 |
| Power
Play |
1ST
- 23.8 |
| Penalty
Killing |
26TH
- 79.6 |
| FORWARDS |
| TEDDY
PURCELL |
25-58-83
(0) |
| BRIAN
BOYLE |
31-31-62
(-2) |
| GABE
GAUTHIER |
23-37-60
(-13) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| PETER
HARROLD |
7-36-43
(-13) |
| TROY
MILAM |
12-25-37
(-4) |
| JEFF
LIKENS |
2-21-23
(+10) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| JONATHAN
QUICK |
11-8-0
(3 SO)
2.32 GA
.922 PCT |
|
| JONATHAN
BERNIER |
1-1-1
(0 SO)
1.63 GA
.946 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Manchester
vs Providence |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
APR.
16 |
MANCHESTER
2 - PROVIDENCE 3 (OT) |
SEED
4 |
2 |
APR.
18 |
MANCHESTER
0 - PROVIDENCE 2 |
SEED
1 |
39-31-5-5
(88) |
3 |
APR.
19 |
PROVIDENCE
3 - MANCHESTER
2 (OT) |
55-18-3-4
(117) |
| |
4 |
APR.
21 |
PROVIDENCE
3 - MANCHESTER
2 (OT) |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
25 |
MANCHESTER
at PROVIDENCE |
|
| |
6 |
APR.
26 |
MANCHESTER
at PROVIDENCE |
|
| |
7 |
APR.
28 |
PROVIDENCE
at MANCHESTER |
|
| *
If Necessary |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW
|
| by
Brian Jennings & Tom Schettino - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
With
a separation of 29 points this series has the largest
point differential between any of the AHL’s first round
matchups. Two clubs are familiar with each other as they
have had playoff series against each other the last two
seasons and three of the last four years.
With a league-high 117 points the Bruins have to be the
overwhelming favorites coming into the series, but Manchester
has an advantage due to the fact their parent club, the
Los Angeles Kings are not in the playoffs while the Boston
Bruins are in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Manchester Monarchs
The Monarchs are entering their seventh straight season
in the Calder Cup playoffs. Manchester finished the season
in fourth place in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division
with a record of 39-31-5-5 (88 points).
The Monarchs scored 240 goals during the regular season
and are led by two outstanding rookies: Teddy Purcell
and Brian Boyle. Purcell had 77 points in 63 games, good
for third in the AHL, while Boyle had 58 points in 67
games, good for 28th in the league. The Monarchs had nine
players with 10 or more goals, five players with 20 or
more. Only Boyle had over 30 goals (31).
Defenseman Peter Harrold led all Monarchs defenseman in
points with 43 points in 49 games, and was 15th in the
league.
Manchester did not have a goaltender in the Top 20, but
they do have a couple of Jonathan’s manning the net for
the Monarchs, the Kings top goaltending prospect Jonathan
Bernier, who spent this season in the QMJHL with Lewiston,
and Jonathan Quick who started the season in the ECHL
with the Reading Royals. Both are more than capable of
carrying a team however Bernier will get the start in
net for the Monarchs.
In three games with Manchester Bernier is 1-1-1 with a
.946 save percentage and a 1.63 goals against average.
Quick has played in 19 games with Manchester and has a
.922 save percentage and a 2.32 goals against average.
If the Monarchs are to win the series special teams will
be the key. Manchester had the league’s best power play
during the regular season, but it had the league’s 26th
ranked penalty killing unit. That is not good in a 29
team league. Having Bernier in the net should help the
PK come playoff time.
Providence Bruins
The Bruins are lead offensively by First-team AHL All-Star
Pascal Pelletier (37-38-75), Martins Karsums (20-43-63)
and Jeff Hoggan (29-31-60). The key to the Bruins does
not sit with their top end talent, but in their depth
and a commitment to a strong system. In addition to the
three players mentioned six others still on the roster
had at least 10 goals. The team’s dedication to a two-way
game is highlighted by Hoggan’s +39 rating on the season.
Other forwards currently available for duty include Matt
Hendricks, Chris Collins, Nathan Thompson, TJ Trevelyan,
Byron Bitz and junior players Zach Hamill and Jordan Knackstedt.
The club is deep on defense even if Matt Lashoff spends
at least part of the series with Boston. Brett Skinner
(7-40-47), Sean Curry (13 goals), Jordan Sigalet, Matt
Hunwick, Adam McQuaid , Dwayne Zinger and newcomer Jeff
Penner round out the blue line roster
Boston fancies Tuukka Rask (27-13-2, 2.33 goals against
average) as their goaltender of the future so you know
he will get first crack at the goal in the series. Rask
is followed on the depth chart by Jordan Sigalet and recent
amateurs Kevin Regan and Adam Courchaine. Both the newcomers
have been stellar in late season play. As a matter of
fact, Regan stopped 23 shots as he shutout the Monarchs
in New Hampshire on April 12th in his first (and only)
professional game to date.
There is an x-factor built into the Bruins chances if
the parent Boston Bruins go down early against the Montreal
Canadiens as NHL'ers Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Petteri
Nokelainen and Vladimir Sobotka were all placed on Providence’s
clear day roster and could conceivably play in this series
should they become available.
|
|
| Game
1 |
Manchester
2 - Providence 3 (OT) |
| by
Tom Schettino - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Providence
Leads Series 1-0 |
Providence,
RI - Pascal Pelletier has been a hero all regular
season long for the Providence Bruins. Apparently his
heroics are going to carry over into the postseason as
he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the
Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the series.
The underdog Monarchs hung with the P-Bruins all night
long before failing to beat Providence and Pelletier,
who finished ninth in the AHL scoring race, to the punch
in overtime.
The Monarchs jumped out in the lead when Peter Kanko defeated
Providence netminder Tuukka Rask through his five-hole
after taking a pass from Davis Drewiske. Manchester had
a chance to widen the lead on the power play midway through
the second period but Martins Karsums stole the puck from
a Manchester player and sent Wacey Rabbit on a successful
breakaway against Manchester netminder Jonathan Bernier.
Providence took their first lead of the night when Chris
Collins found Jeff Hoggan open in front of the goal and
Hoggan registered a goal. Manchester would answer back
quickly when Matt Moulson re-directed a David Meckler
shot past Rask.
Karsums added to the final outcome when he captured the
puck behind the net, slithered it over to Byron Bitz,
who calmly found Pelletier in the slot who fired a quick
and accurate wrist shot to finish the contest.
|
|
| Game
2 |
Manchester
0 - Providence 2 |
|
PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Providence
Leads Series 2-0 |
Providence,
RI - Jordan Knackstedt deflected in the winning
goal and Pascal Pelletier scored into an empty-net as
a late outburst by the Providence Bruins gave them a two-game
lead in their series against the Manchester Monarchs.
The game was a chippy affair as 20 minor penalties were
called by referee Terry Koharski. Despite all their chances
neither team could solve the power play which held the
score in check until Knackstedt converted.
Providence held territorial advantage in this game for
most of the night as they outshot the Monarchs by a 40-21
margin. Manchester goaltender Jonathan Quick was solid
with 38 stops, but he was outdone by Providence’s Tuukka
Rask who was perfect on 21 shots to earn his first professional
playoff shutout.
Jeff Hoggan and Brett Skinner picked up the assists on
Knackstedt’s goal. Hoggan fired the puck towards the Manchester
net and it was tipped home by the rookie winger with 16:54
expired in the third period. Providence held their slim
lead until Pelletier took a pass from Matt Hendricks and
scored into an empty-net.
The two clubs headed to New Hampshire where they will
participate in Game 3 of the series on Saturday night.
|
|
| Game
3 |
Providence
3 - Manchester 2 (OT) |
| by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Providence
Leads Series 3-0 |
Manchester,
NH - As if playing the team with the best regular
season record wasn’t bad enough, trying to come back from
a 2-0 on the scoreboard and in the series is even worse.
The Monarchs tied the Bruins at 2-2 only to fall to Providence
3-2 in overtime, giving the Bruins a commanding 3-0 series
lead.
After being down for most of the game thanks to T.J. Trevelyan’s
goal at 17:07 of the first period, Manchester fought like
heck to come back all night as both teams peppered the
goaltenders with a combined 69 shots on the night.
Wacey Rabbit’s goal midway through the third period made
things look bleak for the Monarchs, especially when you
consider they faced one of the AHL’s best goaltenders
all season, Tuukka Rask who was at the other end of the
rink.
Manchester bounced back however thanks to power play goals
by Troy Milam and Matt Moulson 3:38 apart tied the game
at two, giving the Monarchs hope once again.
The Monarchs looked like they might get their third power
play goal on the night in overtime, however, the Bruins
had the only three shots in overtime before Jeff Hoggan
scored shorthanded beating Jonathan Bernier at 5:34 and
ended any dreams of a comeback.
The two teams go at it again Monday night in Manchester
as the Monarchs look to avoid being swept in the playoffs
for the second season in a row. Manchester has only been
past the first round of the playoffs once in the teams
seven year history.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
4 |
Providence
3 - Manchester 2 (OT) |
|
by Brian Jennings
- PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Providence
Wins Series 4-0 |
Manchester,
NH - With all of the cliché’s dancing in their
heads, such as; "their backs are against the wall", and
"take them one game at a time", the Monarchs did exactly
what they didn’t want to do, that's lose in a sweep. The
Monarchs got off to a 2-0 lead but the Bruins came back
and won on a Martins Karsums goal to win the game 3-2
and sweep the series at 4-0.
Although the Monarchs didn’t come out with a poor first
period, the second period was their best of the series
as they outshot the Bruins 13-6 and outscored them 2-0
on goals by David Meckler and Brady Murray who scored
with only 10 seconds left in the period. The mighty Bruins
came back with two goals of their own by Pascal Pelletier
and Jeff Hoogan to tie the game at two setting the stage
for overtime.
Karsums didn’t wait long to be the hero scoring his first
goal of the playoffs only 46 seconds into overtime to
end the Monarchs season. Providence will now face the
winner of the Hartford Wolf Pack/Portland Pirates series.
Portland is up 3-1 in the series.
Manchester can take solace that they were in every game
of the series and lost 3 of the 4 games in overtime, all
by 3-2 scores. Game Two was the only game that didn’t
go over time in which the Bruins won 2-0.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Power
Play |
15TH
- 16.8 |
| Penalty
Killing |
8TH
- 84.4 |
| FORWARDS |
| PASCAL
PELLETIER |
37-38-75
(+20) |
| MARTINS
KARSUMS |
20-43-63
(+25) |
| JEFF
HOGGAN |
29-31-60
(+39) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| BRETT
SKINNER |
7-40-47
(+13) |
| SEAN
CURRY |
13-25-38
(+28) |
| MATT
LASHOFF |
9-27-36
(+11) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| TUUKKA
RASK |
27-13-2
(1 SO)
2.33 GA
.905 PCT |
|
| JORDAN
SIGALET |
12-5-1
(0 SO)
2.52 GA
.903 PCT |
|
|
|
