Manchester and Hartford are just underway at the Verizon. The Monarchs have dropped two straight games (Friday and Saturday) and are looking to come out of the weekend with more than the one point they garnered on Friday in an OT loss to the Wolf Pack.
Jonathan Bernier is in net for Manchester after getting last night off. Steve Valliquette is in goal from Hartford. Valliquette is trying to rescue his game after spending a few years as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup with the Rangers in the NHL. Valliquette struggled in New York and has been exiled to Hartford (clearing waivers on his way down).
Manchester leads 1-0 less than 5:00 in.
The Monarchs and Admirals are tied 1-1 after one period. Manchester goalie Jeff Zatkoff has been sharp so far, stopping 15 of 16 shots as Norfolk continues to apply pressure. During one sequence midway through the period, Zatkoff made several saves in a row, including a nice right pad stop after he had lost his stick.
Gabe Gauthier has the Manchester goal.
We’re just over 2:00 into play tonight as Manchester hosts Norfolk and the Admirals have come out with some jump. The game remains 0-0, but Norfolk has had the early edge in play. Norfolk recently fired head coach Darren Rumble and replaced him with assistant Jim Johnson. That is often enough to spark a team, especially in hockey.
Jeff Zatkoff is in net for Manchester to give Jonathan Bernier (who played last night in Hartford and is expected to play tomorrow when Hartford visits) a breather.
With the AHL All-Star skills competition (Monday) and All-Star game (Tuesday) taking place in Portland over the next couple days, it appears that many fans headed North have made the Monarchs/Wolf Pack game a stopping point along the way. There appear to be more jerseys from other AHL teams (Worcester and Springfield most noticeable) on hand today. There are also a solid number of Hartford fans at the Big V as well.
Manchester leads 3-1 after one period.
The Monarchs have signed defenseman Johann Kroll to a pro tryout agreement and he is in the lineup today as Manchester prepares to take on Hartford at the Verizon. Kroll is 25 and played at Ohio State University. He has been with South Carolina in the ECHL this season, scoring one goal and seven assists in 26 games.
If there’s any doubt that the Monarchs and Lowell Devils have developed a nice border rivalry, the two fights in the first 1:08 of tonight’s game at the Verizon should help remove it.
At the 49 second mark, Manchester’s Richard Clune and Devil Brad Mills dropped the gloves right off a faceoff and then embarked on an epic battle. Both men threw and landed numerous blows, with Mills getting the edge thanks to a hard punch that buckled Clune’s knees and ended the tussle. Just 19 seconds later, Manchester’s Dwight King and Lowell’s Louis Robitaille went at it. The second fight on the card had a lot to live up to after Clune/Mills, and ended with little fanfare.
The Monarchs are set to faceoff with Springfield in just a few minutes at the Verizon and they will do so without defenseman Alec Martinez, who was called up the Kings today. Martinez is a steady defenseman, but will be missed most on the power play where he quarterbacks the play from the point.
But the callup is good news for Martinez, who began the year in LA but got hurt early in the season and was sent to Manchester when he was healed.
The Monarchs have signed veteran center Tom Cavanagh to a one-year minor league deal. Cavanagh has played most os hist career in the AHL with Worcester. He had his career best year with the Sharks in 2007-08, scoring 19-36-55 in the minors and playing 18 games in the NHL.
After allowing three goals on five shots, Jeff Zatkoff is on the bench for the second period and Jonathan Bernier is in net. Lowell leads 3-0 early in the second.
Captain Drew Bagnall has returned to the lineup after missing the past few weeks with an injury. He’s team with long-time blue line partner Joe Piskula.
