AHL Manchester Monarchs

Lion's Play - Week-in-Review

December 11, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


Sunday, December 8, Manchester 3, Lowell 1: Lowell, MA -- Jared Aulin assisted on three goals as the Manchester Monarchs beat the Lowell Lock Monsters for a fourth straight time, 3-1 on Sunday at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA. The Monarchs kept a firm grip on first place in the North Division with the victory, their second straight. The loss was the Lock Monsters 10th in 11 games.

The Monarchs and the Lock Monsters each registered power play goals in the second period. Joe Corvo's blast from the point beat Lowell netminder Randy Petruk at 11:30. Aulin and defenseman Tomas Zizka were credited with assists on the play, which put the Monarchs on top 3-0. Jeff Heerema scored his 10th goal five minutes later when netminder Cristobal Huet was unable to control a rebound in front of the Monarchs net.

The Monarchs took control of the game early by scoring twice in the first period. Yanick Lehoux, scratched from the lineup Saturday after going scoreless in six straight games, scored his sixth goal of the year, and his fifth against Lowell, at 13:17. Winger Eric Healey and Aulin assisted on the play. Tough guy Kip Brennan, assigned to Manchester by the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, collected the Monarchs first goal just 52 seconds into the period. Aulin and defenseman Chris Aldous assisted on Brennan's first of the year.

Saturday, December 7, Manchester 5, Providence 1: Manchester, NH -- The Manchester Monarchs skated past the Providence Bruins on Saturday 5-1 before a sellout crowd of 9,893 at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Steve Kelly tallied one goal and two assists to lead Manchester to the win. With the victory, Manchester took over sole possession of first place in the AHL's North Division.

Kelly put the Monarchs on the board 3:11 into the first period when he tipped in a 5-on-3 power play tally set up by Joe Corvo and Pavel Rosa.

Providence answered with an even strength goal at 8:14 as Mike Gellard buried a shot inside the far post that Manchester netminder Travis Scott was unable to retrieve. Just 18 seconds later Manchester regained the lead when Chris Schmidt netted the eventual game winner off a pass from Monarchs captain Dane Jackson.

Manchester's Eric Healey gave the Monarchs a 3-1 lead just 1:57 into the second period on a nice give-and-go play with Scott Barney. Barney dished a backhanded pass to Healey in the left slot and Healey buried the puck under the cross bar past Providence's Andrew Raycroft.

Pavel Rosa deflected a shot from the point at 9:04 of the third and Tomas Zizka banged home a one-timer from between the circles at 17:44 to complete the Monarchs 5-1 victory. Scott had 31 saves in the win while Raycroft took the loss, stopping 23 shots.

Friday, December 6, Manchester 3, Albany 4 (OT): Albany, NY -- Pavel Rosa's goal at 19:12 of the third period earned the Manchester Monarchs a road point, but the euphoria of the late game marker was short-lived as Chris Hartsburg scored 3:42 into overtime to give the Albany River Rats a 4-3 decision over the Monarchs at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, NY on Friday.

Rosa scored after the Monarchs replaced netminder Cristobal Huet with a sixth attacker with 1:06 to play in regulation.

The Monarchs were forced into another third period comeback, their second in three days, after Albany's Jiri Bicek scored at 9:38.

Rookie Jared Aulin played a part in each of the two second period goals scored by the Monarchs, who took a 2-1 lead after defenseman Mike Pudlick blasted home a shot from high in the slot at 11:07. Aulin assisted on the Pudlick goal. The 20-year-old had put the Monarchs on the board just 35 seconds earlier with a wrist shot from the left wing face-off circle that Albany goaltender Scott Clemmensen was unable to control. Derek Bekar extended his season-best point streak to eight games with an assist on the score. Jerred Smithson was also awarded an assist on the scoring play.

The Monarchs one-goal lead evaporated just moments before the second period intermission as defenseman Joe Corvo was assessed a tripping penalty for taking down Albany's Scott Cameron at the Monarchs blue line. Cameron was awarded a penalty shot on the play, and he took advantage, lifting his shot past Huet at the 20 minute mark.

Albany's Greg Crozier was credited with the only goal of the first period. The goal, his first, was scored at 6:54.



American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central