The Manchester Monarchs won’t be back at the SNHU Center until Christmas Eve, but they’ll get a little closer to home this week.
It’s December 18, 2017, here’s your Monarchs Week in Review
Game Recap
Charles Williams staked his case as one of the best goaltenders in the ECHL until Wednesday’s outing against Jacksonville.
There, he lasted only ten minutes, allowing four goals on six shots. That ratio is not good enough at any level, but he and teammate Brandon Komm struggled over the next two days in Greenville as well, with both netminders allowing four goals each in their appearances against the Swamp Rabbits.
Fortunately for the Monarchs, things continue to go well at the other end of the ice. Despite Williams’ poor performance, they still almost stole a win in Jacksonville and they scored an astounding eight goals on Friday in Greenville.
One can only wonder what might have happened if the ice didn’t melt during Thursday’s game.
As of today, the Monarchs’ 104 goals puts them at third in the league, only behind Greenville (107) and Colorado (108). They’re also near the top of the league in shots on goal as well.
Three Stars
Top Star: Joel Lowry – The Calgary native had a valid shot at making last week’s top three, but that can be said about almost every week so far this year.
Lynch had a hat trick in Friday’s blowout, ending the week with four goals and four assists.
Second Star: Matt Leitner – It might not be a hat trick, but Leitner had five assists on Friday against Greenville, the most by any ECHL player this year. Perhaps even more impressively, he’s grabbed at least one point in every game since the second game during the Utah trip.
Third Star: Sam Kurker – Like Lowry, Kurker also had four assists on the week, adding a goal in Jacksonville.
Like Leitner, he’s on a points streak, getting at least one point in five of his last six appearances.
Beyond the Blue Lines
Friday was the final Monarchs game for Matt Buckles, who like the three stars, had a point in each of the three games during the southern road trip.
Buckles returns to Springfield in the AHL, where he played 13 games earlier this season. He’ll seek to duplicate his recent success, Buckles had more points this week alone than during that first stint with the Thunderbirds.
Coming Up
The Monarchs have another three-game week starting on Wednesday with a trip to Glens Falls, NY. There they face the Adirondack Thunder before a pair of games on Friday and Saturday against Reading.
Manchester finishes up the year with another three-game week after that, returning to Glens Falls before yet another home-and-home against the Worcester Railers on Dec. 30 and 31.
