WORCESTER, MA –The Manchester Monarchs continued their dominance on the road, defeating the Worcester Railers 5-4 Saturday night at the DCU Center.
The Monarchs (20-10-1-1) came from behind twice against the Railers (12-12-2-2) to even up the season series at four games apiece.
Worcester opened the scoring at 9:40 of the first period on the ninth goal of the season for Woody Hudson. Monarchs goaltender, Branden Komm, cleared the puck from behind his goal up the right-side boards, where Mike Cornell stopped the puck at the point. Cornell wristed a shot toward goal that was tipped in front by Hudson and beat Komm to the glove side to make it 1-0 Railers.
The Monarchs tied things up at 11:46 of the first period on the eleventh goal of the season for Sam Kurker while on the power play. Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman sent a pass along the blue line to David Kolomatis at the left point, where Kolomatis took a one-timer that was tipped in front by Kurker that found its way past Worcester goaltender, Eamon McAdam, tying the score at 1-1.
The Railers regained their lead while on the power play at 1:38 of the second period on the second goal of the night and the tenth goal of the season for Hudson. Wade Murphy received the puck off a face-off win at the left point, where he slid a pass to Ben Masella at the top of the right circle. Masella fired a wrist shot on goal that was tipped in front by Hudson and over the shoulder of Komm to give Worcester a 2-1 lead.
Manchester tied the game again at 9:24 of the second period on a power-play goal by Michael Doherty, his sixth goal of the season. Kolomatis received a pass at the top of the left circle and passed it to Matt Buckles at the top of the crease. Buckles tipped a pass to the right side of the goal, where Doherty shot the puck into the open net to tie the score at 2-2.
The Monarchs took their first lead of the night on the first goal of the season for Francois Beauchemin at 13:26 of the second period. Matt Leitner won a face-off right back to Beauchemin in the right circle, where Beauchemin sniped a shot past the blocker of McAdam, to give Manchester a 3-2 lead.
The Railers responded at 19:03 of the second period on the eighth goal of the season for Barry Almeida. Ashton Rome received a pass at the top of the slot and sent a pass to T.J. Syner at the top of the right circle where he backhanded a shot on net. Almeida deflected the shot right before Komm made the save and the puck dribbled behind him and into the net to tie the game at 3-3.
Manchester took the lead at 2:58 of the third period on the15th goal of the season for Zac Lynch. Lynch intercepted a pass along his defensive blue line and broke into the offensive zone on the left wing on a breakaway. Lynch pulled the puck below the hash marks and lifted the puck over the glove of McAdam and into the net to give Manchester a 4-3 lead.
The Monarchs extended their lead at 18:15 of the third period on an empty-net goal by Spencer Watson, for his third goal of the season. Off of a face-off win in the Monarchs defensive zone, Alexx Privitera wrapped the puck around the boards where LaVallee-Smotherman chipped the puck into the neutral zone. Watson collected the loose puck and took a shot from the red line into the empty net to give Manchester a 5-3 lead.
Worcester battled back at 19:27 of the third period on the sixth goal of the season by Kellen Jones to pull within one. Cornell sent a pass to the right corner for Patrick McNally where he centered a pass to the slot for Jones, who wristed a one-timer past the glove of Komm to end the scoring at 5-4 in favor of the Monarchs.
The Monarchs return to action Sunday, December 31st at 6 p.m. when they return to SNHU Arena to play the second half of a home-and-home series with the Railers for their final game of 2017. The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a light-up glow stick or t-shirt, and the Monarchs will wear tuxedo jerseys on the ice. After the game, all in attendance will be treated to the much-anticipated Year-in-Review video, followed by the largest indoor fireworks display in New England, sponsored by Atlas Pyrotechnics.
Game Notes: Michael Doherty scored his fourth goal of the season against the Railers… Zac Lynch is now tied with Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman for the team lead in goals (15)… Manchester went 2-for-2 on the power play.
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