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'Cats Dance Card Still Empty

April 5, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Worcester IceCats News Release


WORCESTER, MA - The Worcester IceCats still have 84 points in the American Hockey League's (AHL) Eastern Conference as they lost to the Manchester Monarchs 2-1 last night at Worcester's Centrum Centre. They also lost two spots in the heated Conference race and slipped to ninth. With just two games remaining, the IceCats have already punched their ticket to the post season, but do not know who or when they will play after Sunday's final regular season game.

Jame Pollock had the lone Worcester goal. The power play marker came 5:18 into the final period after the Monarchs had claimed a 2-0 lead in the first. Pollock now has points in six straight games, while the team has man-advantage goals in seven consecutive contests.

"We started off slow, but we picked things up in the third," Worcester Captain Ed Campbell said. "Unfortunately, it was late in the game by the time we really got things going."

Derek Bekar and Rich Brennan had the Manchester goals. Bekar's 25th of the season leads the Monarchs. The British Columbia native, who now has three goals against his former team, helped lead the Monarchs to their first-ever win on Centrum ice.

The 'Cats have two more opportunities to elevate themselves in the standings before the post season begins next week. Manchester is currently in fifth with 88 points and only one game remaining. Manitoba and St. John's both have 86 points. With a tie last night, Hamilton is the eighth seed with 85 points. If the playoffs began tomorrow, Worcester would travel to Hamilton for a best-of-three series with the Bulldogs.

"It doesn't really matter who we play (in the post season)," Campbell continued, "but we know we've got to really work hard because every win and every point counts. Our inspiration has to come from inside now."

Reinhard Divis' start in the Worcester net made it 20 straight for the first year 'Cat. He stopped 29 of 31 in the losing cause. At the other end of the building, Travis Scott kept 20 shots out of the Manchester cage. Scott is 4-0 against Worcester this season and has only granted three goals to the 'Cats on 121 shots.

The IceCats travel to Portland on Saturday to play the first game in a home-and-home series with the Pirates. The teams return to the Centrum Centre on Sunday for Worcester's final game of the regular season. 4:05 PM is the scheduled start time for Sunday.

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