Legein nets hat trick as Monarchs win in shootout

NORFOLK, VA – The Manchester Monarchs took on the Norfolk Admirals on Friday night in the first game of a back to back series at the Scope in Norfolk. Led by Stefan Legein who netted a hat trick, the Monarchs came away with a 6-5 win in a shootout.

The Admirals scored just 2:51 into the first off a Nicolas Blanchard shot that beat Monarchs goalie Michael Houser. Blanchard was assisted on his goal by Jonathan Lessard and Michael Pelech. The Monarchs though took the momentum after the first goal, tying the game when Matt White picked off a break out pass and took it back to score on Norfolk goalie Ty Rimmer.

Both team continued to go back and forth battling hard and testing the goalies as the first period wore on. Thanks to the goalie trying to outdo each other, neither team could find the back of the net. The first period ended with the game tied and the shots 13-10 in favor of the Monarchs.

The second period started out with the same back and forth momentum for each team as Rimmer and Houser were continually pressured early on. The Monarchs broke through again when Legein netted his first of the game assisted by Matt Leitner and Alex Roach.

Norfolk’s Ryan Jasinsky went off for elbowing, putting the Monarchs on the power play. The Monarchs converted and again it was Legein, this time assisted by Maxim Kitsyn and Yann Sauve. Just over two minutes later, David Kolomatis scored a break away goal for the Monarchs to give the visitors a two-goal lead. White and Kitsyn picked up assists on the tally.

Despite having a good margin, the Monarchs couldn’t hold off the Admirals. Just a minute after Kolomatis’ score, the Admirals scored to pull within one as Steven Whitney found the back of the net assisted by Scott Allen and Charles-Olivier Roussel. The period would end with the Monarchs leading 3-2 and the shots 30-20 Monarchs.

The third period started out with the Admirals on a carry-over power play from the second period as Tony Turgeon was in the box for boarding. The Admirals scored on the power play as Whitney collected his second of the night assisted by Ben Betker and Roussel. The Admirals continued to keep the pressure up on the Monarchs, forcing Houser to stay sharp.

The Admirals scored again to tie the game as Nicolas Blanchard connected for Norfolk assisted by Pelech and Betker. Three minutes later, manchester struck again to take the lead when Legein got his third goal of the game assisted by Leitner and Roach. The Monarchs looked to hang onto their lead as the third was winding down, an easier said than done proposition.

The Admirals tied the game again off an Alexandre Ranger shot assisted by Roussel. The goal forced overtime as the final period ended in a tie, with the shots 39-35 Monarchs.

Overtime started out with each trading chances, but no one found the back of the net setting up a shootout. After seven rounds in the shootout, it was Michael Bolvin who finally ended it for the Monarchs giving them the victory.

Third star went to Norfolk’s Blanchard who started the scoring off for the Admirals and had two goals in the game. Second was awarded to Manchester’s White with a goal and an assist for the Monarchs. . First star went to the Monarchs’ Legein for his hat trick in the game for the Monarchs, a major reason why Manchester won the game.

The Monarchs will close out their road trip on Saturday with the second game of their back-to-back with the Admirals.