The Manchester Monarchs came out strong in the first period and never looked back in a 6-2 victory over the Portland Pirates at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H., on Friday night.
Brian O’Neill had a four-point night with two goals and two assists, while rookie Nick Shore and Andy Andreoff each had a goal and an assist.
“They played fast, they skated, played fast, they thought fast, they shot the puck,” Portland Pirates head coach Ray Edwards said. “They drove the net. They did all the things we knew they would. We didn’t have an answer for it.”
With Mathieu Brisebois in the box, the Monarchs went to work on the power play. Nick Shore potted his fourth goal of the season 4:36 into the first period with Brandon Kozun picking up the primary assist and Andy Andreoff notching his first assist of two in the period.
Manchester’s lead would stretch to 3-0 with consecutive goals by Brian O’Neill. The first goal came at the 10:55 mark wish Shore and Andreoff picking up the assists. O’Neill’s second goal came with 3:39 remaining in the period, with Shore getting the lone helper.
“We didn’t start on time, we didn’t think fast and they did,” Edwards said of the first period start.
Portland seemed to right the ship as Jordan Martinook potted his fifth goal of the season with 56 seconds left to play in the first period. The goal was set up by Brandon McMillan and Randy Jones.
The Monarchs would have the last word in the period when Jordan Weal scored his seventh goal of the year with three seconds remaining in the opening frame. O’Neill recorded his third point of the night and Jeff Schultz also had an assist.
“It was unacceptable to give up a goal with (three) seconds left like that,” Edwards said. “We got beat back to our zone and lost a battle. It was the name of the game tonight. We weren’t fast enough. We didn’t compete hard enough. It wasn’t a good game.”
It also marked the end of Mark Visentin’s night in goal for the Pirates as he only stopped 10 shots on 14 chances. Louis Domingue came in relief stopping 16 shots.
The offense continued to roll for Manchester in the second period as Andreoff put the fifth goal on the board 2:28 into the period. Colin Miller and O’Neill picked up the assists.
Tanner Pearson would get in on the scoring for Manchester. The team’s leader in goals lit the lamp for the 11th time this season on the power play 1:42 into the final period. The helpers went to Linden Vey and Ian O’Connor.
Portland recorded a power-play tally of its own just past the nine-minute mark of the third period, with Keven Veilleux notching his second goal of the season. Assists went to Brandon Gormley and Daine Todd.
Manchester went 2-for-6 on the man advantage while Portland was 1-for-6.
Jean-Francois Berube made 27 saves in the victory.
Portland returns home today for a 7 p.m. contest against the Providence Bruins at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
