Worcester Downs Monarchs, 5-3
Published on March 28, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire â One streak ended and one streak grew by a game as the Worcester IceCats edged the Manchester Monarchs, 5-3, at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday night. The setback was the first in eight games for the Monarchs, who entered play with a 6-0-1-0 record in their previous seven. Meanwhile, the IceCats, hoping to avoid the preliminary round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, pushed their unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2-0) with the help of three third period goals. The Monarchs loss coupled with Bridgeport's win means the Sound Tigers are within three points of the Monarchs and fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a head-to-head meeting planned for the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night. The top four conference finishers will host a first round best-of-five playoff set.
Five different players scored for the IceCats, who rode a strong goaltending effort from Reinhard Divis to the victory. Eric Healey upped his league-leading goal total to 39 in the loss, the first on home ice for the Monarchs since Worcester blanked the Monarchs, 3-0, on February 22.
The Monarchs overwhelmed the visitors from Worcester in the opening stanza, attempting 10 shots compared to the IceCats three. One of the shots, triggered by Healey, found the back of the net 3:50 into play. Healey's 38th goal of the season came after Divis deflected defenseman Mike Pudlick's shot into the slot. Chris Schmidt also picked up an assist on the play, his third in three games since returning to the Queen City after a lengthy stint in Los Angeles with the Kings
Divis, who entered play with an impressive 5-0-0 record and ..950 save percentage, stiffened in the middle period, repelling all 14 Monarchs shots. He was at his best late in the period with the Monarchs holding the 5-on-3 man advantage, stopping chance after chance including Jeff Giuliano's close range wrister 18 minutes in.
With Divis looking more like a wall than a hockey player, the IceCats rallied in the middle period to take a 2-1 lead. Defenseman Terry Virtue tied the game with his fifth goal of the season 7:34 into the period. East Coast Hockey League import Ernie Hartlieb scored his sixth goal in just 19 games to give the IceCats the lead two minutes later.
Defenseman Mike Stuart scored his first goal of the season 60 seconds into the final period to make it 3-1 IceCats. Excellent stick work in the crease from Healey made it a 3-2 game at 2:54. Pudlick and Derek Bekar assisted on Healey's 39th marker. But Jason Dawe once again pushed the Monarchs deficit to two one minute later as his long range shot deflected off of Travis Scott's glove and bounced into the net.
The Monarchs pulled to within one goal when Brandon Dietrich scored with 6:15 remaining. But the equalizer never did come for the Monarchs, who yielded an empty net goal to John Pohl at the 19-minute mark of the period.
The Monarchs, who hosted their 19th sellout of the season, are likely to host another sellout when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night (7:35). For ticket information, contact the Monarchs at (603) 626-7825.
NOTES: The Los Angeles Kings on Friday assigned Pavel Rosa to the Monarchs...Rosa, 25, appeared in the Kings-Colorado game on Thursday night...In 55 games with the Monarchs this season, the native of Most, Czech Republic, has 54 points (24-30=54) and 14 penalty minutes...Rosa is expected to be back in the Monarchs lineup when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night ...The Monarchs on Friday signed rookie Leon Hayward to a professional tryout agreement...Hayward, who turns 24 on Saturday, has appeared in 67 games with the Richmond Renegades of the East Coast Hockey League, scoring 25 points (12-13=25)...Hayward also has 107 penalty minutes...A record-setting total of 330,808 fans have witnessed Monarchs hockey this season after 37 home dates...The Monarchs, who lead the AHL with an average of nearly 9,000 fans per contest, welcomed 327, 964 fans to the Verizon Wireless Arena during their entire inaugural season (40 games).
American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2003
- Crunch beat point leader Bulldogs - OSC Original by Ed Gonser
- Syracuse Defeats Bulldogs, 3-1 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Worcester Downs Monarchs, 5-3 - Manchester Monarchs
- Sound Tigers Beat Albany 4-1 At Home - Bridgeport Islanders
- Phantoms win 3-2 in OT at Cincinnati - Adirondack Phantoms
- Barons Fall To Hershey, 5-3 - Cleveland Barons
- Wolves Down Griffins 3-1 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Ducks fall to Phantoms in OT - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Brule Blasts Cleveland with First Hershey Hat Trick of Season - Hershey Bears
- Ward & Bergeron Named to AHL All-Star Teams - Hamilton Bulldogs
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- Rampage to Don and Auction Patriotic Jerseys - San Antonio Rampage
- Bulldogs Support Travis Battle - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Ouellet Gets All-Star Nod - Portland Pirates
- Mason Reassigned by Panthers - San Antonio Rampage
- Cincinnati Might Ducks Tonight - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Tonight's Griffins Game Sold Out - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Griffins Land Three on AHL All-Star Teams - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Syracuse Signs Clarkson's Mike Walsh - Syracuse Crunch
- AHL All-Star Teams Announced - AHL
- Pothier named to second all-star team - Binghamton Senators
- Calder Cup Comes To Portland - Portland Pirates
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Weekend Preview - Toronto Marlies
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