ECHL ECHL

Monarchs pull into tie for top spot in Eastern Conference

Published on February 1, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Winners of six straight games to go along with an 8-0-2 record in their last 10 games, the Manchester Monarchs have opened up a five-point lead in the East Division and moved into a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Manchester picked up three wins in three days in Orlando last week, starting with a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Colin Stevens stopped all 25 shots he faced to record his second shutout of the season while Josh Brown led the way offensively with two assists.

On Thursday, the Monarchs scored three times in a nine-minute span in the second period on their way to a 3-1 win. Mark Anthoine, Derek Arnold and Alex Guptill provided the goals and Doug Carr earned the win in goal with 39 saves, including 20 saves in the third period.

In the series finale on Friday, Manchester started quickly scoring twice in the opening period only to see the Solar Bears roar back to take a 3-2 lead with three goals in the second period. Matt Leitner tallied the tying goal midway through the third period, and the game eventually went to a shootout where Stevens stopped all four shots he faced and Arnold scored in the fourth round to give the Monarchs a 4-3 win.

Leitner ranks second among ECHL rookies with 28 assists and is third among first-year players with 37 points in 43 games this season. Maxim Kitsyn is fourth in the league with a +24 rating and is second with 149 shots on goal.

The Monarchs' 16 road wins are second in the league and the club's seven wins when trailing after two periods are the most in the ECHL.

Manchester concludes a four-game road trip on Wednesday at Reading before returning home for games against Elmira on Saturday and Sunday.

A look ahead

Games to watch in the ECHL during the week ahead. Watch ECHL games live on ECHL.TV.

Eastern Conference

Reading at Wheeling (Friday and Saturday)

The Royals enter the week holding the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 47 points while the Nailers sit six points off the pace.

Western Conference

Indy at Cincinnati (Friday) / Cincinnati at Indy (Saturday)

A crucial home-and-home series in the Midwest Division standings. The Fuel have gone 7-3-0 in their last 10 games to move into second place in the division and hold a three-point lead on the Cyclones, who have played four fewer games.

Divisions

East Division

- Ryan Constant is fifth among defensemen with 11 power-play assists.

- The Thunder are 20-5-3 when scoring first.

- Adirondack hosts Norfolk on Friday and Saturday.

- C.J. Motte leads rookie goaltenders with 761 saves.

- Elmira is tied for second with two shorthanded goals against.

- The Jackals visit Manchester on Saturday and Sunday.

- Colin Stevens earned his second career shutout on Wednesday at Orlando.

- The Monarchs are second in the league with 16 road wins (16-7-1).

- Manchester visits Reading on Wednesday and hosts Elmira on Saturday and Sunday.

- Ty Rimmer is fourth with 749 saves.

- Norfolk is 12-1-0 when leading after two periods.

- The Admirals are at Adirondack on Friday and Saturday.

- Yannick Tifu became the 35th player in ECHL history to play his 500th career game on Friday at Adirondack.

- The Royals are 9-2-2 when scoring first on the road.

- Reading hosts Manchester on Wednesday and is at Wheeling on Friday and Saturday.

North Division

- Mike Vernace is third among defensemen with 23 assists.

- The Beast have had a league-high 14 games decided in overtime or a shootout.

- Brampton hosts Fort Wayne on Tuesday and is at South Carolina on Friday and Atlanta on Saturday.

- Dane Fox leads the K-Wings with 17 goals and 35 points.

- Kalamazoo is tied for fifth with six shorthanded goals.

- The K-Wings host Toledo on Friday and Saturday.

- Jeff Lerg has tied his own Walleye club record with seven consecutive wins.

- The Walleye went 10-2-0 in January.

- Toledo is at Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday.

- Paul Cianfrini recorded his first career multi-goal game on Saturday at Elmira.

- Wheeling is 14-0-0 when leading after two periods.

- The Nailers are at Cincinnati on Wednesday and host Reading on Friday and Saturday.

South Division

- Derek Nesbitt leads the league with 22 goals.

- Atlanta is tied for the league lead with six overtime wins.

- The Gladiators host Florida on Friday and Brampton on Saturday.

- Matt Willows is second among rookies with 40 points (16g-24a).

- The Everblades are 17-7-1 against South Division opponents.

- Florida visits Atlanta on Friday and South Carolina on Saturday.

- Josh Nicholls leads the Swamp Rabbits with seven multi-point games.

- Fifteen of Greenville's last 17 games have been decided by two goals or less.

- The Swamp Rabbits are at Orlando on Thursday and Saturday.

- Rylan Schwartz has 17 points (9g-8a) in 14 games with the Solar Bears.

- Orlando is fifth with 3.07 goals per game.

- The Solar Bears host Greenville on Thursday and Saturday.

- David Pacan is on a six-game point streak (5g-4a).

- South Carolina is 18-2-1 when leading after one period.

- The Stingrays host Brampton on Friday and Florida on Saturday.

Midwest Division

- Jack Downing is second in the league with 21 goals.

- The Cyclones play 22 of their final 30 games against divisional opponents.

- Cincinnati hosts Wheeling on Friday and Indy on Saturday before visiting the Fuel on Saturday.

- Andrew Himelson is on a career-high four game point streak (1g-3a).

- Evansville plays four of its next five games at home after wrapping up a season-high six-game road trip.

- The IceMen host Rapid City on Saturday.

- Mason Geertsen scored his first career goal on Sunday at Kalamazoo.

- The Komets are 8-0-1 in their last nine home games.

- Fort Wayne is at Brampton on Tuesday and hosts Quad City on Saturday.

- Nick Mattson scored his first pro goal on Saturday against Evansville.

- Indy is 5-1-0 through the first six games of eight straight contests against divisional opponents.

- The Fuel travel to Cincinnati on Friday and host the Cyclones on Saturday.

- Kevin Gibson scored his first career goal on Friday at Kalamazoo.

- The Mallards have killed off 20 of their opponents' last 22 power plays.

- Quad City hosts Rapid City on Wednesday and Friday and travels to Fort Wayne on Saturday.

Central Division

- Dyson Stevenson played in his 100th pro game on Saturday at Tulsa.

- Allen is third on the power play at 21.4 percent (36-for-168).

- The Americans host Utah on Friday and Wichita on Saturday.

- Jesse Root is third with 20 goals.

- The Mavericks are 17-1-0 at home and have outscored their opponents 70-34 in those games.

- Missouri is at Tulsa on Wednesday and hosts Colorado Saturday.

- Phil Brewer has 10 points (5g-5a) in his last 10 games.

- Tulsa is fourth with 27.43 shots-against per game.

- The Oilers host Missouri on Wednesday and Utah on Friday and Sunday.

- Logan Nelson had his first pro hat trick on Wednesday against Evansville.

- The Thunder have been involved in 23 one-goal games, tied for second in the league.

- Wichita hosts Colorado on Friday and is at Allen on Saturday.

West Division

- Troy Redmann is second in the league in minutes played (1,880) and saves (856).

- Alaska is second with 34.09 shots per game.

- The Aces are at Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Trent Daavettila is second with 48 points (16g-32a).

- The Eagles are 18-5-1 when scoring first.

- Colorado is at Wichita on Friday and Missouri on Saturday.

- Carson McMillan recorded the Steelheads' first hat trick of the season on Wednesday against Rapid City.

- Idaho was 44-for-46 on the penalty kill in January (95.6 percent).

- The Steelheads host Alaska on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Brian O'Rourke scored his first career goal on Saturday at Utah.

- The Rush are third on the penalty kill at 86.5 percent (109-for-126).

- Rapid City is at Quad City on Wednesday and Friday and Evansville on Saturday.

- Alex Krushelnyski is fourth in ECHL with 19 goals and is tied for first with nine power-play goals.

- Utah has scored a league-high 147 goals.

- The Grizzlies visit Tulsa on Thursday and Saturday and Allen on Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from February 1, 2016


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