MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Manchester Monarchs schooled the Reading Royals, 4-1, Wednesday morning at SNHU Arena on Education Day.
The Monarchs (8-4-0-1) took game one of the three-game series against the Royals (6-7-0-1), and look to continue their flawless record against Reading as the two teams face-off two more times this weekend.
“I thought we did a good job getting to the front of the net and to the blue paint, and that’s the kind of effort we need to be successful,” Monarchs head coach Rich Seeley, said. “I was happy with our overall defense as it created two goal-scoring chances that turned the momentum of the game.”
Manchester started the scoring at 16:04 of the first period when Kevin Morris scored his first goal of the season. Justin Agosta sent a wrister on net from the right point that caught Royals goaltender, Mark Dekanich, off balance, and Morris found the loose puck and tipped it in to give the Monarchs the 1-0 lead.
Agosta added a tally of his own at 4:06 of the second period, scoring his thirdd goal of the season. Derek Arnold raced into the zone on a 2-on-1 break and sent a cross-ice pass to Agosta to the right of the net where he buried it past Dekanich for a 2-0 Monarchs lead.
Shortly after, at 6:14 of the middle frame, Teddy Doherty found himself a power-play marker to give Manchester a 3-0 lead. Daniel Doremus fed a pass to Doherty at the right circle where he fired a one-timer for his second goal of the season.
Just 1:24 later, Cory Ward added to the Monarchs lead with a breakaway goal on his sixth goal of the season. Daniel Ciampini got the puck to Ward in center-ice after blocking a shot and Ward roofed a wrister over the glove shoulder of Dekanich to make the score, 4-0.
The Royals found a spot on the scoreboard at 18:57 of the second period when Justin Crandall scored his first goal of the season. Olivier Labelle found Crandall on the odd-man rush and he was able to put the puck through the legs of Monarchs goaltender, Sam Brittain, making the score, 4-1.
Despite the Monarchs facing two penalty kills in the final frame, Brittain stood tall sealed the Monarchs victory.
The Monarchs are back in action Friday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. when they host the Reading Royals for the middle game of their three-game series at SNHU Arena.
Notes: The Royals had a goal disallowed in the first period after it was kicked into the net… Kevin Morris scored his first goal of the season… Joey Diamond recorded his 95th professional point.
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