MANCHESTER, N.H. – Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman scored with 36 seconds remaining in the third period to send the Manchester Monarchs into the 2017 with a 4-3 win over the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday night at SNHU Arena.
The Monarchs (20-8-1-1) stretched their advantage over the Admirals (6-20-4-0) to 4-0-0-0 on the season, with four games remaining between the two teams this season.
“We had a good team effort tonight,” Monarchs Head Coach Rich Seeley said. “We didn’t bring our “A” game tonight, but I’m happy with the way we fought back. It was a solid team effort all-in-all.”
The Admirals got on the board first when Alex Pompeo scored his first goal of the season at 3:47 of the opening period. Pompeo tipped a shot from the blue line off the stick of Frankie Simonelli and beat Monarchs goaltender, Sam Brittain, to give Norfolk an early 1-0 lead.
The Monarchs tied the game at 17:16 of the first period when Gasper Kopitar scored his fourth goal of the season. Derek Arnold started the play in his own zone with a blocked shot, and took off on a 3-on-1 with Kevin Morris and Gasper Kopitar. Arnold streaked down the right wing, held the puck until the last minute and sent a cross-slot pass to Kopitar who fired a one-timer past Admirals goaltender, Steven Summerhays, to tie the game at 1-1.
Ashton Rome added to the Monarchs lead when he scored his first goal of the season at 10:19 of the second period. While on the power play, Rome took a stretch pass from Teddy Doherty from inside the Monarchs blue line, deked and sent a wrister past the glove of Summerhays to make the score 2-1 Manchester.
Norfolk tied the game when Dante Salituro scored his first goal of the season at 12:31 of the third period. Salituro sent a shot intentionally wide of the net, but the carom off the end-boards bounced directly over the cage, off the back of Brittain’s helmet and into the net, tying the game at 2-2.
The Admirals took their first lead of the game when Brodie Dupont scored his fourth goal of the season at 17:28 of the final frame. Dupont and Jaedon Descheneau executed a give-and-go perfectly, and Dupont finished from the slot to put the Admirals up 3-2.
The Norfolk lead was short-lived, as Quentin Shore tied the game on his tenth goal of the season at 18:20 of the third period. After a shot by David Kolomatis was stopped by Summerhays, Matt Leitner grabbed the rebound just to the left of the cage and sent a backhanded pass into the slot, where Shore banged-home the game-tying-goal.
The Monarchs took the lead for good when LaVallee-Smotherman netted his 9th goal of the season with just 36 seconds remaining in the game. LaVallee-Smotherman took the puck from the right corner, walked to the top of the dot and sent a wrister past the blocker of Summerhays to put the Monarchs up 4-3.
Norfolk pulled Summerhays in the last half minute of play, but the Monarchs were able to hang on for the 4-3 victory.
The Monarchs are back in action Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. when they visit the Orlando Solar Bears to begin an important four-game Florida road trip.
Notes: Ashton Rome scored his first goal since signing with the Monarchs on Dec. 15… Sam Brittain recorded an assist, the second assist by a Monarchs goaltender in the last three games… Quentin Shore and Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman both extended their point streaks to seven games.
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