AHL Manchester Monarchs

Monarchs Rally To Beat The Admirals 5-3

Published on March 26, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


NORFOLK, VA – Center Michael Cammalleri's first career hat trick highlighted a torrid road comeback for the Manchester Monarchs, who spotted the Norfolk Admirals a three-goal lead, and then rallied for a 5-3 win at the Norfolk Scope on Friday night.

The win was the Monarchs ninth in 11 games (9-2-0-0) and seventh in nine road tilts (7-1-1-0). The win also gave the Monarchs a 1-1-0-0 record two games into their four-game swing through the southern tier of the American Hockey League.

With the victory, the Monarchs (37-23-6-5, 85 points) pulled to within three points of the Atlantic Division-leading Hartford Wolf Pack (37-20-12-2, 88 points), who skated to a 2-2 tie with the third place Worcester IceCats (32-24-12-3, 79 points) on Friday night. The second place Monarchs lead the IceCats by six points and the fourth place Providence Bruins (32-24-10-4, 78 points) by seven points in the standings. The Bruins lost 2-1 in overtime to the fifth place Lowell Lock Monsters (32-29-6-5, 75 points) on Friday night.

The Admirals dominated the first period, scoring on a penalty shot, on a power play chance and while short-handed to take a 3-0 lead. The Admirals were credited with 19 of the 22 shots registered in the opening stanza.

Left wing Igor Radulov opened the scoring with a penalty shot goal just 1:20 into the contest. Radulov beat goaltender Milan Hnilicka (16 saves) for his ninth goal moments after defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov tackled him in the Monarchs' zone.

The Admirals doubled their lead 8:02 later with center Jason Morgan's power play goal, scored with assistance from right wing Yorick Treille and forward Carsen Germyn. The goal was Morgan's fourth in 10 games with the Admirals since returning from a stint with the Chicago Blackhawks last month. It was his 10th overall. Morgan opened the 2003-04 season with the Lowell Lock Monsters.

Defenseman Marty Wilford closed the period with a short-handed tally at 19:04. Morgan had the lone assist on Wilford's fourth this season.

Head coach Bruce Boudreau replaced Hnilicka with goaltender Adam Hauser to start the second period, and the change paid dividends early. The Monarchs stormed back with the next three goals to tie the game after two periods.

Defenseman Bryan Muir's power play goal 5:30 into the middle period started the rally. Defenseman Tomas Zizka collected the lone assist on Muir's 11th this season and fourth with the man-advantage.

The Monarchs completed the comeback with a pair of goals from Cammalleri – one at 8:22 of the period, and the other at 9:19. Center Steve Kelly and Kuznetsov assisted on Cammalleri's first of the game and 14th of the season. Forwards Sam Ftorek and Leon Hayward shared assists on Cammalleri's second goal of the game and 15th of the season.

Cammalleri needed only 1:42 of the final period to net his first professional hat trick. He tucked away his third of the game and 16th of the season after receiving Kelly's backhand pass in the slot. Right wing Pavel Rosa also collected an assist on the play.

Rosa, the AHL's leading scorer, padded the Monarchs lead just 4:25 later with his team-leading 34th goal. Defenseman Joe Rullier assisted on Rosa's league-leading 78th point this season (34-44=78).

Hauser (19-13-6) earned the win in relief. He repelled all 19 shots fired his way over the final two periods to post his sixth straight victory. Goaltender Craig Anderson (17-17-0) took the loss. He finished with 17 saves.

The Monarchs return to action when they meet the Hershey Bears at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 at Giants Center. The Monarchs next home game is slated for 7:35 p.m. on Friday, April 2 versus the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Only single seats remain for Friday's game. For ticket information, visit the Monarchs on-line at www.monarchshockey.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2004


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