AHL Manchester Monarchs

Monarchs Weekly Report

Published on December 13, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


LAST WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

Vs. Worcester (12/10): Goaltender Martin Jones matched a season-high record with 45 saves for the Manchester Monarchs as they defeated the Worcester Sharks, 4-1, at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday evening. Center Marc-Andre Cliche, center Corey Elkins (two) and left wing Dwight King lit the lamp for the Monarchs. Defenseman Matt Irwin tallied the lone goal for the Sharks. Jones (7-1-0) collected his seventh victory of the season, making 45 saves on 46 shots on goal. Stalock (12-9-2) dropped his ninth game of the season, halting 21-of-25 shots on goal. Goaltender Carter Hutton relieved Stalock after Elkins' second goal, stopping both shots on goal he faced.Manchester went 2-for-6 on the power play. Worcester was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

At Connecticut (12/11): Center Kris Newbury recorded a goal and two assists, including the game-winning goal, as the Connecticut Whale posted a 5-1 victory over the Manchester Monarchs at the XL Center on Saturday evening. Center Justin Azevedo collected the lone goal for the Monarchs. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh, right wing Mats Zuccarello (two) and center Evgeny Grachev joined Newbury on the scoreboard for the Whale. Monarchs goaltender Jeff Zatkoff (9-9-1) drew his ninth loss of the season, making 31 saves on 36 shots on goal. Whale netminder Chad Johnson (8-10-3) collected his eighth victory of the season, halting 22-of-23 shots on net. Manchester went 0-for-2 on the power play. Connecticut was 1-for-7 with the man advantage.

Vs. Portland (12/12): Left wing Derek Whitmore scored two goals for the Portland Pirates as they defeated the Manchester Monarchs by a 4-2 score at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Sunday afternoon. Defenseman Thomas Hickey and center Corey Elkins picked up tallies for the Monarchs. Along with Whitmore's two goals, left wing Colin Stuart and center Maxime Legault found the back of the net for the Pirates. Monarchs goaltender Martin Jones (7-2-0) received his second loss of the season, making 39 saves on 43 shots on goal. Pirates netminder David Leggio (9-2-0) won his ninth game of the season, halting 25-of-27 shots on goal. Manchester went 1-for-9 on the power play. Portland was 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

MONARCHS NEWS & NOTES

The Manchester Monarchs (17-11-1-1, 36 points) dropped two out of three games this weekend and are now tied for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Portland Pirates (17-8-1-1, 36 points) with 36 points each. The Worcester Sharks (15-8-1-4, 35 points) are nipping at the Monarchs and Pirates heels with 35 points.

After winning nine out of their last 12 games dating back to November 14, the Monarchs dropped back-to-back games this weekend with a 5-1 loss to the Connecticut Whale on Saturday and a 4-2 loss to the Pirates on Sunday.

Manchester's power play is ranked 16th in the AHL as they have scored 26 goals on 148 opportunities for a 17.6% conversion rate. On the penalty kill, the Monarchs are ranked 16th in the league as they have given up 25 goals when they have been down a man. They have been shorthanded 143 times this season and have an 82.5% penalty kill rating.

Center Andrei Loktionov leads the Monarchs with 16 assists and 20 points (4-16=20). For the first time this season, he was held off the scoreboard in three consecutive games this weekend.

Loktionov shares the team lead in the plus/minus category with defensemen Thomas Hickey (3-9=12) and Jake Muzzin (1-7=8). Each player has a plus-9 rating.

Center Corey Elkins (9-10=19) moved up the rankings this weekend with three goals in three days to place him in a three-way tie for second on the Monarchs roster along side left wing Bud Holloway (6-13=19) and defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov (4-15=19) with 19 points each.

Elkins' nine tallies are tied for first place on the roster with center Justin Azevedo (9-7=16) and left wing David Meckler (9-4=13).

Elkins also has a plus/minus rating of plus-7 which ranks him second on the team among active players.

Holloway's six-game scoring streak was snapped on Friday when Worcester held the left winger off the scoreboard. Holloway recorded six points (2-4=6) over six games from November 26 to December 5.

Voynov is currently on a three-game assist and point streak as he picked up four assists over the weekend.

Voynov also has six assists over his last six games.

Center Oscar Moller (6-11=17) is ranked fifth on the Monarchs with 17 points in 19 games with Manchester. He was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, December 10 and played in his first NHL game this season in the Kings 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, December 11. Moller did not record a point in that game.

Azevedo is tied with right wing Brandon Kozun (7-9=16) and defenseman Alec Martinez (5-11=16) for sixth place on the Monarchs roster with 16 points apiece.

Azevedo is tied for second place in the AHL in game-winning goals with three, his most recent winning tally coming against the Hartford Wolf Pack on November 17.

Azevedo had a three-game scoring streak snapped on Sunday when he was held off the scoreboard by the Pirates. The center recorded two goals and an assist for three points from December 5-11.

Kozun is tied for 14th in the AHL among rookies with 16 points.

Martinez's 16 points are tied for 16th amongst all AHL blueliners. Martinez, recalled by Los Angeles on November 23, scored his first NHL goal the next evening as he scored against netminder Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in a 4-1 loss. Martinez has appeared in seven games with the Kings and has three points (2-1=3). Most recently, Martinez picked up a goal and an assist against the Detroit Red Wings in the Kings 3-2 overtime win on December 4.

After recording 19 penalty minutes during Saturday's game against Connecticut, left wing Richard Clune's 108 penalty minutes places him third overall in the league in the same category. Right wing Justin Johnson is ranked 10th in the AHL with 86 penalty minutes.

Goaltender Jeff Zatkoff has a record of 9-9-1 with a 3.11 goals-against-average and a 0.895 save percentage in 19 games this season.

Netminder Martin Jones has played in 12 games with the Monarchs and has collected a record of 7-2-0 with a 1.72 goals-against-average and a .946 save percentage.

Jones' 1.72 goals-against-average places him in third place in the AHL in that category and his 0.946 save percentage is ranked second in the league.

MONARCHS TRANSACTIONS

12/11/10: The Manchester Monarchs (AHL) signed defenseman Jordan Hill to a professional tryout agreement.

12/10/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) recalled center Oscar Moller from the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

12/8/10: The Manchester Monarchs (AHL) released right wing Zach Harnden from his AHL contract.

12/1/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) assigned left wing Dwight King to the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

11/29/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) recalled center Brayden Schenn from his conditioning assignment from the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

11/28/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) reassigned right wing John Zeiler to the Ontario Reign (ECHL).

11/23/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) recalled defenseman Alec Martinez from the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

11/23/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) assigned defenseman Jake Muzzin to the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

11/18/10: The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) assigned center Brayden Schenn on a conditioning stint to the Manchester Monarchs (AHL).

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American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2010


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