Struggling Monarchs Lose In Philly
March 2, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania - Five games into a season-long 10 game stint away from the Verizon Wireless Arena, and the Manchester Monarchs are still looking for their first win. The Monarchs stretched their franchise-worst winless streak eight games (0-6-2) with a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms on Sunday night at the First Union Spectrum. The Phantoms, led by Patrick Sharp's two goals, remain in contention for the 10th and final Western Conference playoff spot with the win, their first in six games. The loss was especially damaging to the Monarchs, who dropped behind the Portland Pirates into third place in the North Division and fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Pirates, who host the Monarchs on Wednesday at the Cumberland County Civic Center, beat Springfield on Sunday in Portland.
The Phantoms quickly established an advantage in Sunday's game, scoring just 1:44 into play. Guillaume Lefebvre collected his seventh goal, beating goaltender Travis Scott with a slap shot from the right wing face-off circle. Defenseman Wade Skolney assisted.
Kirby Law tucked a rebound past Scott 8:43 into the game to make it 2-0 Phantoms. Peter Vandermeer and Ben Stafford earned assists on Law's 15th goal. Law had the only goal for the Phantoms in a 4-1 loss at Manchester on November 30, 2002.
The Monarchs slumping power play produced a goal five minutes later when captain Dane Jackson redirected defenseman Mike Pudlick's slap shot past goaltender Antero Niittymaki at 16:30. Steve Kelly also earned an assist on Jackson's sixth goal this season and 199th of his AHL career.
But the Phantoms quickly struck back with their own power play tally to regain a two-goal lead at 3-1. Andre Savage took advantage of a late period tripping call against the Monarchs to score his seventh goal with just 20 seconds remaining in the period. Savage deflected Peter White's scoring attempt. Brad Tiley also notched a point on the play.
The Monarchs outshot the Phantoms 11-7 in the middle period, but were unable to slip anything by Niittymaki, who finished with 18 saves. Sharp scored his first of two goals on the power play 7:49 into the middle period, with Tiley and Kirk Furey assisting.
Sharp recorded his second goal, and 10th overall, just 33 seconds into the final period to make it 5-1. Law and Furey assisted.
The Monarchs (30-19-9-3, 72 points) are off until Wednesday when they travel to Maine to meet the Pirates at 7:05 p.m. The Monarchs next home game is set for Friday, March 14, against the Lowell Lock Monsters at the Verizon Wireless Arena at 7:35 p.m. Only a few hundred tickets remain for that game. For Monarchs ticket information, call (603) 626-7825.
American Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2003
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