MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Monarchs finished off the weekend series against the Toledo Walleye with a Sunday matinee game at the Verizon Wireless arena. With Matt White leading the way, the Monarchs came away with 4-3 win in a shootout.
Just 1:18 into the first period, the Monarchs struck when Joe Diamond finished an Alex Roach pass by beating Toledo goalie Jeff Lerg. Stefan Legein got the secondary assist on the goal. The goal gave the Monarchs a solid lead early in the game. The Walleye conitnued to battle with the Monarchs as both teams were trading chances.
A Maxim Kitsyn tripping penalty at 7:38 put the Monarchs down a man, and sent the Walleye to the power play. Aiden Hirschfeld converted for the Walleye on the power play, beating Monarchs goalie Patrik Bartosak assisted by Shane Berschbach and Marek Tvrdon. The Walleye struck again as the period was winding down when Austin Wuthrich scored assisted by Ralfs Freibergs.The period ended with the Manchester Monarchs trailing 2-1, and the shots 13 to 6 in favor of the Monarchs.
The Monarchs came out for the second looking to tie the game early. Manchester hemmed the Walleye in heir own zone, but couldn’t find an answer for Lerg in net.
White tied the game for the Monarchs assisted by Gasper Kopitar and Kitsyn. The Monarchs continued to battle in the Walleye zone and test Lerg, but couldn’t slip another one past him. The Walleye withstood the pressure and were able to turn the tide and get a few scoring chances of their own.
White scored again for the Monarchs assisted by Kopitar and Kitsyn again to give the Monarchs a 3-2 lead. The Walleye battled back as the period wore on but Bartosak kept the puck out of net. The period ended with the Monarchs up 3-2 and the shots 26 to 18 Monarchs.
The third period began with the Monarchs looking to hang onto their lead and take the weekend. Manchester got in penalty trouble early when Austin Block went off for a hold at 4:38. It took the Walleye 14 seconds for A.J. Jenks to score assisted by Joel Chouinard and Andrew Prochno. For Jenks, it was his fourth goal of the weekend.
The Monarchs and Walleye continued to trade chances as the period continued, but both goalies were able to keep the puck out. The period ended with the score tied 3-3 and they were headed to overtime.
The Monarchs took it to the Walleye throughout over time, but couldn’t find the back of the net. The Walleye were unable to muster a shot and the period would end, and they would go to a shootout. The shootout went 10 rounds as Austin Block got the shootout winner for the Monarchs.
Block was awarded the game’s third star for his winning tally in the shootout. Second star went to Jenks for scoring the game-tying goal in the third period for the Walleye that forced overtime. First star went to White for scoring two of the three goals for the Monarchs in regulation.
The Monarchs will next take on the Elmira Jackals at the Verizon Wireless arena as their home stand continues.
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