September 26, 2007

Monarchs Drop 2of 3 at Bruins Showcase

Capital District

The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs rolled into Marlboro Ma. Friday morning hoping to get their first win of the season against an improved Capital District squad. It would be the Monarchs who would draw first blood. Graham Sisson opened the scoring just 5:29 into the first half when he put home a loose puck in front of C.D. net minder Chance Leib. Line mates Yuri Bouharevich and Brian Flynn would pick up assists on the play. The next  eight minutes would be a flurry of quality chances at both ends of the ice with both Leib and Monarch back stop Justin Gates ( Providence College 08 ) standing tall. Capital district would get on the board twice in less than one minute with Kris Threlkeld and Corey John finding the twine. At this point the Selects clearly had the momentum and were dictating play. It looked as though it would be another collapse like the preceding week at Bridgewater. With Monarch forward Jeff Hannan off for interference veteran Rence Coassin capitalized on a mishandled puck in front of Leib, picking up the gift and nicely tucking it home to even the score at two apiece. “That was a huge goal for our club, it totally turned the momentum for us,” stated Associate Head Coach Bob Corkum. The rest of the first half was all Monarchs. Graham Sisson notched his second of the morning with Angelo Vrachnas and Brian Flynn picking up helpers on the play. At the 22:29 mark Bouharevich would pick up his second point of the game, this time a goal with Travis Busch assisting. The Monarchs would take a 4-2 first half lead into the locker room.
 New Hampshire began the second half as they ended the first, dominating the ice surface and displaying efficient for checking. Ben Ketchum would solve Leib at the 9:44 mark with Coassin and first year player Adam Kaiser assisting. The Monarchs would go on to kill off three penalties in the period and hold the Selects to 20 total shots for the game. The coaching staff would agree that this game was a step in the right direction and hopefully a sign of things to come.

Jersey Hitmen

The Monarch staff as well as the veterans new exactly what to expect from the Jersey Hitmen. Head coach Toby Harris and assistant Jim Hunt continually put together arguably the hardest working team in the EJHL year after year. This year’s squad is no different. It would turn out to be a great test for this year’s inexperienced New Hampshire team. The Hitmen came out, as the name suggests, hitting everything in sight and manufacturing early pressure from a strong for check. Hitmen forward Ryan Craig would open the scoring seconds after a high sticking penalty to Monarchs veteran Ansel Ivens-Anderson. Cory Callen and Josh Newburg would pick up assists on the play. The Monarch, team after finding their legs and will, would apply some constant pressure deep in the Hitmen zone. Both teams were displaying the work ethic needed to compete at this level, but it would be the Hitmen once again that would be rewarded for there efforts. It would be Craig again beating Monarch goalie James Mello ( Dartmouth 08 ) to give the Hitmen a 2-0 lead. The Monarchs would get on the board just over a minute later when former Milton Academy forward Kyle Mountain would score his first goal of the season, and give his team a much needed lift heading into the locker room after the first half. The second half began in similar fashion with high tempo and plenty of quality body checking. Garet Chumley would give the Hitmen a two goal cushion at the 3:16 mark while on the power play that somehow found the net after a wrist shot from the top of the circle. Chumley’s goal would prove to be the game winner. Connor Moore (Providence College 09) would add a goal at 7:51 to bring the Monarchs to within one. Mello and opposing goaltender Jon Morrow would stand tall at their respective ends thwarting numerous chances from each team. “ We as a coaching staff, believe this game will help us as a team realize how hard and disciplined we need to work each night and more importantly each shift to be successful this year.” “We can certainly take away many positives from a game like this and try to build on them”.

Apple Core

 Saturday’s lone contest would be a chippy affair with 44 minutes in penalties from both teams and some extremely questionable officiating. The Monarch team was hoping to get the early lead and get visiting Apple Core back on their heels. Just the opposite happened when Greg Fosso would beat Justin Gates (Providence College 08) just 31 seconds into the game. New Hampshire would surge back with some good scoring bids and better neutral zone play but would not be rewarded thanks to some good goaltending by Apple Core’s Bobby Leiser. Greg Fosso would make it 2-0 at 11:32 picking up his second goal of the game while on the power play with Monarch forward Adam Kaiser off for tripping. Seven minutes later the Monarchs would get on the board getting a powerplay of their own when Yuri Bouharevich would solve Leiser from in tight. Brian Flynn and Graham Sisson would pick up assists on the New Hampshire tally. Just over a minute later newcomer Mike Muhs would pick up his first goal of the year on a net front scramble, with Lance Herrington and Charlie Mullan assisting. Muhs’ goal at 19:15 would even the score with fewer than 6 minutes to play in the first half. The Monarchs took the momentum and were poised to enter the second half tied at two apiece, but it was not meant to be. With a mere 2 seconds left, and a face off deep in the Monarchs zone to the left of Gates, defenseman Mike Kavanaugh took a face off win from Nick Chiavetta and sent a laser over the blocker of Gates to give Apple Core a 3-2 advantage heading into the second half. The second half began with an explosion of penalties some justified and some mysteries to both players and coaches alike. It was not until 11:51, mid way through the period, with Lance Herrington off for a marginal slashing call that the New York team would expand on their lead. This time it would be Peter Kaliscik netting the big goal to put his team up by two. The Monarchs would continue to battle without success, despite numerous grade “A” chances and multiple power plays of their own. “We need to find some consistency on our power play this year. We have the personnel to get it done; we just have not to this point.” With 30 seconds left in the game Apple Core would add an empty net goal to seal the victory and leave the 2007-2008 New Hampshire Monarchs with a disappointing 1-3 record to start the campaign. The Monarchs will host The Junior Huskies Friday and the Bay State Breakers Sunday in Hooksett at Tri-Town Arena with hopes of getting back to a record of five hundred.