Hartford Slips By Manchester In Division Showdown
November 26, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
HARTFORD, CT - It was a night of firsts for the Hartford Wolf Pack, which grabbed sole possession of first place in the AHL's Atlantic Division with a hard fought 4-2 win over the Manchester Monarchs on Wednesday night. Left wing Juris Stals, defenseman Bryce Lampman and defenseman Matt Kinch also notched their first goals of the season, much to the delight of the partisan crowd of 5,618 at the Hartford Civic Center.
The Monarchs (10-7-1-2, 23 points) winning streak ended at two games despite a pair of goals from right wing Pavel Rosa and a pair of assists from left wing Scott Barney. The win was the first in three games for the Wolf Pack (10-3-4-1, 25 points), which beat the Monarchs on home ice for the second time this season.
Hartford grabbed a 1-0 first period lead thanks to Stals, whose slap shot from the left circle snuck by goaltender Adam Hauser at 10:50. Center Dominic Moore assisted on the rookie's first goal as a professional.
Barney and Rosa teamed up to tie the game less than three minutes later. Barney, charging into the Wolf Pack zone on the right wing, delivered a no-look pass to Rosa, who was streaking into the slot. Rosa took the feed and quickly lifted the puck over the glove of goaltender Phil Osaer and into the net at 13:33.
The Wolf Pack gained a 4-2 advantage after two periods thanks to goals from right wing Jason MacDonald, Lampman and Kinch. MacDonald made it 2-1 by jamming his team-leading seventh goal into an open net with Hartford on the power play at 5:19. MacDonald pounced on the loose puck after Hauser had trouble securing a perimeter shot from center Chad Wiseman. Left wing Garth Murray also earned an assist on the play.
Lampman collected his first goal in 58 professional games after tipping Moore's centering pass into the left corner of the net at 10:49. Left wing Lucas Lawson also assisted.
Rosa's second goal of the game, scored at 16:52 of the period, made it 3-2 Hartford. Much like in the opening period, Rosa's shot was too quick for Osaer's glove. Barney and center Yanick Lehoux assisted on the goal.
The Monarchs were caught out of position in their own zone later in the period, and Kinch made them pay by blasting away from the center point for his first goal at 18:48. Center Cory Larose and defenseman Jayme Filipowicz earned assists on the play, with Larose locating Kinch after the Monarchs failed to cover the high slot.
Osaer finished with 26 saves and his third win this season. Two of his victories have come against the Monarchs. Hauser lost for just the second time in eight appearances for the Monarchs. He finished with 18 saves.
The Monarchs also failed to convert on five power play chances. Hartford had one power play goal on four attempts.
The Monarchs return to action when they meet the Lowell Lock Monsters at the Tsongas Arena at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28. After Friday's contest, they return home to the Verizon Wireless Arena for a 7:35 p.m. contest with the Providence Bruins on Saturday, November 29. The first 5,000 fans in attendance at Saturday's game will receive a free MAX mini-bobblehead doll, courtesy of Catholic Medical Center. The Monarchs then close the weekend with a road game at the Centrum Centre against the Worcester IceCats at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday, November 30.
Monarchs Ticket Availability Update: Sat., 11/29/03 vs. Providence: Seats remaining in the Gold Level: Single seats. Seats remaining in the Silver Level: 900.
NOTES: The Los Angeles Kings, the NHL affiliate of the Manchester Monarchs, on Wednesday placed right wing Ziggy Palffy on the injured reserve list (retroactive to November 23) with a facial injury and recalled center Steve Kelly from Manchester. Kelly, 27, has played in 15 games this season with the Monarchs, scoring 19 points (5-14=19) and totaling 36 penalty minutes...The Monarchs also on Wednesday recalled goaltender Mathieu Chouinard from their ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals, and reassigned goaltender Terry Denike to the Royals from the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League. Chouinard, in Reading rehabbing a groin strain, replaced goaltender Milan Hnilicka on the Monarchs active roster. Hnilicka suffered a broken ring finger on his catching hand at Tuesday's practice. He is listed as day-to-day with the injury.
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