MANCHESTER, NH – Three points from Matt Leitner helped the Manchester Monarchs close out a three-game home-stand with a 4-2 victory over the Reading Royals, Dec. 6 at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
The Monarchs (14-8-0-0) took two-of-three games this weekend in their divisional match-up against the Royals (10-10-0-1).
“There’s belief and confidence in our game where we are right now,” Head Coach Rich Seeley said. “We worked hard to get our power play opportunities, and took advantage of them. We got what we were looking for tonight.”
The Royals took a 1-0 lead at 14:11 in the first period, when Pavel Padakin scored his first goal of the season. Padakin stole the puck on a Monarchs defensive-zone turnover and put a wrister past Monarchs goaltender, Steve Mastalerz, high stick-side.
Zac Larraza tied the game for the Monarchs at 5:17 in the second period, scoring his tenth goal of the season. Leitner won a puck battle in the left corner and found Larraza in the slot, where he sent a one-timer past Reading goaltender, Adam Morrison, high glove-side.
The Monarchs took the lead at 12:08 in the second period when Maxim Kitsyn netted his seventh goal of the season. Michael Boivin started the play by cycling the puck in the left corner to Leitner who found Kitsyn in front of the net for a five-hole goal.
The Royals bounced back on the ensuing face-off to tie the game just 10 seconds later. Mike Pereira skated in from center ice for an unassisted five-hole goal, his eleventh goal of the season.
The Monarchs regained the lead in the third period at 2:16, on a goal from Yann Sauvé. Leitner sent a backhand pass to Sauvé in the slot, and the defenseman buried a wrist shot for his third goal of the season.
Derek Arnold sealed the deal with an empty-net-goal at 19:10 in the third period.
The Monarchs hit the road for three games this upcoming week, visiting Brampton, Elmira and Adirondack, before returning to the Jungle, Sunday, Dec. 13 (3 p.m.) when they host Adirondack.
NOTES
- The Monarchs are 12-0-0-0 overall and 6-0-0-0 at home when scoring three or more goals
- Matt Leitner recorded his sixth multi-point game of the season
- Steve Mastalerz won his first professional game in his first professional start
