Everblades Clip Monarchs, 5-4, in Shootout
January 4, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
ESTERO, Fla. - The Manchester Monarchs received three points from Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman, but couldn't make a three-goal lead stand and fell to the Florida Everblades, 5-4, Wednesday night at Germain Arena in a shootout.
The Monarchs (21-8-1-2) are now tied with the Everblades (21-7-1-2) atop the Eastern Conference, with two games remaining in this three-game set.
Manchester struck first when Cory Ward netted his 8th goal of the season at 3:24 of the first period. LaVallee-Smotherman stole the puck from between the legs of an Everblades defender, and sent a cross-ice pass to a driving Ward who tipped the puck up-and-over Florida goaltender, Anthony Peters, to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead.
Florida tied things up when Brendan O'Donnell netted his 19th goal of the season at 4:19 of the first period. O'Donnell carried the puck into the Monarchs zone and was hooked briefly by Morris who was destined for the penalty box, but the Everblades forward found the puck off a poke check by Monarchs goaltender, Jonah Imoo, and buried the puck to make the score, 1-1.
The Monarchs regained the lead when LaVallee-Smotherman scored his first goal of the game at 5:17 of the opening period. LaVallee-Smotherman took the puck from the neutral zone, skated in on Peters from the left wing and slid a backhander five-hole to put the Monarchs ahead, 2-1.
LaVallee-Smotherman added to his big night when he scored his 2nd goal of the night and 12th of the season at 15:18 of the first period. Ashton Rome started the play at the Monarchs blue line racing down the right boards. At the top of the right circle, Rome sent a cross-ice pass to a crashing LaVallee-Smotherman, who buried the puck past a sprawling Peters, making the score, 3-1, Monarchs.
The Monarchs extended their lead when Matt Leitner scored his 4th goal of the season at 13:45 of the second period. Leitner shot out of a cannon down the left boards, set the edges and roofed a wrister with a defender on his back, to give the Monarchs a 4-1 advantage.
The Everblades cut into the Monarchs lead when O'Donnell netted his second goal of the night. O'Donnell took a diagonal stretch-pass at the top of the left circle, where he sent a wrister through the five-hole of Imoo to make the score, 4-2, Monarchs.
Florida cut into the Monarchs lead again, when Matt Berry scored his 9th goal of the season at 6:06 of the third period. Berry took a slap-pass from Logan Roe to the left of Imoo's crease, where Berry had a yawning cage to make the score, 4-3.
The Everblades evened the score when Michael Kirkpatrick scored his 10th goal of the season at 9:22 of the third period. Kirkpatrick took a cross-ice pass at the top of the right dot and fired a wrister while drifting backward that beat Imoo's glove to tie the game at 4-4.
After a scoreless third period, the game went to a shootout where Kirkpatrick scored the lone goal to give the Everblades the 5-4 win.
The Monarchs are back in action Friday, Jan. 6 (7:30 p.m.), when they continue their three-game series with the Florida Everblades in Estero, Fla.
Notes
Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman extended his point streak to nine games
The Monarchs went to the shootout in back-to-back nights for the first time since Jan. 17 and Jan. 22, 2016
-Monarchs-
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