October 28, 2007

Monarchs Fall in OT 3-2

W. Springfield, MA - The NH Monarchs lost an OT decision to the New England Falcons 3-2 with 1:12 left when Mike Cauley’s play from behind the net somehow trickled threw a hole in James Mello.  “Life has a funny way of giving you exactly what you deserve sometimes,” stated Head Coach Sean Tremblay following the game.  We didn’t execute any of our systems today without the puck, continually tried to beat a goalie low when there was nothing there and were simply handed an OTL for that effort.  I give a lot of credit to the Falcons for their hard work and also the spectacular play of Josh Watson and Tommy Cross, they were simply terrific all day long.”

The Monarchs finally struck at the 15:38 mark of the first when Kyle Mountain popped in a rebound after some hard work from Charlie Mullan.  Mullan chipped a puck past a defender and fired it to Ansel Ivens-Anderson who snapped it at Watson, after several saves by Watson a loose puck emerged with Mountain waiting to put it home.  Less than two-minutes later on a very similar play Greg Burke was the recipient of several shots from Jeff Velleca and Jason Pietrasiak.

New England would score the only goal of the second when Tommy Cross took over on the 5x3 power play.  He took a feed from Jason Nelson near the wall and walked to the middle, after several stick feints he snapped it by a screened James Mello.  It would again be New England on the power play in the third and again it would be Tommy Cross with a sensational individual effort to tie the game at 2-2.  “That was the nicest goal from a defensemen in our league that I have seen in a long time.  I would put it up there with goals that have come of the sticks of Matt Duffy (Maine), Bret Tyler (Maine), Cody Wild (Providence), Jamie Fritsch (UNH), Nick Petrecki (Boston College), and Doug Janik (Maine).”  After receiving a pass at the point Cross drifted backwards towards the wall and faked a hard slapper which sent Adam Kaiser to the ice in an attempt to block the shot, however Cross in one motion pushed the puck back off the wall and soft stepped it to the middle where he unleashed a laser to the top corner on the far side.

Both teams would not score in the final ten-minutes of play and force the OT where with 1:12 to go the puck with eyes found its way past Mello and sent the Falcons to the ice in jubilation.  Watson would finish the day with 45 saves while Mello stopped 27.  The Monarchs travel to Quinnipiac University next weekend to take on the Jersey Hitmen for what should be a great weekend series.