PROVIDENCE, RI – The Monarchs surrendered three goals in the first period and never recovered in a 4-2 loss to Providence on Friday night at the Dunkin Donuts Center.
Manchester (28-11-4-2) is winless in its last two games against the Bruins (23-18-5-1) and fell to 4-3-1-0 against them overall this season.
The Monarchs were held scoreless in six power-play opportunities on the night.
Providence opened the scoring at 8:56 in the first period when Ryan Spooner’s wrist shot beat J.F. Berube.
A five-minute major penalty and game misconduct to Andrew Crescenzi for kneeing resulted in Providence scoring twice on the power play late in the first period. Seth Griffith scored at 17:05 and Ethan Werek struck at 19:51 to make it 3-0.
The Monarchs outshot the Bruins 16-6 in the second period, but neither team scored in the frame.
Sean Backman put Manchester on the board when he scored on the power play at 1:04 in the third period. It was his ninth goal of the season and first since Jan. 4 at Springfield.
With Berube pulled for the extra attacker, Michael Mersch scored with 16 seconds remaining in the game, making it 3-2. Griffith, however, would cap the game with an empty-netter at 19:59 in the third.
The Monarchs will complete their home-and-home against the Bruins tomorrow night in the annual “Pink in the Rink” game at 7 p.m. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Breast Care Center at Catholic Medical Center
Game Notes:
- Mike Richards picked up an assist on each of Manchester’s goals. It was his second straight multi-point game and he has five points (goal, 4 assists) in three games with the Monarchs.
- Brian O’Neill has a goal and three assists over his last two games after assisting on Backman’s tally.
- Andrew Bodnarchuk and Ryan Horvat engaged in separate fights one second apart in the first period. It was Bodnarchuk’s first fighting major of the season.
In other news:
Manchester Monarchs have reassigned forward Maxim Kitsyn to the Ontario Reign of the ECHL. Kitsyn was recalled by the Monarchs from Ontario on Jan. 3.
Monarchs Director of Hockey Operations Hubie McDonough made the announcement.
Kitsyn, 23, scored a goal in his season debut with Manchester on Jan. 7 at St. John’s. The left wing appeared in five games total
with the Monarchs. He has 11 goals and 10 assists in 33 games for the Reign this year. The native of Novokuznetsk, Russia, was selected by the Kings in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (158th overall).
The Monarchs were scheduled to play in Providence at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 and will host the Bruins Saturday for the annual “Pink in the Rink” game at 7 p.m. Proceeds from that game will benefit the Breast Care Center at Catholic Medical Center. Tickets available. Click here to reserve your seat.
