AHL Manchester Monarchs

Royal review

February 23, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


LAST WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

Vs. Lowell (2/18): Goaltender Milan Hnilicka made 23 saves in his first American Hockey League game in two months and recorded his first shutout of the season as the Monarchs blanked the Lowell Lock Monsters, 3-0, on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Arena. Left wing Noah Clarke had a part in all three goals as he scored two and assisted on another from center Michael Cammalleri.

Vs. Providence (2/20): Goaltender Adam Hauser stopped all 19 shots he faced in relief as the Monarchs skated by the Providence Bruins, 3-1, at the Dunkin' Donuts Center on Friday night. Hauser relieved goaltender Milan Hnilicka, who left the game with 1:23 left in the first period after spraining his right knee. Defenseman Troy Milam scored a short-handed goal, his first as a Monarch, midway through the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Center Jerred Smithson and left wing Noah Clarke added power play goals to give the Monarchs the victory. Hnilicka made six saves on seven shots before he left the game.

Vs. Portland (2/21): Left wing Noah Clarke scored his 19th goal of the season with less than two minutes left in the game to tie the Portland Pirates, 1-1, at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Saturday night. Goaltender Adam Hauser made 31 saves in 65 minutes of play and his counterpart, Portland goaltender Maxime Ouellet, made 32 saves. The Monarchs went 0-for-7 on the power play and killed all five of the Pirates power play opportunities.

TEAM NOTEs

Left wing Noah Clarke's three-game goal streak and six-game scoring streak are the longest of his career. The rookie from LaVerne, California, a ninth-round pick (250th overall) of the Los Angeles Kings in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, has four goals in his last three games and eight points (5-3=8) in his last six games.

Clarke's three-game goal streak is the second longest of its kind in the AHL. Albany's Aleksander Suglobov and Hershey's Travis Brigley each own four-game goal streaks. The longest goal streak in the League this season is five games.

Clarke and four other players, including Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Eric Meloche, Grand Rapids' Jiri Hudler, St. John's Karel Pilar and Suglobov, share the longest current scoring streak in the AHL at six games.

Clarke's two-goal effort against the Lowell Lock Monsters on Wednesday, February 18 marked his third multi-goal game of the season. Clarke also had two goals against the Worcester IceCats on January 31, and three goals against the Springfield Falcons on November 23.

Thanks to his recent hot streak, Clarke is within three points of St. John's Kyle Wellwood for the lead in rookie scoring in the AHL. Through 52 games, Clarke has 38 points (19-19=38). Wellwood has 41 points (13-28=41) in 54 games. Clarke's 19 goals rank third and his 19 assists rank fourth among first year players. His six power play goals rank third among rookies.

Center Jerred Smithson has points in four of his last five games (2-2=4). The 25-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta, enters tonight's action against the Binghamton Senators with a three-game scoring streak (1-2=3). The streak equals his longest of the season. Smithson also scored in three straight games from December 26-28.

With his 23 saves against the Lock Monsters on Wednesday, goaltender Milan Hnilicka helped the Monarchs set a new team record for shutouts in a season. The shutout against the Lock Monsters was the team's eighth of the season. The Monarchs collected seven shutouts during both the 2002-03 and 2001-02 seasons.

Goaltender Mathieu Chouinard, currently on recall with the Kings, has four of the Monarchs' eight shutouts this season. Goaltender Adam Hauser has three shutouts and Hnilicka has one.

Thanks to their 1-1 tie with the Portland Pirates on Saturday, February 21, the Monarchs finished their season-long six-game road trip through New England with a 3-1-2-0 record. The Monarchs outscored their opposition 15-9 in the six games.

The Monarchs are 6-4-3-0 in their last 13 road games after opening the season with just four wins in their first 16 games away from the Verizon Wireless Arena (4-10-1-1).

The Monarchs' three-game road unbeaten streak (2-0-1-0) is their longest of the season. They've outscored the opposition 7-2 in the three contests.

Through eight February games, the Monarchs are 4-2-2-0 with a goals-against-average of 1.75 and a save-percentage of .942. Hauser has appeared in five of the eight games for the Monarchs. In his five appearances, he has a record of 2-1-2, a goals-against-average of 1.87 and a save-percentage of .939.

Hauser's next appearance will be his 30th as a Monarch, tying him with former Monarch Cristobal Huet for second place on the all-time list. Huet appeared in 30 games for the Monarchs last year. The Monarchs' all-time appearance leader for a goaltender is Travis Scott. He appeared in 89 games from 2001-03.

Hauser is on pace to set a new career mark for goals-against-average in a Monarchs uniform. Through 29 games, he has a 2.11 goals-against-average. The Monarchs' career goals-against-average leader is Huet, who gathered a 2.29 goals-against-average in 30 career starts.

The Monarchs have killed 17 straight power plays. The streak dates back to the third period of their game at Providence on February 15.

The Monarchs are 23-3-2-2 when they score three or more goals this season. The last time they lost when they scored at least three goals was on January 31 vs. the Lock Monsters (4-3 at the Verizon Wireless Arena).

The Monarchs are 15-4-0-2 in 21 home games against the Atlantic Division this season. They are 2-3-1-0 in six games on home ice against the rest of the AHL

MONARCHS TRANSACTIONS

02/21/04 ADD Denike, Terry (G) recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)

02/20/04 DEL Cammalleri, Michael (C) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/20/04 DEL Chouinard, Mathieu (G) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/20/04 ADD Rosa, Pavel (RW) returned on loan from Los Angeles (NHL)

02/17/04 ADD Milam, Troy (D) signed to PTO

02/17/04 ADD Koehler, Greg (C) signed to PTO

02/17/04 ADD Hnilicka, Milan (G) returned on loan from Los Angeles (NHL)

02/16/04 DEL Brennan, Kip (LW) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/14/04 DEL Rosa, Pavel (RW) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/14/04 ADD Brennan, Kip (LW) conditioning loan from Los Angeles (NHL)

02/13/04 ADD Lisabeth, Travis (RW) signed to PTO

02/11/04 ADD Dameworth, Chad (D) signed to PTO

02/09/04 DEL Gleason, Tim (D) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/09/04 DEL Zizka, Tomas (D) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/09/04 DEL Tripp, John (RW) recalled by Los Angeles (NHL)

02/04/04 ADD Tripp, John (RW) conditioning loan from Los Angeles (NHL)

02/04/04 ADD Zizka, Tomas (D) returned on loan from Los Angeles (NHL)

MONARCHS INJURY REPORT

DATE PLAYER NAME # INJURY STATUS

02/20/04 Hnilicka, Milan 1 Knee Sprain Week-to-Week

02/15/04 Nolan, Doug 20 Separated Shoulder Week-to-Week

02/11/04 Kelly, Steve 11 Separated Shoulder Week-to-Week

02/04/04 Flinn, Ryan 49 Back Spasms Week-to-Week

01/11/04 Seeley, Richard 4 Sprained Wrist Week-to-Week

12/27/03 Welch, Dan 23 Shoulder Injury Out Indefinitely

09/04/03 Aulin, Jared 31 Dislocated Left Shoulder Out 4-6 Months

MONARCHS PRACTICE SCHEDULE

The Monarchs are scheduled to practice at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday at the Verizon Wireless Arena. The team will also practice at 9:20 a.m. at the Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett, New Hampshire on Friday.

MONARCHS PROMOTIONS

HEY ARNOLD APPEARANCE AT THE VERIZON WIRELESS ARENA

Hey kids, come meet Arnold from Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold TV show when the Monarchs host the Portland Pirates at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Wednesday, February 25 at 7:05 p.m. Get a free picture while supplies last. Don't miss your chance to meet this Nickelodeon star!

MAX'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Don't miss this amazing show as birthday boy Max puts on his wizard cape and conducts a magical intermission laser light show. The first 3,000 kids 12 and under will receive free Harry Potter glasses. All of Max's friends are invited to this birthday bash, set for Sunday, February 29 at 4:05 p.m.

MULLET NIGHT II

The Monarchs recently announced that a promotion that gained national attention one year ago is coming back to the Verizon Wireless Arena. Mullet Night II is scheduled for Friday, March 12 when the Monarchs host the Worcester IceCats at 7:35 p.m. The first 5,000 fans in attendance at Mullet Night II will receive a free Mullet wig, courtesy of TRIMZ Family Haircut Center. Like last year, the Monarchs will unveil another selection for the Mullet Hall of Fame as part of the night's festivities.

NH LEGENDS OF HOCKEY TO INDUCT 9

The New Hampshire Legends of Hockey will celebrate the Granite State's rich hockey tradition when it inducts nine new members into the organization on March 20, 2004. A special tribute to the city of Concord is also planned.

This year's inductees include: Willie Bibeau, Manchester; George Crowe, Hanover; Ron Dubreuil, Manchester; Hubie McDonough, Jr., Manchester; Tara Mounsey, Concord; Dick Osborne, Concord; Huskie Poirier, Berlin; Andre St. Laurent, Manchester; Dede Villeneuve, Berlin.

The nine inductees will be honored during a 3 p.m. luncheon at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford, and then introduced during an on-ice ceremony at the Verizon Wireless Arena prior to the Manchester Monarchs 7:35 p.m. match-up with the Providence Bruins. Tickets for the luncheon are $30 and can be purchased by calling Dick or Diane Theriault at (603) 895-2450.

As part of the night's festivities, the Monarchs will wear throwback jerseys featuring the crest of the Concord Budmen, a team that played senior hockey at Everett Arena in Concord from 1975-90. Following the game, the throwback jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds going to The New Hampshire Legends of Hockey, an organization that recognizes men and women in the state of New Hampshire who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of ice hockey.

TICKET AVAILABILITY FOR UPCOMING MONARCHS GAMES

Wed., Feb. 25 vs. Portland: 1,650 seats remain.

Sat., Feb. 28 vs. Utah: 430 seats remain.

Sun., Feb. 29 vs. Providence: Single seats remain.

Wed., Mar. 10 vs. Springfield: 2,700 seats remain.

Fri., Mar. 12 vs. Worcester: 250 seats remain.

Sat., Mar. 13 vs. Philadelphia: 200 seats remain.

MONARCHS IN THE COMMUNITY

Goaltender Mathieu Chouinard and right wing Dan Welch will visit Auburn Village School in Auburn, New Hampshire from 1:45-2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2. The players will talk to the students about the importance of setting goals and living a healthy lifestyle as part of the Monarchs' Goals For Success program.

The Monarchs are also scheduled to take their Goals For Success program to Peter Woodbury School in Bedford, New Hampshire from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.

For more Monarchs community events news, visit the Monarchs on-line at www.monarchshockey.com/community/.



American Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2004


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