ELMIRA, NY – Daniel Ciampini’s first career hat-trick fueled the Manchester Monarchs to a 5-4 victory over the Elmira Jackals on Friday night at First Arena.
The Monarchs (19-8-1-1) have now taken the last three matchups against the Jackals (6-15-5-0), and lead the season series, three games to two.
Ciampini’s big night began early in the first period when he scored his tenth goal of the season at 2:01. Ciampini took a diagonal pass from Quentin Shore to the left of Jackals goaltender, Jason Kasdorf, and pushed the puck into an open net for the early Monarchs lead.
Elmira clawed back when Kenton Miller netted his eighth goal of the season. Miller found the puck on his stick after a shot from the left point by Mark Bennett found its way through heavy traffic in front of Monarchs goaltender Sam Brittain and Miller had nothing but a yawning cage to shoot into to tie the game at 1-1.
Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman gave the Monarchs the lead again when he netted his eighth goal of the season at 9:00 of the opening period. After LaVallee-Smotherman took a tour of the offensive zone and pirouetted twice in the slot, the veteran forward finally sent a shot over the right shoulder of Kasdorf to put the Monarchs up 2-1.
The Jackals fought back when Sebastien Sylvestre scored his sixthgoal of the season at 16:35 of the first period. After a bad giveaway in the Monarchs end, Sylvestre found himself all alone in front of the Monarchs net and the Jackals forward made no mistake, putting a quick writer past the glove of Brittain to tie the game at 2-2.
Manchester took the lead back when Kevin Morris tipped home his sixth goal of the season at 17:57 of the first period. Morris was camped in front of Kasdorf attempting to screen the Elmira goaltender, and got his stick on a Gasper Kopitar shot that deflected over the left shoulder of Kasdorf, to give the Monarchs a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission.
Elmira got back to even when Miller scored his second goal of the night at 3:40 of the second period. Brittain made the initial save on a point-blank chance by LaFontaine but the rebound came off his blocker directly to a crashing Miller who one-timed the puck past Brittain’s waving paddle, tying the game at 3-3.
The Monarchs grabbed the lead again when Ciampini netted his second goal of the game at 14:45 in the third period. Ciampini created a turnover on the left half-boards, skated to the dot and sent a snapper over the right shoulder of Kasdorf to make the score 4-3 Manchester.
Ciampini completed his hat-trick at 16:32 of the final frame to put the Monarchs up for good, when he scored his twelfth goal of the year. Ciampini and Leitner went in on a partial two-on-one that started at their own blue line and after playing catch through the neutral zone, Leitner took the puck in the slot, spun 360 degrees and swept a pass to Ciampini who was just inside the left face-off circle. From there, the Monarchs forward lifted the puck past the blocker of a diving Kasdorf, to make the score 5-3 Monarchs.
The Jackals made things interesting late in the game when Charlie Mosey scored his third goal of the season at 17:07 of the final frame. Mosey took a pass in the neutral zone down the right wing and sent a snapper from the right dot over the glove of Brittain to cut the Jackals deficit to 5-4.
Elmira pulled Kasdorf with just over a minute to go in regulation, but the Jackals could not find the equalizer.
The Monarchs are back in action Saturday, Dec. 31st at 6 p.m. when they host the Norfolk Admirals on New Year’s Eve. Don’t miss the largest indoor fireworks display after the game and the annual year-in-review video.
Notes: Daniel Ciampini recorded the second Monarchs hat-trick of the season (Rihards Bukarts produced the other)… The Monarchs recorded 24 shots in the first period, the most in any period this season… Quentin Shore extended his point streak to six games… Derek Arnold recorded his 30th professional assist.
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