September 30, 2007

Monarchs Tame Huskies 3-1

Hooksett, NH - The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs earned their second win of the season Friday evening defeating the visiting New England Huskies by a score of 3-1. The win brought the defending champs back to within one game of five hundred for the new season. This game had a little bit of everything including hard checks, great goaltending, and scoring, during both power play and short handed play.
            Things went the Monarchs’ way right from the opening shift when Juri Bouharevich netted his fourth goal of the season just 42 seconds into the opening period to give his team early momentum and the lead. The Monarchs continued to press the Huskies in their own zone for the next six minutes with Husky goaltender Connor Toomey making multiple quality saves. At 6:42, with Huskies’ defenseman Pavio Kozhokin off for holding, the Monarch power play had a chance to extend its lead. Toomey again was up to the task. “We had some quality chances on that power play, but we were not able to get it done” said Coach Corkum. The power play has been a problem area for this year’s squad to date, operating at a disappointing 3.7% or 1-27. “We are confident as a staff and team that the power play will be a huge weapon in our arsenal before too long.” Before the expiration of Kozhokin’s minor, Monarch d-man Lance Herrington was called for a holding-the-stick penalty. This lead to a power play tally by Joseph Caveney evening the score at one apiece. With that goal the Huskies came alive and placed constant pressure on Monarch net minder, James Mello. Mello made a series of superb saves to keep his team even heading to the locker room after the first period.
            The second period began much the same as the first with the Monarchs getting a quick goal just 1:23 into the period. Ben Ketchum scored his second of the year off a nice face off win by Rence Coassin and a laser from the point from Captain Owen Carpino that Ketchum redirected into the Husky goal. Both teams had a couple of power play opportunities during the period, but neither was able to capitalize. At the end of the second the score read Monarchs 2 and Huskies 1, due largely to the play of Dartmouth bound goalie Mello. “Tonight James looked like his old self, controlling rebounds and making hard saves look routine and coming up with glove saves that would have made Bernie Parent proud,” said Coach Corkum.
            The third period featured a lot of up and down action while both teams played inspired hockey. With Lance Herrington again in the penalty box and the Huskies deep in the Monarchs’ zone applying pressure, Graham Sisson was able to clear the puck to a streaking Bouharevich who fired a shot past Toomey for his second goal of the game and fifth of the year. “Juri’s goal was huge for our club, and our team did a fairly nice job playing with a lead,” Corkum added.  Playing with a lead is something the Monarch staff hopes to practice often.