AHL Manchester Monarchs

Monarchs Fall To The Wolf Pack

December 14, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


HARTFORD, CT - Goaltender Al Montoya made 29 saves to lead the Hartford Wolf Pack over the Manchester Monarchs 4-1 at the Hartford Civic Center in front of a crowd of 3,459 fans on Wednesday night. Manchester (16-6-1-3, 36 points) remains tied for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Portland Pirates. Hartford (14-6-2-4, 34 points) moves into third place in the Atlantic Division.

Center Jeff Taffe collected his fifth of the season at 13:22 of the first period. Right wing Colby Genoway skated into the Monarchs zone and dropped the puck to Taffe at the point. Taffe skated to the edge of the left face-off circle, wound up for the shot and connected with the back of the net to give the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. Former Monarchs defenseman Joe Rullier also earned an assist on the play.

At 5:04 of the second period, Monarchs left wing Brad Smyth was awards a penalty shot after being taken down in front of the net but Montoya made the pad save to keep the Monarchs off the board.

Genoway assisted on the second goal of the game at 7:57 of the middle frame. Left wing Nigel Dawes cycled the puck to Genoway who passed it over to center Dwight Helminen at the hash marks. Helminen sent a slap shot in on Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser and into the top right corner of the goal for his 13th of the season.

Defenseman Ivan Baranka made the score 3-0 with a shorthanded goal at 10:38 of the second period. Baranka stole the puck away from Monarchs right wing Konstantin Pushkarev and skated down the ice with a 2-on-1 on Hauser. Baranka opted to take the shot and scored his second of the season top shelf on Hauser.

The Monarchs got on the board at 10:06 of the third period with a goal by center Connor James. Smyth sent the puck to defenseman Joey Mormina at the point. Mormina sent a blistering slap shot towards Montoya that James got his stick on and tipped it in for his eighth of the season.

Center Alexandre Giroux finished off the Monarchs at 18:35 of the final period with an empty net goal assisted by left wing Fedor Fedorov and defenseman Dave Liffiton.

Hauser (11-5-2) took his fifth loss of the season stopping 24 shots. Montoya (6-1-0) earned his sixth win of the season with 29 saves.

Manchester went 0-for-5 on the power play. Hartford was 0-for-7 with the man advantage.

The Monarchs host the Albany River Rats at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday, December 16 at 7:35 p.m.

Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network (WGIR-AM 610, Manchester; WGIN-AM 930, Rochester; WGIP-AM 1540, Exeter) and at www.monarchshockey.com. Watch the game live on B2 Networks for just $6 per game. Log onto www.monarchshockey.com and click on the link to B2 Networks ten minutes prior to the each Monarchs game to watch the game live!



American Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2005


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