AHL Manchester Monarchs

Monarchs Win Texas-Style Showdown

Published on February 10, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


MANCHESTER, NH - Left wing Noah Clarke rounded-up his first multi-goal game since November 5 to lift the Manchester Monarchs over the Houston Aeros at the Verizon Wireless Arena in front of 8,284 fans on Saturday night.

Manchester (30-14-2-4, 66 points) is in second place in the Atlantic Division. Houston (35-13-1-2, 73 points) is in first place in the North Division.

Defenseman Scott Ferguson scored his second goal of the season at 3:10 of the first stanza to put the Aeros up 1-0. Ferguson collected a pass from center Petr Taticek and fired a slap shot that created a fluttering, rubberized knuckleball that goaltender Barry Brust could not control. Center Eric Westrum assisted on the first goal of the game.

Forward Brendan Bernakevitch scored his seventh goal of the season at 12:55 of the first period. Defenseman Marty Wilford gingerly tossed the puck down the right boards to right wing Brad Smyth who saw Bernakevitch open at the hash marks. Sending Smyth's pass into the back of the net with a one-timer past goaltender Seamus Kotyk, Bernakevitch evened the score at 1-1.

The Monarchs took the lead at the very end of an aggressive, hard fought second period. Ranked third in penalty killing, Houston's defenseman Dustin Wood went off for hooking at 18:45. After the Aeros cleared the puck for the second time, the Monarchs regrouped in their zone and started the rush down the ice. Defenseman Mark Ardelan passed the puck up to center Greg Hogeboom who skated into the Aeros zone down the right side. With both left wing Petr Kanko and Clarke streaking toward the net, Hogeboom threw the puck out front. Clarke picked up the loose puck and sent a wrist shot into the top left corner of the net and past Kotyk for his fourth power play goal and 10th overall goal of the season at 19:58 of the second period.

Houston took advantage of a 3-on-2 breakaway to tie the game at 2-2 at 8:15 of the final frame. Westrum carried the puck down the right side and pulled Ardelan toward the puck. Westrum sent the puck over to right wing Kirby Law who skated up to Brust and tried to shove the puck in at the left post. Brust made the initial save but defenseman Erik Reitz trailed Law and jammed in the rebound for his fifth goal of the season.

Clarke scored his second of the night at 13:05 of the third period on a shorthanded breakaway. Clarke picked up the puck at center ice from defenseman Joey Mormina and skated to the hash marks in front of Kotyk. He let go a bomb of a wrist shot that buzzed into the left corner of the net to give the Monarchs their lead back.

An insurance goal was needed against one of the best offensive hockey teams in the AHL and Hogeboom gave the Monarchs one at 15:31 of the final stanza. Center Connor James came streaking down the right wing and tried to shove the puck under Kotyk but was denied. Hogeboom crashed the net with James and was able to nudge the rebound across the goal line for his fifth of the season. Mormina earned his second assist of the night.

Brust (13-5-1) earned his 13th victory of the season with 26 saves. Kotyk (10-6-2) took the loss stopping 30 saves.

Manchester went 1-for-3 on the power play. Houston was 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

The Monarchs finish their five-game homestand on Saturday night with a 7:35 p.m. meeting with the Providence Bruins at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network (WGIR-AM 610, Manchester; WGIN-AM 930, Rochester; WGIP-AM 1540, Exeter) and at www.monarchshockey.com. Watch the game live on B2 Networks for just $6 per game. Log onto www.monarchshockey.com and click on the link to B2 Networks ten minutes prior to the each Monarchs game to watch the game live!

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American Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2006


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