ECHL Manchester Monarchs

Monarchs Maul Jackals

December 16, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


Monarchs Maul Jackals, 5-1
Monarchs Maul Jackals, 5-1
(Manchester Monarchs, Credit: Rich Tilton)

MANCHESTER, N.H. - A surge of third period goals propelled the Manchester Monarchs to a 5-1 victory over the Elmira Jackals on Friday night at SNHU Arena. Sam Brittain stopped 26-of-27 shots, and all four Monarchs goal scorers tallied multiple points.

The Monarchs (16-7-1-1) took their first victory from the Jackals (6-13-4-0) of the season, and will look to make it a six-game winning streak Saturday night.

"I thought we were a little rusty to start and we didn't execute very well in the first two periods, but we adjusted well," Monarchs Head Coach, Rich Seeley, said. "I was pleased with the way the guys bounced-back in the third period, and ultimately that effort led to a positive result."

The Jackals struck first at 6:08 of the first period when J.P. LaFontaine scored his 2nd goal of the season. After an end-to-end rush by Cole Martin, the Jackals defenseman sent a puck into the chest of Brittain, but the Monarchs goaltender lost the puck beneath him in the crease and LaFontaine poked it home to make the score, 1-0.

The Monarchs evened the score at 18:18 of the first period on a 5-on-3 power-play goal from Rihards Bukarts, marking his 7th goal of the season. Derek Arnold ripped a shot from the left point that hit Jackals goaltender, Andy Iles, and the rebound found the stick of Bukarts at the top of the crease where he slid it five-hole for the game-tying goal.

At 18:11 of the second period, Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman scored his 5th goal of the season to give Manchester a 2-1 lead. Daniel Doremus flipped the puck high into the air and into the neutral zone where LaVallee-Smotherman picked it up and made his way into the offensive zone. With a defender draped on his back, LaVallee-Smotherman flicked the puck to the top of the net over Iles to give Manchester their first lead of the night.

Matt Leitner extended the Monarchs lead at 8:58 of the third period when he scored his 3rd goal of the season. Quentin Shore tried a wrap-around attempt that Iles stopped, but the puck redirected into the slot where Leitner was waiting and he fired a one-timer into the back of the net to make the score, 3-1, Manchester.

The Monarchs scored their second power-play goal of the night when Daniel Ciampini cashed-in his 7th goal of the season at 12:58 of the final frame. Leitner took a shot from the slot that hit the chest of Iles, and Ciampini lifted the rebound up-and-over the shoulder of the sprawling goaltender to give the Monarchs a 4-1 lead.

With only :08 seconds left on the clock, Doremus sealed the deal for Manchester with his 4th tally of the season. LaValle-Smotherman wrapped the puck around the back of the net and connected with Doremus who was lingering in front where he tipped the puck past Iles to end the scoring.




Images from this story

Monarchs Maul Jackals, 5-1
Monarchs Maul Jackals, 5-1
(Rich Tilton)		   



ECHL Stories from December 16, 2016


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