Clarke Nets Game Winner; Monarchs Even Series With the B's
April 23, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
MANCHESTER, NH â Left wing Noah Clarke netted the game-winning goal with 7:49 remaining in the third period as the Manchester Monarchs evened their best-of-seven Atlantic Division Semifinal series with a 4-2 win over the Providence Bruins in front of 5,597 fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night.
Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Monday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.
Clarke batted home a bouncing puck in the Bruins crease for his first goal of the playoffs. Center Matt Ryan and defenseman Jason Holland shared assists with Ryan taking a stick to the face while attempting to pivot out of the right circle.
Clarke's goal ended a Monarchs playoff losing streak on home ice that dated back to April 17, 2002. The Monarchs entered Saturday's contest with an all-time home ice record of 1-7 in the playoffs.
The Bruins had a chance to tie the game late in the period when they gained a 6-on-4 man-advantage by pulling goalie Hannu Toivonen seconds after a roughing penalty put them on the power play. But goalie Mathieu Garon held strong and made a sliding pad save on a point blank shot from center Keith Aucoin with 13 seconds remaining.
The Monarchs iced the game moments later when center Michael Cammalleri (1-1=2) set-up left wing Chris Schmidt for an empty net shorthanded goal with six seconds left.
Thundersticks were issued to every fan attending the game, and they had plenty of reasons to use them in the opening 20 minutes. The first period featured four goals, two for each team. The Bruins opened the scoring with left wing Andy Hilbert's first goal of the playoffs, scored from the slot at 7:29. Hilbert deflected a centering pass from center Patrice Bergeron over the glove of Garon (23 shots, 21 saves). Defenseman Kevin Dallman also assisted on the play. The Monarchs tied the game at 10:04 with left wing Dustin Brown's first playoff goal. The second-year pro slipped the puck inside the right post after taking a cross-ice feed from defenseman Joe Rullier. Right wing Tom Kostopoulos (0-2=2) had the second assist. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead just 28 seconds later with a goal from left wing Pat Leahy. Center Ben Guite and left wing Jay Henderson assisted on his first playoff tally, scored in transition from the right circle. Leahy's shot made its way through traffic in front before finding a home in the back of the Monarchs net. The Monarchs tied the game again with a 5-on-3 power play goal from Cammalleri at 12:02. Kostopoulos started the play by shoveling the puck out of the left corner to defenseman Denis Grebeshkov at the Bruins blue line. Grebeshkov took the feed and fired the puck to Cammalleri at the right circle. Cammalleri one-timed the offering past Toivonen (33 shots, 30 saves). The scoring chances dried up in the middle period, but each goalie still needed to make a big save to keep the game deadlocked. Toivonen rejected Clarke's bid five minutes in, and Garon robbed center Brad Boyes with a sweeping glove save at the nine-minute mark.
Garon (1-1) earned the win with 21 saves. Toivonen (1-1) took the loss. He collected 30 saves.
The Monarchs were 1-for-6 on the power play. The Bruins were 0-for-5.
Monarchs playoff tickets are on sale now at the Verizon Wireless Arena box office. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (603) 868-7300, or by visiting Ticketmaster on-line at www.ticketmaster.com. Fans may also purchase tickets at all Ticketmaster locations, including Filenes at the Mall of New Hampshire. Tickets are $18.50 for adults in the Gold level and $13.25 for adults in the Silver level of the Verizon Wireless Arena, $16.50 for seniors (65 and older) in the Gold level and $11.25 for seniors in the Silver level and $10.75 for youth tickets (12 and under) in both levels. For group, birthday party and party suite pricing, contact the Monarchs at (603) 626-7825.
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American Hockey League Stories from April 23, 2005
- Clarke Nets Game Winner; Monarchs Even Series With the B's - Manchester Monarchs
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