by seven points with one game in hand. The Wolf Pack did not play on Saturday night.

After a scoreless third period and overtime, the Monarchs opened the shootout with goals from centers Matt Ryan and Jeff Miles. But Pirates goaltender Kirk Daubenspeck stopped the next three Monarchs shots from left wing Noah Clarke, center Michael Cammalleri and left wing Dustin Brown to post his third straight victory.

After stopping shootout attempts from center Brooks Laich and right wing Brian Willsie to open the shootout, Monarchs goaltender Mathieu Garon yielded goals to centers Jared Aulin, Jakub Klepis and Whitfield.

The Monarchs shootout record dropped to 1-3 on the season with Saturday night’s setback.

Daubenspeck entered Saturday night’s action with a scoreless streak of 140 minutes, but the Monarchs halted that streak early in the first period with a backhanded goal from rookie left wing Connor James at 3:32. Rookie right wing Petr Kanko and Ryan assisted as James picked up his first career AHL goal.

The Pirates tied the game later in the period with a power play goal from right wing Boyd Gordon, who stuffed a rebound into the Monarchs net at 9:25. Center Brian Sutherby and defenseman Steve Eminger assisted on the team-leading 12th goal of the season for Gordon.

The Pirates, aided by two more power play chances, threatened to take the lead later in the period. But Garon was up to the challenge, stopping 17 of the 18 shots he faced in the stanza.

The game remained tied until late in the second period when James gathered in a loose puck and poked it into the Portland net for his second goal of the night at 16:17. Defensemen Tim Gleason and Joe Rullier shared assists on the goal, scored just seconds after a Monarchs power play had expired.

The Monarchs led for just over two minutes, however, as right wing Graham Mink tipped a shot from Sutherby past Garon at 18:43. Right wing Owen Fussey also assisted on Mink’s 11th goal of the season.

Daubenspeck finished with 25 saves and improved to 3-0-0 on the season since the Pirates added him to the roster in late January. Garon (23-8-3) took the shootout loss. He finished with 37 saves.

02/04/05 Monarchs Shutout Springfield... Monarchs 3 Falcons 0
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Welch; 2nd period... Clarke; 3rd period... Cammalleri
Giuliano picked up 2 assists
Garon in goal (last minute replacement for Hauser who became sick hours before the game)
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2/5/05 Monarchs snuff out the Falcons
Union Leader

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Right wing Dan Welch, left wing Noah Clarke and center Michael Cammalleri each scored and goaltender Mathieu Garon stopped all 18 shots fired his way, leading the Manchester Monarchs to a 3-0 win over the Springfield Falcons before 2,631 fans at the Springfield Civic Center last night.

With the win, their sixth straight over the Falcons this season, the Monarchs improved to 34-9-3-2 and 73 points on the season. They moved six points in front of the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division. The Wolf Pack (32-15-1-2, 67 points) lost to the Providence Bruins, 3-0, at the Providence Civic Center last night.

With their fourth straight loss, the Falcons (14-29-2-2, 32 points) stayed firmly entrenched in seventh place in the division.

The Monarchs built a two-goal lead through two periods thanks to scores from Welch and Clarke. Welch collected his third goal of the season when he took the puck off the end wall and backhanded it by Falcons goaltender Brian Eklund (22 saves) at 6:43 of the opening period. Left wing Jeff Giuliano and defenseman Tim Gleason shared assists on the goal.

The Monarchs added to their lead with the third goal in as many games for Clarke, who finished a 2-on-1 rush into the Springfield zone with his 16th goal of the season at 15:28 of the middle period. Cammalleri stretched his scoring streak to 11 games with an assist on the play. Defenseman Mike Weaver had the second assist on Clarke’s goal.

Cammalleri completed the scoring with his league-leading 30th goal, recorded shorthanded with an assist to Giuliano at 8:17 of the final period. Cammalleri added to his team-leading stats with two points last night. He ranks second overall in league scoring with 69 points in 47 games this season. The three goals were more than enough for Garon (23-8-2), who earned his 23rd win of the season while filling in for scheduled starter Adam Hauser. Garon finished with his team-leading sixth shutout.

Hauser was unable to go on last night after coming down with flu-like symptoms before the game.

Eklund (6-11-0) took the loss, his fifth straight. He finished with 22 saves.

The Monarchs return to action when they meet the Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow. The Monarchs then return home for a match with the Worcester IceCats at the Verizon Wireless Arena at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday.

2/4/05 Monarchs look to pick up easy points
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer Union Leader

Boss Bruce Boudreau says it's too early to "standings watch," but everyone else around the first-place Manchester Monarchs might force the coach's hand.

The Monarchs should slice through the bottom of their Atlantic Division this weekend.

Tonight at 7:30 they are at the last-place Springfield Falcons (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. they are at the sixth-place Portland Pirates (Washington Capitals). Neither of those teams has had any success against the Monarchs.

"It scares me," said Boudreau. "Very rarely in history have a I seen a team dominate another so thoroughly."

In this case it's domination times two.

Springfield and Portland are both 0-5 versus Manchester. The last two outings between the Falcons and Monarchs have been one-goal games. The Pirates have been shellacked, 18-3 in series' scoring. Portland has not scored more than one goal in a game against Manchester.

Monarchs victories this weekend would kick Springfield and Portland a little closer to their inevitable off-season golf games.

"They want to beat us," warned Boudreau. "They need to if there's even a remote chance of them making the playoffs."

In the Atlantic Division standings the Monarchs are four points (two points for a win) clear of second-place Hartford, while Worcester is 12 points back and Lowell is 15 points out. Four teams reach the playoffs. Providence is in fifth, only four points behind fourth-place Lowell. That is the Atlantic Division playoff picture, plain and simple.

The Monarchs have only beaten Hartford once in four meetings and have lost to Lowell in five straight games. But the Monarchs have only two losses in regulation in their last 12, meaning they have gained points in 10 of their last 12 maintaining their hold on first place.

"Of course we're aware these teams are all within reach," said Boudreau. "We've got it down to weeks. We're watching individual games within the week. Trying to win weeks. This weekend we're focused on Springfield and Portland."

2/2/05 It was the Parros-Rullier Show Tonight as the Monarchs Whip the Wolf Pack-Monarchs 5 Hartford 2
Monarchs goals scored: 1st period... Parros Rullier; 2nd period... Parros Clarke; 3rd period... Gleason
Garon in goal
click here for game details

02/03/05 Monarchs stake their claim to first place
By KEVIN PROVENCHER
Staff Sports Writer

MANCHESTER — If this is the future of first place in the AHL's Atlantic Division, the Manchester Monarchs are going to hold it for a long time.

Virtually unknown in the AHL, right wing George Parros scored a pair of goals for the first time in his career as the Monarchs' sneak attack overwhelmed the Hartford Wolf Pack, 5-2, last night before 6,843 in Verizon Wireless Arena.

The victory was a first for the Monarchs over Hartford in four outings. Manchester (33-9-3-2, 71 points) retains sole possession of first place in the division and has earned points in three straight. Hartford (32-14-1-2, 67 points) has lost two straight for the first time since Nov. 24-26 and sits in second in the division.

Parros, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound second-year pro nicknamed the "Princeton Pugilist," did slug it out twice in the contest. But his goals drew the most Wolf Pack blood. With his seven goals so far, Parros has more than doubled his scoring output from his rookie season.

Noah Clarke, Joe Rullier and Tim Gleason added the other Manchester goals. Monarchs center Mike Cammalleri, the league's second-leading scorer, assisted on two goals, improving his scoring streak to 10-games.

If the game proved anything, with 13 players injured between the two teams, 11 of them forwards, it served notice that the Monarchs' depth might be the best in the division.

The Monarchs were lucky and good. Parros was hit by Tim Gleason's slapper 5:10 into the second period for a 3-1 lead. On a short breakaway, Parros opened the game's scoring 4:24 in, courtesy of a deflection of a Wolf Pack clearance. The Monarchs never trailed.

Hartford mustered just four shots in the second period as the Monarchs stamped it a runaway. Gleason fired in his shot off Parros and Clarke rifled home a 20-foot power play wrister as Manchester upped the lead to 4-1. It was the second straight game that Hartford allowed four power-play goals. With 2:53 left in the second period, Hartford coach Ryan McGill sent starting goalie Steve Valiquette to the showers in favor of last year's league MVP, Jason LaBarbera.

Moore struck on a power play with 9:08 to go, cutting the lead to 4-2, but Gleason scored on the empty net with a 150-footer and 50 seconds to go.

Monarchs defensemen Rullier and Parros sandwiched goals around a power play tally by Hartford's Alexandre Giroux for a 2-1 lead after the first period. The Wolf Pack allowed a season-high 20 shots in the period. Parros put away the deflected clearance pass of Bryce Lampman 4:24 into the game, making it 1-0 on the scoreboard and 8-0 on the shot chart. Giroux tied it with a wicked slapper in the right circle off Garon's glove. And Rullier's left point drive caromed off the left skate of Dom Moore defending in the slot.

Notes: In less than five periods of hockey over the last two games, Hartford has given up six power play goals. The Wolf Pack had not allowed more than two power play goals in a game before their last two outings. . . . Fourth time in 10 games Hartford yanked its goalie in a game. . . . Hartford was outshot, 40-22. . . . Cammalleri's six-game assist streak leads the league. . . . RW Brad Smyth has his nine-game points streak on hold. Smyth will be out 3-4 weeks with a knee injury. . . . With 50 seconds left, LW Dustin Brown assisted on Gleason's empty-netter, stretching Brown's points streak to five games. He has points in 12 of his last 13 games.

02/02/05 Behind the Bench: Coach salutes his players
By BRUCE BOUDREAU
Special to The Union Leader

ONE WIN, one loss and one shootout loss last week against divisional opponents. We've set the bar high for ourselves this season, and .500 hockey is not where we want to be.

Coaches, in general, dislike shootouts and Sunday's game against the Lowell Lock Monsters is a perfect example of why. Shootouts drive coaches crazy.

One team, in this particular example Lowell, received an extra point for what was a tie hockey game at the end of regulation and overtime. I know fans love them, and our sellout crowd of 9,916 was on its feet throughout the shootout, but with the extra point, Lowell was able to gain some valuable ground on us. Veteran center Mike Zigomanis beat goaltender Mathieu Garon in the sudden death round of the shootout to give Lowell the victory.

One thing I do like is the courage that our players have shown throughout the season. By this time of the year, a coach can recall several times when a player has played through pain and sacrificed for the good of the team. In fact, we had two great examples of courage and sacrifice this past weekend.

Coaches love to go to bat for a guy like Noah Clarke. He's 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, but he plays much bigger than that. On Sunday against the Lock Monsters, Clarke was viciously checked into the boards on a play that warranted a five-minute major and a game misconduct penalty to Lowell's Gordie Dwyer for boarding.

Dwyer really messed up Clarke's face. The result of the hit was 20 stitches to the eye, a broken nose and a swollen mouth.

Clarke missed eight minutes of the game, and then came back to score a huge penalty shot goal for us in the second period.

In addition to Clarke, Brown also demonstrated a willingness to play through pain when he lost five of his teeth on Friday night against the Portland Pirates.

Fans who have seen Brown play this season know that he works hard on every shift. They also know he finishes checks.

Against the Pirates, he tried to finish a check, but the Portland player in his cross hairs ducked at the last moment. Brown slammed headfirst into the boards. Soon after, his teammates were looking for his teeth on the ice.

Brown spent much of Saturday in a dentist's chair, and then played like nothing happened on Sunday afternoon against the Lock Monsters.

That's what makes hockey players special, and that's one of the major reasons why we've been successful this season. You usually find that good teams have no shortage of courage on their roster.

Another thought about Sunday's game. How awesome was it to see the fans' reaction to our six all-stars (Michael Cammalleri, Dustin Brown, Mathieu Garon, Denis Grebeshkov, Tom Kostopoulos and Yanick Lehoux) when they were presented with their all-star jerseys by AHL president and CEO David Andrews?

I'd especially like to acknowledge the fans for the standing ovation they gave to center Yanick Lehoux and right wing Tom Kostopoulos. That sent chills up and down my spine.

Like Lowell, tonight's opponent has had its share of success against us this season. As a player and as a coach, you get up for a game like tonight's contest against the Hartford Wolf Pack (7:05 p.m.).

Hartford is as good as any team in the league, and just like when we play Lowell, fans will see 40 athletes willing to skate through a wall to help their team win tonight when we host the Wolf Pack at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Bruce Boudreau is coach of the Manchester Monarchs. Behind the Bench appears Wednesdays in The Union Leader.

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