MANCHESTER, NH – Colton Saucerman contributed a trio of assists for the Manchester Monarchs in their triumphant 5-2 homecoming against the Norfolk Admirals.
Saucerman’s helpers on the Monarchs’ first three goals puts him at 15 so far this season, just one behind Florida’s Gus Young for the league lead among defencemen.
Norfolk’s Kenton Helgesen gave the game its first goal just before the three-minute mark, but the Monarchs responded before the first intermission with Sam Kurker’s seventh goal of the season and Matt Buckles first ECHL goal.
Buckles, who joined the team from the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds, assisted on the first goal along with Saucerman. Kurker returned the favor by joining Saucerman to assist Buckles’ goal.
Although T.J. Melancon tied up the contest five minutes into the third period, but Kurker gave Manchester back the lead just seconds before the period concluded.
Matt Leitner and Mikkel Aagaard added insurance goals for Manchester in the final frame.
Aagaard, 22, made his Manchester debut after scoring three points on three assists in 19 games while with the Thunderbirds this season.
Last year, Aagaard split time with the Stockton Heat (AHL) and Adirondack Thunder (ECHL).
The 6-foot, 179-pound native of Frederikshavn, Denmark, has also played 20 career games for the Danish National Team, and 123 games in the OHL for the Niagara Icedogs and Sudbury Wolves.
The Monarchs face the Admirals again on Sunday in a 3 p.m. matinee following a 7 p.m. Saturday contest against the Reading Royals
