Sports stats

ECHL Reading Royals

Royal Review

October 14, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Friday, October 11, Lowell 7, Manchester 3 Friday, October 18, Portland at Manchester, 7:35 p.m.*

Saturday, October 12, Manchester 6, Lowell 3 Saturday, October 19, Manchester at Hartford, 7:05 p.m.

*The first 5,000 fans attending Friday's game will receive a free magnetic schedule from Dunkin' Donuts.

Sherwood AHL Player Of The Week Nomination: Center Derek Armstrong's hat trick performance vs. the Lowell Lock Monsters on Saturday, October 12 earned him this week's Sherwood AHL Player of the Week Nomination. Armstrong, a former American Hockey League Most Valuable Player, collected the second Monarchs hat trick in team history by netting a short-handed goal in the first period, a power play goal in the second period, and an even strength goal in the third period of the Monarchs 6-3 win. Adam Mair is the only other Monarchs player to net a hat trick. Mair collected a trio of goals vs. the Hartford Wolf Pack during last year's first round playoff series. He scored the three goals in game three of the series, which took place on April 17, 2002. Below are Armstrong's totals for the week.

10/11/02 vs. Lowell: 0-0-0, six shots, 4 PIM, -2

10/12/02 vs. Lowell: 3-0-3, seven shots, 0 PIM, +2, (ppg, shg, gwg)

Totals: 3-0-3, 13 shots, 4 PIM, Even, (ppg, shg, gwg)

Other Monarchs Notables From Week One: Monarchs goaltender Cristobal Huet stopped 32 shots and earned his first American Hockey League win on Saturday, October 12 vs. the Lowell Lock Monsters. Huet was especially strong in the first period, stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced.

Monarchs rookie centerman Yanick Lehoux averaged 61 goals during his last two years of junior play while skating with Baie-Comeau of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Lehoux's goal-scoring acumen looks just as strong in the professional ranks after his first weekend of action. The 20-year-old recorded three goals in two games, and two of the goals were scored on the power play.

The Monarchs have played before a sellout crowd in seven of their past eight regular season home games at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester. The paid attendance for Friday's home opener was 9,893. The Monarchs finished third in AHL attendance last year, averaging over 8,000 fans per contest.

Defensemen Jason Holland and Joe Corvo each registered points in both weekend games against the Lock Monsters. Holland had an assist in each game, and Corvo had an assist in Friday's game and one goal and one assist in Saturday's game. Corvo's goal, scored into an empty net, traveled nearly 200 feet in the air before landing in its destination.

Five of the nine Monarchs goals scored during week one of the AHL season were special teams goals. The Monarchs had two power play goals on Friday, and two power play goals and a short-handed goal on Saturday.

Four of the 10 goals allowed by the Monarchs this season have been scored with the Monarchs playing short-handed. The Lock Monsters scored two power play goals in each of the two games last weekend.

Week One Recap: Friday, October 11, Lowell 7, Manchester 3

The Manchester Monarchs fell in their season opener 7-3 to the Lowell Lock Monsters on Friday night at the Verizon Wireless Arena before a sellout crowd of 9,893. Lowell's Jeff Daw scored the eventual game-winner at 9:15 of the second period on the power play to put the Lock Monsters on top for good.

The first period featured a frenzy of scoring, with Lowell striking first just five minutes into the period on a power play tally by defenseman Kaspars Astashenko. The Monarchs answered two minutes later on a goal by center Steve Kelly. Rookie Jared Aulin assisted on the play.

Manchester then went up 2-1 on a power play goal by center Yanick Lehoux. Left wing Eric Healey and defenseman Jason Holland assisted on the play. But Lowell tied things up just a minute later on a goal by center Craig MacDonald. Lowell went up a goal two minutes later on a tally by center Mike Watt.

Lowell added two goals in the second period (Jeff Daw and Mike Zigomanis)and two in the third (Jeff Heerema and Brad DeFauw)to solidify the win.

Healey added a power play tally in the final 30 seconds of the game.

Lowell netminder Jean-Marc Pelletier made 44 saves in the victory while Manchester's Travis Scott turned away 21 shots in the loss.

Week One Recap: Saturday, October 12, Manchester 6, Lowell 3

Centerman Derek Armstrong recorded Manchester's second hat trick in club history, and netminder Cristobal Huet turned aside 32 Lowell shots as the Monarchs earned a weekend split with the Lock Monsters with Saturday's 6-3 victory. Saturday's game was played at the Paul E. Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA.

Armstrong, an American Hockey League Most Valuable Player two seasons ago, began his magical night with an unassisted short-handed goal at 5:49 of the first period. "Army's" second marker was netted at 6:24 of the second period on the power play, and his third lamplighter was planted into the back of the Lowell net at 14:32 of the third period.

Lowell never did have a lead in Saturday's game, but the reigning North Division Champs answered Armstrong's first two tallies with markers from forward Jeff Heerema in the first, and forward Mike Zigomanis in the second.

A power play goal from Yanick Lehoux at 6:19 of the third period gave the Monarchs a brief 3-2 advantage, but Lowell forward Mike Watt sniped a goal less than a minute later to tie the game. Next would come Armstrong's hat trick goal, plus a pair of empty net goals; one from Lehoux and the other from defenseman Joe Corvo.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics



ECHL Stories from October 14, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Reading Royals Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central