The Manchester Monarchs had another good weekend, winning two of three games to remain in first place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. The Monarchs, at 24-12-1-1, have a seven-point lead in the division.
On Friday, Manchester beat Providence 7-2 after trailing 3-2 early in the second period. Oscar Moller had one goal and four assists, David Kolomatis had two goals, Marc-Andre Cliche had one goal and two assists and Bud Holloway, Andrei Loktionov and David Meckler each had one goal. Martin Jones stopped 23 of 26 shots.
On Saturday, Springfield beat Manchester 3-1. Viatcheslav Voynov scored the Monarchs’ lone goal, and Jeff Zatkoff stopped 20 of 23 shots.
On Sunday, Manchester beat Connecticut 3-0. Jones recorded his second pro shutout, with 39 saves, and Rich Clune and David Meckler each had one goal and one assist. Brandon Kozun also had one goal.
Jones is now tied for first (with Peoria’s Jake Allen) in the AHL in goals-against average (1.60) and is second in save percentage (.948).
How can you beat a team 3-2 after being down 3-2? who’da thunk it
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:38 pm
@Stuart, Our prospects are the best in the league, and can make anything possible.
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:39 pm
@Stuart, should be 5-2.
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:39 pm
@Dominick, oops 7-2.
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Simarosa Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:46 pm
@Stuart,
Final score was 7 – 3.
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holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:41 pm
@Simarosa, Correct answer.
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Simarosa Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:58 pm
@holly,
I go to the games Holly, didn’t realize you had a contest going.
holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Just trying to single out the correct score from the numerous other guesses.
Gary Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 10:24 am
Those were my thoughts, exactly. It still reads 7-2. Of course, there was that game earlier this year where the Kings were down 4-1, then pulled within one at 3-2.
wavesinair Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:26 pm
LOL! I don’t believe any of you know the actual score!
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The Kings need offense right? Moller had 3 points in 2 games with the kings during his last stint right? He is the best offensive player in MAN right? could i please get an explaination why he isnt with the big club right now?
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mrbrett7 Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:45 pm
@tornado12, Who do you drop? It is a good question though.
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Dave Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:53 pm
@tornado12, not sure where to play him. gotta strum/kopitar/brown have been good, smyth/stoll/williams are cold right now but it’s a solid line. clifford/handzus/simmonds have been good together and poni is still not playing.
i think DL would rather see Moller play 20 minutes a night on a top line and power play than play 4th line with the Kings.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:00 pm
@Dave, Agree, I think, while Moller is finally showing signs of a break through, he won’t yet contribute so much to the team that it warrants keeping him up, rather than letting him play big minutes in manchester.
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Dave Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:15 pm
@Bill M., yeah, i’d rather see Moller take the year to learn to play the wing and really compete for a top 6 job next year.
Williams’ contract is up and so is Sturm’s. that’s two top-6 wing slots that could be open next year. it would be nice to see Moller jump up and grab one of those slots.
i’d like to see DL try to make a move for another top-6 guy though. i’d love to see him package Stoll and a d-man like Drewiske or Martinez and maybe another prospect and go get a 2nd line center.
wavesinair Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:34 pm
@tornado12, “He is the best offensive player in MAN right?”
No, actually.
While he’s tied for 3rd in points, Azevedo, Meckler and Holloway have more goals than Oscar. However, Oscar has played fewer games, so…
I’d bring up Oscar too if possible. But part of me wants to see Bud Holloway get a look. The guy brought it big time last year, especially in the playoffs and hasn’t let down this year. Seems to me he deserves a look.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:56 pm
@wavesinair, I agree. I expect Holloway and Kozun to end up as the top line wingers with Kopi. Kozun will probably need a year or two more, given his size, so it makes sense to start pushing Holloway into that role now, so that we don’t have too much inexperience on the top line all at once. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a look on the top line if Sturm doesn’t work or we lose another left winger.
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quisp Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:59 pm
@Bill M.,
Holloway?
Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:33 pm
@Bill M., Quisp. yes. Holloway.
DougS Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:47 pm
@tornado12,
I’d like to see Moller back with the big club, too. He looks closer to being NHL-ready than at any time since he broke his collarbone during his rookie season.
However, I think part of your argument is ill-founded: Offense isn’t really the Kings’ problem at the moment. They have 3 guys on a pace to score 35 goals this season and are getting solid secondary scoring. They have lost 2 of the last 3 games because their defensive cohesion just disappeared.
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holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:47 pm
@tornado12, One of the key things in the Moller equation is having him on a line with Loktionov. The chemistry the two have have is pretty damn impressive.
Based on some of the things exchanges I saw during Friday’s game between Hubie McDonough and Darren Abbott, my guess is that they both are probably on the short list for call ups.
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Great For Manchester….What About The Kings? 3 Game Losing Streak 14 Goals Given Up In those 3 games.
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The Kings need to do something to the O to amke them wake up without messing up the D say D pick it up when their job is to Defend
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Jones has also won his last 4. Maybe some Kingsfans can start speculating on how we need to bring up Jones and send Bernier packing.
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Barrie G Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 1:59 pm
@Dominick, you know, is it a legitimate question? Quick is clearly our starter, at leats in ym mind.
Could Jones be another Quick? A solid goaltending prospect who all of sudden jumps up and grabs the moment?
Bernier would bring HIGH return but we also may not know his full potential for another 3 or 4 years. It is a dilemma for sure.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:02 pm
@Barrie G, THE BEST KIND OF DILEMMA! We have the problem at Goalie and Center, and we are getting there with D as well, at least on the puck moving side (still a little weak on the shutdown side, other than our top shutdown guys Scuderi and Mitchell, which is why Mitchell’s injury hurts so much).
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:22 pm
@Bill M., I responded to one of your comments earlier which is directly related to this comment. Depth in that area is coming.
Daniel Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:41 pm
@Dominick, Anyone who has followed the Kings since Lombardi arrived knows that he has a plan for the development of the goalies in the system. Jones in not at that point in the plan. He must first complete a couple pro seasons, then be considered for a spot on the kings. This is his first year pro. No need acting like a desperate team.
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@Daniel, I didn’t claim Jones was ready, but thanks.
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holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
@Daniel, He wasn’t.
But a lot of people frequently do.
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holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@Dominick, Jones was also announced as the rookie player of the month.
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:52 pm
@holly,
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Kitsyn headed to the gold medal game AND the OHL… not too shabby.
OHL team – http://www.stmichaelsmajors.com/
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Wow. Looking at the depth charts here and the way that cap/free agency falls out, we really start to look good, assuming that our prospects all continue to develop well. But, as always, the immediately obvious Achilles heel is left wing. It seem at first glance that we are doing ok now, with the signings of Poni and Sturm and the emergence of Clifford, but when you look at the free agency schedule, you see how big an issue it really is.
this year’s UFAs are Handzus, Williams, Poni and Sturm.
It’s at least within reason to think that maybe Handzus is allowed to go, with Stoll filling the third line role and Lokti/Schenn battling for a second line opportunity. Williams has made a strong showing and if he continues his scoring pace and stays healthy, expect a bidding war for him. We will probably try to hang on to him, but he may choose to go elsewhere, as he will surely have options. Poni and Sturm are concerning – Two left wings, a speed guy and a checking guy. Who knows whether either will prove themselves valuable enough to warrant a new deal. Clifford’s emergence in particular makes Poni look a bit expendable. If we lose Sturm, I be Holloway gets a shot. so we still seem ok.
Then, we hit 2012 FA. and we have Stoll, Smyth, and Parse in UFA. Stoll will already have to defend his third line role against either Lokti or Schenn, depending on who wins the second line role. That’s 3 good centers with two spots – still ok, the best two men will win, and that’s all for the better. But then, wait – HOLY CRAP! that’s TWO MORE left wings. We are still weak even now, and we lose FOUR left wings in two years. Even if we have the prospect depth to fill those roles, we can’t really risk doing so that quickly – it would leave CLIFFORD as our most veteran left wing. Holloway looks promising as a top 6, and we can always plug in a rookie, or a spare center, for the fourth line. But that still leaves us a Top 6 left winger short. YIKES!
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mrbrett7 Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:17 pm
@Bill M., Agree on everything other than Halloway. I don’t see him as anything more than a career AHLer. I would be willing to bet money that he will never be a top 6 skater in the NHL.
Although I wouldn’t mind being wrong.
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neil Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@Bill M., then the excuse” we are a young hockey team” will be in use again…for how many more years??? also i love how they play 3 games in 3 nights in the minors yet fans worry about back to backs… ( did you know that in NBA in the 70′s they would play 3 games in 3 nights also)
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Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:46 pm
@neil, No. because the veteran presence is supposed to be a stabilizing emotional influence for the youth in the locker room, and lead by example on the ice. Our vets appeared to do so last year, and this year, not so much. I think a team where that stabilizing influence and example is provided by our own, home grown players will be more successful. It simply means that the days of rented veterans providing experience and maturity are ending. More and more, we will depend on the elder (although still very young), more experienced players of our own crop, like Kopitar and Brown. They will be better in the long run at providing that leadership and stability, because they have been brought up through this organization and are more invested in it’s success. that’s why consistent contenders these days are built through the draft, and not by trades. Trades are only meant to fill in the gaps and maybe provide an extra push over the edge.
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neil Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@Bill M., that is why DL has boxes!!!!!
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:28 pm
@Bill M., I’m with you on your breakdown. That’s why I have been posting for a contract for Williams before the summer comes. Also the top Left wing position is going to have to be filled by free agency. I also like Hollaway, but haven’t seen enough of him to render an opinion on wether he’ll fill a role later.
Good job.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:49 pm
@Dominick, Holloway has question marks, sure, but he’s showing far more than any other left wing we have. If he doesn’t pan out for at least a top 6 role, then DL had better be prepared to make some totally brilliant signings or picks this offseason.
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Go Monarchs! Taking the family to both games in Charlotte on Jan 13th and 14th. Can’t wait to root for the Monarchs and where all my LA Kings gear. Let me know if anyone needs anything while the team is here. Go Kings Go!
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Carolina Kings Fan Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Sorry that I spelled where (wear) wrong!
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Dominick Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:32 pm
@Carolina Kings Fan, A win would be nice. Enjoy.
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holly Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:34 pm
@Carolina Kings Fan, Enjoy the games! I’m guessing that they’ll both be pretty physical, especially if FitzGerald plays for Charlotte. He has a history of not being too well liked by the guys in Manchester.
The previous game Manchester played against them this season was pretty much won through the determination of Jones.
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