Binghamton not so merry for Monsters, 4-1

December 23, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany Devils News Release


Binghamton, NY - Kelly Guard turned aside 35 shots to carry the Binghamton Senators (10-16-2-2) to a 4-1 victory over the Lowell Lock Monsters (12-17-1-3) at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday.

The first period was a fast-moving affair and the Lock Monsters came out with jump. Lowell appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the first minute of play when the goal light was turned on after a Frantisek Skladany opportunity appeared to wobble over the goal line. But a brief conference with the referee negated the ruling and kept it scoreless. Colin Forbes nearly tallied the elusive first goal for Lowell later in the frame, but his wrister while shorthanded clipped the post and stayed out. Meanwhile the opening 20 minutes closed 0-0 with the Monsters holding a 15-6 shot lead.

Binghamton was stronger to start the second, holding Lowell without a shot for the first five minutes of the period. Denis Hamel cut to the front of the Lowell net from the left circle and his shot trickled through G Kevin Nastiuk for his 17th of the season at 5:19. G Kelly Guard continued his strong play in the second, stopping all nine shots the Monsters threw his way. Meanwhile, the Senators extended the lead late in the frame. With just over a minute remaining in the second, Hamel found defenseman Neil Petruic just inside the Lowell blueline, and his blast found the back of the net to make it 2-0 at 18:56.

Early in the third the Senators offensive chances grew. One shot hit a post and another on the power play rocketed off the crossbar, but at 4:57 they lit the lamp again. Greg Watson's sixth of the season made it 3-0. They added cushion later with Corey Pecker's third of the season. Dan DaSilva snapped the shutout bid with 3:31 left in the game, angling a hard feed from Keith Aucoin past Guard to account for the final score.

Monsters Memos: D Donny Grover made his AHL debut in the game tonight. Grover, who was playing this season in Danbury (UHL), played four years at Northeastern University and hails from Rockland, Massachusetts... Aucoin's assist on Lowell's lone tally gives him 37 points on 90 Monsters team goals (41.1%).

The Lock Monsters head to Providence on Monday for a 7:05 p.m. match with the Bruins for the first of a home-and-home series. The Bruins come to Tsongas Arena for a 7:05 match on Wednesday, December 28th at Tsongas Arena. That night, the first 1,500 kids 12 and under will get a free Lock Monsters Scarf, courtesy of MassBank. It's the only home game for Lowell in a stretch of the next eight games until the middle of January.

Individual tickets are on sale now at the Tsongas Arena box office, which is open from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Flex Packs and Holiday Hat Trick packages make great gifts for the holidays, and are on sale now for all those last-minute holiday shoppers. Contact the Lock Monsters ticket office at (978) 458-PUCK (7825) for tickets or more information.

All games home and away can be heard live on 980 WCAP, and viewed through B2 Networks, the official broadband provider of the AHL, with the "Voice of the Lock Monsters" Ryan Johnston. Log on to www.lockmonsters.com to watch or listen online.



American Hockey League Stories from December 23, 2005


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