BRAMPTON, ON – Matt White’s three-point night helped power the Manchester Monarchs over the Brampton Beast, 5-1, Saturday Night at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ontario.
The Monarchs (3-3-0-0) took the second of a three-game set with the Beast (2-6-1-0), and will hit the ice tomorrow for the rubber game of the series.
The Monarchs opened the scoring when White netted his first goal of the season at 4:41 of the first period. White took a lead pass from Maxim Kitsyn at the blue line, carried the puck to the high slot and ripped a wrist-shot that broke through the glove of Beast goalie, Trevor Cann.
White added to the Monarchs lead when he scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway. Danick Paquette fed White with a stretch pass to free the forward in on Cann. Once in the zone, White made a quick shoulder fake, brought the puck to his backhand and slipped the puck through the five-hole at 16:06 of the first period.
Brampton cut the Monarchs lead in half at 5:24 of the second period, when Scott Howes finally figured out Monarchs goalie, Michael Houser. After some sustained pressure in the Monarchs zone, Howes tipped a shot from the point off the stick of Travis Brown for his third goal of the season.
Manchester would push the lead back to two on the first goal of the season from Gasper Kopitar, 8:52 into the second period. After a short cycle behind the net, Kopitar took a pass from White all alone in the slot and buried a high wrist shot past the glove hand of Cann.
Joe Diamond added to the Monarchs scoring flurry, finishing a beautiful passing play at 9:29 of the third period. Just after a Monarchs power play expired, the cross-ice, tic-tac-toe play started with Stefan Legein, on to Matt Leitner and then to Diamond, who scored his 3rdgoal of the season and second in as many nights.
The last goal of the game came when Troy Power scored his first goal of the season with the net empty. Power beat a Beast defender to the left corner while on the penalty kill, and slammed the puck into the net at 13:17.
The Beast took an interesting strategy late in the game, leaving two forwards at the attacking blue-line, leaving only three defenders in their own zone. The strategy proved to be unsuccessful, and the Monarchs came away with the victory.
The Monarchs are back to the ice Sunday (2 p.m.) to finish the three-game weekend series with the Brampton Beast at the Powerade Center in Brampton, Ontario.
Notes
Austin Block played in his 20th career ECHL game, and Matt MacKenzie laced them up for his 60th career ECHL game.
White’s two goals marks the first time this season a Monarch has scored twice in one period.
Troy Power scored his first professional goal of his career
Kopitar’s goal was the 20th of his ECHL career
