AHL: Maxim Kitsyn scores first pro goal – from out at the red line

With a 3-2 shootout loss on Sunday, the Monarchs were unable to avoid a perfect 3-0 weekend. However, there were still several positives to take from the game, including the point they earned (giving them five of a possible six points over the weekend) and forward Maxim Kitsyn scored his first professional goal. Here’s more…

Game report provided by the Monarchs, LA Kings’ AHL affiliate…

WORCESTER, NH – The Manchester Monarchs collected five out of a possible six points in three games as they finished the weekend with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Worcester Sharks at the DCU Center on Sunday afternoon.

Manchester (13-3-1-3) leads the Atlantic Division with 30 points. Worcester (7-8-1-0) is ranked fifth in the Atlantic Division with 15 points.

“This afternoon was a lackluster performance,” said Head Coach Mark Morris. “There were some good things but we never got on track. We are a skating team, that’s when we play our best hockey. Unfortunately, we didn’t have our legs and we squandered a 2-0 lead heading into the third. When the legs get heavy, the next thing to shut down is the brain. This shootout loss stings, but looking at the big picture, we did get five-of-six points on the weekend. These are the lessons you go through with young teams. We’ll take our lumps and move on. Consistency and execution were lacking when it mattered most. You can’t teach experience.”

Monarchs goaltender J.F. Berube stopped right wing James Livingston and left wing Riley Brace in the shootout, but could not halt right wing Dan DaSilva and right wing Sebastian Stalberg. Grosenick stopped left wing Andy Andreoff, center Jordan Weal, left wing Nick Deslauriers, and right wing Scott Sabourin. Right wing Brandon Kozun was the lone Monarchs player to score in the shootout.

The Monarchs struck first with Sabourin’s fourth goal in three games at 19:33 of the opening frame. Andreoff carried the puck over the Sharks blueline and dropped a pass over to Sabourin who skated into the zone down the middle. Sabourin unleashed a one-timer into the top left corner of the net behind Grosenick. Defenseman Jeff Schultz also picked up an assist on the first goal of the game.

Rookie left wing Maxim Kitsyn scored his first goal of the season at 12:41 of the middle stanza to give the Monarchs a 2-0 advantage. Kitsyn skated over the center redline and tossed the puck toward the net. The puck eluded Grosenick for the rookie’s first professional goal (see video below). Forward Hunter Bishop and defenseman Cameron Burt picked up assists on the goal.

Defenseman Matt Tennyson cut the Monarchs lead in half, 2-1, at 4:11 of the third period. Skating on the power play, the Sharks cycled the puck throughout the Monarchs zone. Defenseman Adam Comrie sent the puck over to Tennyson at the left point. Tennyson carried the puck into the left face-off circle and blasted a shot on net. Berube made the initial save but center Bracken Kearns was jamming at the rebound. The puck popped free to the right face-off circle. Tennyson skated over to the loose puck and fired a shot over Berube for his first goal of the season.

The Sharks tied the game at 6:54 of the third period with center Rylan Schwartz’s second goal of the season. Kearns fed the puck up to Schwartz who crossed into the Monarchs zone at the center point. Schwartz snapped a shot from the slot that traveled through traffic and beat Berube to tie the game at 2-2. Defenseman Dylan DeMelo assisted on the tying goal.

Berube (4-2-1) took his first shootout loss of the season stopping 29-of-31 shots and two-of-four shootout snipers. Grosenick (4-2-0) earned his fourth win of the season making 18 saves on 20 shots and four-of-five shootout shots.

Manchester was 0-for-3 on the power play. Worcester also went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

Notables: The Monarchs earned five-of-six points in three games this weekend…Manchester is 5-1-0-1 in their last seven games…Right wing Scott Sabourin scored his fourth goal in three games…Left wing Maxim Kitsyn scored his first professional goal.

The Monarchs host the Springfield Falcons at the Verizon Wireless Arena at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 29. Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on Monarchs Radio Network WGIRAM.com, and at monchestermonarchs.com presented by Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.

MayorsManor correspondent Andy Tonge filed game reports and observations from the action on Friday and Saturday night. See the links below for his analysis.

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