Monarchs Weekly Report
Published on October 10, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
LAST WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
vs. Springfield (10/7): Center Marc-Andre Cliche recorded a natural hat trick to lift the Manchester Monarchs to a 5-2 victory over the Springfield Falcons at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday night. Center Justin Azevedo scored the first goal of the 2011-12 season and left wing David Meckler added an insurance goal toward the end of the second period to add on to Cliche's hat trick. Falcons left wing Alexandre Giroux and center Cody Bass each scored a goal in the third period. Monarchs goaltender Martin Jones earned his first win of the season by stopping 23-of-25 shots. Falcons goaltender Paul Dainton took his first loss of the season with 24 saves on 29 shots. Manchester went 1-for-4 on the power play. Springfield was 0-for-6 with the man advantage.
vs. St. John's (10/8): Center Riley Holzapfel scored the lone goal of the game leading the St. John's IceCaps to a 1-0 victory over the Manchester Monarchs at Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night. Monarchs goaltender Martin Jones (1-1-0) earned his first loss of the season stopping 22-of-23 shots. IceCaps goaltender Peter Mannino (1-0) earned his first win and shutout of the season with 23 saves. Manchester went 0-for-5 on the power play. St. John's was 1-for-2 with the man advantage.
MONARCHS NEWS & NOTES
The Manchester Monarchs (1-1-0-0) are tied for second place in the Atlantic Division with two points. The St. John's IceCaps (2-0-0-0) lead the division with four points followed by the Worcester Sharks (1-0-0-0) and the Portland Pirates (1-0-0-0) who are tied with the Monarchs for second place with two points each. The Providence Bruins (0-2-0-0) sit in fifth place in the division with zero points.
The American Hockey League re-aligned the conferences this off-season and created three divisions in each conference. The Eastern Conference now consists of Atlantic Division, the Northeast Division and the East Division. The Western Conference consists of the North Division, the Midwest Division and the West Division.
The Monarchs have begun the season at home six times over the last 11 seasons and have improved their overall record in Home Openers to 7-4-0-0 with their 5-2 victory over the Springfield Falcons on Friday night. In those six seasons that are both the Home Opener and Season Opener, the Monarchs have a record of 3-3-0-0.
Monarchs Season Opener History
October 5, 2001, 6-3 loss to Lowell at the Tsongas Arena
October 11, 2002, 7-3 loss to Lowell at the Verizon Wireless Arena
October 10, 2003, 3-2 loss to Worcester at the Verizon Wireless Arena
October 15, 2004, 5-2 win over Worcester at the Verizon Wireless Arena
October 8, 2005, 4-3 loss to Hartford at the Hartford Civic Center
October 7, 2006, 5-4 shootout win over Worcester at the Verizon Wireless Arena
October 6, 2007, 2-1 loss to Providence at the Verizon Wireless Arena
October 11, 2008, 6-3 loss to Portland at the Cumberland County Civic Center
October 3, 2009, 6-3 win over Albany at the Times Union Center
October 9, 2010, 6-5 loss to Portland at the Cumberland County Civic Center
October 7, 2011, 5-2 win over Springfield at the Verizon Wireless Arena
Monarchs Home Opener History
November 16, 2001, 3-1 win over the Lowell Lock Monsters
October 11, 2002, 7-3 loss to the Lowell Lock Monsters
October 10, 2003, 3-2 loss to the Worcester IceCats
October 15, 2004, 5-2 win over the Worcester IceCats
October 15, 2005, 3-2 overtime win over the Springfield Falcons
October 7, 2006, 5-4 shootout win over the Worcester Sharks
October 6, 2007, 2-1 loss to the Providence Bruins
October 18, 2008, 2-1 loss to the Lowell Devils
October 17, 2009, 4-0 win over the Portland Pirates
October 16, 2010, 5-2 win over the Providence Bruins
October 7, 2011, 5-2 win over the Springfield Falcons
The Monarchs own a 38-4-3-0 record all-time against the Falcons at home.
Manchester's game against St. John's on Saturday was the first meeting with the new franchise.
Monarchs center Marc-Andre Cliche recorded a natural hat trick in the Home Opener on Friday night. Cliche scored on his first three shots and finished with five shots on goal.
Cliche's three goals was the 21st hat trick in Monarchs history. The last hat trick by a Monarchs player, also a natural hat trick, was recorded by left wing Dwight King in a 4-0 victory against the Norfolk Admirals on February 20, 2011.
Cliche's three goals are tied for first in the AHL among goal scorers.
The last Opening Night hat trick for a Monarchs player happened at the start of the 2009-10. Center Andrei Loktionov tallied three goals and an assist in a 6-3 victory against the Albany River Rats on October 3, 2009.
Loktionov's three assists are tied for second place in the AHL for assists.
Cliche and Loktionov are tied for seventh in the AHL with three points each.
Monarchs center Justin Azevedo scored the Monarchs first goal of the 2011-12 season at 9:57 of the first period Friday night.
With 19 penalty minutes in Friday night's victory, left wing Richard Clune moved into fifth place for the Monarchs all-time leader in career penalty minutes with 454.
Clune's 19 penalty minutes rank second in the AHL.
Monarchs goaltender Martin Jones recorded his first professional point, an assist, in Friday's win over the Falcons. The assist came on the Azevedo strike in the first period of Friday night's Home Opener.
Jones suprassed the 1,000 save plateau in Friday's victory. After Saturday's game, Jones now has 1,043 saves in a Monarchs uniform, ranking eighth all-time in team history.
Left wing David Meckler has played in 300 AHL games, all in Manchester.
Meckler's 300 Monarchs games are the most games played by a single player in franchise history.
The last time the Monarchs were shutout was April 1, 2011, a 2-0 defeat against the Worcester Sharks.
MONARCHS PROMOTIONS
Canadian Heritage Night - The Monarchs will be celebrating the strong local ties with Canadian and Franco-American Heritage on October 29, 2011. The Monarchs will don a special Canadian-themed jersey for the occassion with the Monarchs Care Foundation auctioning off the unique jerseys at the game. Traditional Canadian and Franco-American foods such as poutine and Montreal smoked meat will be served to fans who attend the game.
MONARCHS TRANSACTIONS
10/7/11 - The Manchester Monarchs (AHL) signed defenseman Joe Charlebois to a professional tryout agreement.
10/7/11 - The Manchester Monarchs (AHL) signed center Robbie Czarnik to a professional tryout agreement.
10/7/11 - The Manchester Monarchs (AHL) signed defenseman Jordan Hill to a professional tryout agreement.
American Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2011
- Canadiens Recall Aaron Palushaj from Bulldogs - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Whale Weekly - Connecticut Whale
- Rampage Weekly Update - San Antonio Rampage
- Kings Assign Zatkoff to the Monarchs - Manchester Monarchs
- Crunch Announce Details of Mirabito Headband Giveaway - Syracuse Crunch
- Sharks Teeth Look Sharp in Season Opener - Worcester Sharks
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Coyotes Recall Chris Summers from Portland - Portland Pirates
- Griffins to Battle Marlies in Home Opener - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Defenseman Taylor Chorney Assigned to Oklahoma City - Oklahoma City Barons
- Monarchs Weekly Report - Manchester Monarchs
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Hillside Family of Agencies Named Presenting Sponsor of Crunch Foundation Prize Wheel - Syracuse Crunch
- Rockford Unbeaten in Week 1 - Rockford IceHogs
- Sova, Young Reassigned to Kalamazoo - Albany Devils
- Troy Ward & Randy Moeller On This Week's Puska On Pucks - OSC Original by Denis Puska
- Lightning Sign LW Ondrej Palat to Entry-Level Contract - Norfolk Admirals
- Iiro Impressive in Preseason - Syracuse Crunch
- Bears Open 74th Season On High Note - Hershey Bears
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