Monarchs Hold Off IceCats, Win Seventh Straight
November 21, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
WORCESTER, MA â Center Michael Cammalleri collected his team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season and goaltender Mathieu Garon stopped 30 shots as the Manchester Monarchs ran their winning streak to seven games with a 5-4 win over the Worcester IceCats at the DCU Center on Sunday night.
A crowd of 2,701 watched as the Monarchs improved their record to 14-1 on the season. The IceCats, who dropped their fourth game in six outings, saw their record go to 9-5-1-0. With 28 points, the Monarchs moved six points ahead of the idle Hartford Wolf Pack (10-3-1-1, 22 points) in the Atlantic Division standings.
The Monarchs jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead on goals from left wings Noah Clarke and Dustin Brown. Clarke jammed his fourth goal of the season by goaltender Curtis Sanford just 48 seconds into the contest. Center Yanick Lehoux, who leads the AHL with 29 points (14-15=29), had the only assist on the play. He fed Clarke, who beat Sanford to the short side of the net.
Brown collected his ninth goal of the season on the power play at the 5:25 mark. Brown beat Sanford on a back door play after prying Lehoux's slap shot off the end boards. Right wing Brad Smyth also registered an assist on the play.
The IceCats closed the period strongly, attempting the last 12 shots in the frame. One of the shots found the back of the Monarchs net. The IceCats made it a 2-1 contest with a power play goal from center Blake Evans at 18:50. Evans redirected a slap shot from defenseman Mike Mottau for his fourth goal of the season. Right wing Jon DiSalvatore had the second assist on the play.
The IceCats tied the game at 2-2 with their first shot of the middle period. Center Brendan Brooks was credited with the goal, his fifth of the season. Forward Johnny Pohl's drop pass to Brooks in the left circle triggered the play, which also included an assist by rookie defenseman Dennis Wideman.
Sanford (8 shots, 6 saves) left the game with an apparent injury 8:02 into the period, and the Monarchs regained the lead by scoring against his replacement, Jason Bacashihua (12 shots, 9 saves), just 53 seconds later. Lehoux collected his third point of the game by pushing a loose puck into the Worcester net. A left circle shot from right wing Tom Kostopoulos created the scoring chance for Lehoux, who matched his goal total for all of last season by collecting his 14th of the season.
The IceCats, who outshot the Monarchs 14-4 in the period, tied the game again with a blue line blast from Aris Brimanis at the 16:00 mark. Evans and DiSalvatore assisted on the short-handed tally, the second goal of the season for the defenseman. The puck trickled into the Monarchs net after squirting out of the glove of goaltender Mathieu Garon (34 shots, 30 saves).
The Monarchs regained a two-goal lead with third period tallies from centers David Steckel and Cammalleri. The goals came just 1:34 apart, with Steckel registering his second goal of the season at 3:11, and Cammalleri collecting his 13th goal of the campaign at 4:45. Right wing George Parros and left wing Jeff Giuliano assisted on the Steckel goal. Smyth and Brown earned assists on the Cammalleri marker.
The next goal went to the IceCats and Evans, who cleaned up a rebound at 7:56. DiSalvatore collected his third assist of the night on the play. Left wing Erkki Rajamaki also collected an assist on Evans' second goal of the game and fifth of the season.
Garon preserved the victory and improved his record to 10-1-0 on the season.
The Monarchs return to action when they host the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday, November 24 at 7:35 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Catch all of the play-by-play action with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network (WGIR-AM 610, Manchester; WGIN-AM 930, Rochester; WGIP-AM 1540, Exeter; WTSL-AM 1400, Lebanon) and at www.monarchshockey.com.
Ticket Availability: 300 tickets in the Gold level and 2,800 seats in the Silver level remain for Wednesday's game against the Admirals.
Fans in need of Monarchs tickets may purchase them in person at the Verizon Wireless Arena box office, at any TicketMaster location, by phone at (603) 868-7300 or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com. The box office opens at 10:00 a.m.
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American Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2004
- Bulldogs lose to Penguins - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Monarchs Hold Off IceCats, Win Seventh Straight - Manchester Monarchs
- 'Cats comeback cut short - Worcester IceCats
- Bruins fall in O.T. heartbreaker - Providence Bruins
- Masse buries Rats in overtime 4-3 - Hershey Bears
- Falcons Skate Past Senators, 4-3 - Springfield Falcons
- Sim lifts Phantoms to 14th straight win, again - Adirondack Phantoms
- Wolf Pack Help Raise More Than $28,000 for Special Olympics - Connecticut Whale
- Bruins offense ignites in Portland - Providence Bruins
- Moose suffer first defeat at MTS Centre - Manitoba Moose
- Falcons receive Jaspers in exchange for Skalde - Springfield Falcons
- Sound Tigers Win 4-1 In Hershey - Bridgeport Islanders
- Grizzlies Can't Stop the Offense of the Admirals; Lose 6-3 - Utah Grizzlies
- Bulldogs lose seventh straight - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Bears drop 4-1 decision to Bridgeport - Hershey Bears
- Phantoms Win 13th Straight, 4-3 in Overtime - Adirondack Phantoms
- Aeros tie team record for PPG in Crunching Syracuse 6-3 - Houston Aeros
- âCats Beat Lowell 3-2 on Jeff Hoggan's Two Goals - Worcester IceCats
- Griffins crush Cleveland, 5-0 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Wolves blank Ducks 3-0 behind Lehtonen - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Falcons Gain 3-2 Shootout Win Over Wolf Pack - Springfield Falcons
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