ALLENTOWN, PA – Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Horvat each had multiple points in the Monarchs’ 3-1 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center on March 29.
Manchester finished its three-game weekend with four points after splitting two games in Hershey.
The Monarchs (43-16-6-2) finished the season with a win and a loss against Lehigh Valley (30-29-6-1). It was Manchester’s sixth win in their last seven games overall beginning on March 14.
Bissonnette recorded a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” with a goal, assist and a fighting major. It was his first multi-point game of the season.
Michael Mersch scored his fifth goal in three games this weekend. He finished the three-game set with seven points total (2 assists).
Scott Laughton opened the scoring when he buried a rebound opportunity at 10:48 in the first period. The goal came on Lehigh Valley’s second shot of the game.
Bissonnette tallied his first goal of the season when he deflected in a Horvat shot at 16:09 in the first to tie the score at 1-1. Bissonnette became the 27th different player to score a goal for Manchester this season.
The Monarchs took a 2-1 lead at 10:38 in the second period when Horvat scored his third goal of the season.
Mersch potted an empty-net goal with 29 seconds remaining in the game. It was his 17th goal of the year.
The Monarchs have nine games remaining in the regular season and will play next on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Albany. They return home on Apr. 10 when they host Portland.
Notes:
- Paul Bissonnette’s goal was his first regular-season goal in the AHL since Apr. 11, 2009 when he was with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It was his first goal overall since March 2, 2014 vs. St. Louis with Phoenix.
- Ryan Horvat (goal, assist) registered the second multi-point game of his pro career with the other coming on Dec. 12 at POR (2 assists).
- The Monarchs improved to 32-0-0-1 when leading after two periods this season.
- PatrikBartosak improved to 11-7-4 this season. He has allowed one or no goals in three of his last six starts beginning on Mar. 1.
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