Manchester slips past Utah in overtime

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Monarchs topped the Utah Grizzlies, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday night at SNHU Arena.

The Monarchs (38-20-3-2) won their third straight overtime game and completed a five-game, season sweep of the Grizzlies (25-24-8-6) with a 3-2 overtime win.

The Grizzlies opened the scoring at 8:04 of the first period on the 11th goal of the season by Kyle Thomas. After receiving a pass in the neutral zone from Chris Leibinger, Thomas skated down the right side, where just inside the right-wing circle, he took a wrist shot which found the top shelf over the glove of Monarchs goaltender Evan Cowley to make the score 1-0.

The Monarchs tied the game with a shorthanded goal by Joel Lowry, his 17th tally of the season, at 7:49 of the second period. Lowry picked the pocket of Thomas at the top of the right circle and brought the puck in on a breakaway, where he took a snap shot past the blocker of Grizzlies goaltender Joel Rumpel to tie the game at 1-1.

Manchester took the lead at 13:26 of the second period, on the 21st goal of the season by Matt Schmalz. Inside the right-wing circle, Michael Doherty wristed a shot towards Rumpel, where at the top of the paint, Schmalz found the rebound and took a shot at a wide-open left side of the net past Rumpel, to make the score 2-1.

Utah tied the game at 18:47 of the second period, with a power-play goal by Tayler Richart, his 17th goal of the season. Along the outside left hash marks, Ryan Misiak found Richart at the center of the blue line, where he held the line and sent a wrister past Cowley’s glove to tie the game at 2-2.

Manchester netted the game winner at 4:02 of the overtime period, on the 20th goal of the season by Spencer Watson. Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman passed the puck from the left circle, into the slot for Watson, who took a wrist shot over the glove of Rumpel to give the Monarchs a 3-2 victory.

The Monarchs are back in action Wednesday, March 21st at 7 p.m. when they face off against the Reading Royals from SNHU Arena.

NOTES: Spencer Watson played in his 50th professional game… Evan Cowley made 28 saves on 30 shots… The Monarchs have won their last six games that have ended in overtime.

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