AHL Manchester Monarchs

Keeping Pace

April 13, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


HARTFORD, CT - The Manchester Monarchs kept pace with the Portland Pirates for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference for the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs by edging the Connecticut Whale, 5-4 in a shootout, at the XL Center on Friday night.

Manchester (37-32-2-3) is in third place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. The Whale (36-26-7-6) is in second place in the Northeast Division with 85 points.

"These were hard fought points and we need them to stay in the hunt," said Monarchs Head Coach Mark Morris. "We had some puck luck on Jake Muzzin's blast which caromed off the end boards off (goaltender Chad) Johnson and into the net. That was a good sign giving us the confidence to play a solid first period. Connecticut bounced back in the second period with three goals and a great feed by (Trent) Hunter to Justin Azevedo for a big one-timer on the power play righted things. We traded goals in the third and it took a shootout to get the two points. Martin Jones made some key saves at critical moments."

Center Marc-Andre Cliche and defenseman Patrick Mullen both scored in the Monarchs shootout victory. Monarchs netminder Martin Jones denied center Casey Wellman, center Kris Newbury, right wing Christian Thomas and right wing Stevie Moses from scoring in the shootout. Left wing Jonathan Audy-Marchesault scored the lone shootout goal for the Whale. Center Justin Azevedo and right wing Linden Vey were denied in the shootout by Whale netminder Chad Johnson.

The Monarchs opened the scoring with a goal by defenseman Jake Muzzin at 5:36 of the first period. Defenseman Andrew Campbell fed center Robbie Czarnik at the left point. Czarnik found Muzzin at the right point where he faked a slap shot and then skated to the center point. Muzzin fired a slap shot that went wide to the right of the net. The puck deflected off the end boards and off the left skate of Johnson before trickling over the goal line for Muzzin's seventh goal of the season.

Azevedo gave the Monarchs a 2-0 first period lead with his 26th goal of the season at 7:48. Azevedo picked off a pass by a Whale defenseman behind Connecticut's goal. The center carried the puck to the front of the net before roofing a wrist shot for the goal.

Whale's Moses tallied his first professional goal at 5:25 of the second period cutting the Monarchs lead in half to 2-1. Defenseman Wade Redden passed the puck to Wellman who launched a slap shot from the left point. Wellman's blast was stopped by Jones but produced a rebound between a Monarchs defenseman skates in the slot. Moses poked the puck into the net for his first of two goals on the night.

Moses scored his second goal of the game at 12:46 of the second period to tie the game at 2-2. Wellman skated around the back of the Monarchs net and fed defenseman Pavel Valentenko at the left point. Valentenko launched a slap shot that Moses deflected past Jones to even the score.

The Whale scored their third consecutive goal to take a 3-2 lead when Newbury scored a goal at 15:35 of the middle frame. Thomas fired a cross ice pass to Audy-Marchessault who was entering the Monarchs zone on the left wing. Audy-Marchessault skated through the middle of the zone and dropped a pass for Newbury who crossed behind the left wing on his way to the top of the left face-off circle. Newbury fired a slap shot that beat Jones five-hole for his 25th goal of the season.

Azevedo tied the game at 3-3 with a power play tally with 53 seconds left in the second period. Right wing Stefan Legein passed the puck to right wing Trent Hunter who skated to the top of the right wing face-off circle. Hunter found Azevedo at the bottom left corner of the left wing face-off circle. The center one-timed Hunter's pass to beat Johnson five-hole for his 27th goal of the season.

The Monarchs took a 4-3 lead at 3:18 of the third period off the stick of left wing Ray Kaunisto. Muzzin played the puck to left wing David Meckler at the bottom of the right wing face-off circle. Meckler fired a shot on Johnson and the rebound fell into the crease. Kaunisto poked at the loose puck several times before he eventually got the puck over the goal line for his seventh goal of the season.

Thomas tied the game for the Whale at 4-4 at 5:26 of the third period. Audy-Marchessault cycled the puck to Newbury at the left wing half wall. Newbury sent a pass to Thomas at the right point. The right wing settled the puck and released a slap shot that beat Jones high on the blocker side for his first professional goal.

Jones (17-17-2) earned his 17th victory of the season stopping 31-of-35 shots in regulation and overtime, and made saves on four-of-five shootout snipers. Johnson (22-18-6) took his sixth shootout loss of the season making 34 saves on 38 shots in regulation and overtime, and stopped two-of-four shootout snipers.

Manchester went 1-for-3 on the power play. Connecticut was 0-for-3 with the man advantage.



American Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2012


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