The Falcons and Monarchs started the third period 4-4, but Springfield struck immediately and never looked back in its 7-5 win.
JAM was the man Tuesday in Manchester.
By IAN CLARK
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Jonathan Audy-Marchessault recorded a hat trick to lead the Springfield Falcons to a 7-5 win over the Manchester Monarchs in front of 2,855 fans at Verizon Wireless Arena Tuesday night.
Manchester fell to 17-17-4 while the Falcons improved to 21-9-6. Springfield hosts Connecticut Friday at 7 p.m.
“It was good to have the hat trick, but I had a couple turnovers at the blue line and some defensive stuff that I could have not done,” Audy-Marchessault said. “It was tough getting momentum and it was pretty dead in the arena. Games like that, you’re a professional and you’ve got to come out and get two points.”
Springfield is down six players who were called to camp with the parent Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. The Monarchs were already thin due to call-ups to Los Angeles, but the team took another hit when veterans Thomas Hickey and Rich Clune were claimed off waivers Tuesday by the New York Islanders and Nashville Predators, respectively.
Audy-Marchessault’s third goal proved to be the game-winner, breaking a 5-5 tie on the power play at 11:26 of the third period. Nick Holden sent a cross-ice pass to Audy-Marchessault on the left side and the winger one-timed it past rookie goalie J.F. Berube.
Michael Chaput capped the scoring with a goal at 15:48, scoring on a turnaround shot from the slot. Chaput finished with two goals and an assist.
The third period opened 4-4, but Springfield reclaimed the lead 43 seconds in. A Manchester clearing attempt was knocked down by Chaput and played deep to Tomas Kubalik on the right side. Kubalik’s wrist shot from the low circle got through Berube’s arm and in.
“The early goal in the third was a killer,” Monarchs coach Mark Morris said. “That totally deflated us. I thought we were going to claw our way back again and then we found out we’ve got more holes to fill.”
The Monarchs tied the game at 9:28 on an Andy Andreoff tally. Brian O’Neill won a loose-puck battle at neutral ice and sent Andreoff in. Andreoff finished with a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Allen York high glove-side.
Already up one, Springfield extended to a 4-2 lead just 1:55 into the second period. It was the first shot Berube saw in relief of Peter Mannino, who was removed after just one period. Cody Goloubef sent Wade MacLeod away up the right wing and MacLeod cut the middle to deke Nick Deslauriers and rip a wrist shot off the crossbar and in.
The Monarchs pulled within one at 7:09. Manchester maintained pressure after a power play when Deslauriers threw a puck toward the net from the deep right side and it went off a Falcons stick and in to make it 4-3.
Manchester tied the game at 16:32 with a power-play goal. Tanner Pearson’s initial shot was stopped by York, but Pearson poked the rebound under York to even the game and set the stage for the third period.
The Monarchs took a 1-0 lead at 6:21 of the first. Stefan Legein led the rush, taking the puck behind the net and feeding Robbie Czarnik for a wrist shot from the left circle that beat York.
Springfield tied the game at 7:17 when Audy-Marchessault stuffed home a rebound off a Mannino pad save from a Chaput backhander. Chaput got one of his own at the 11:00 mark to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead, picking up a loose puck on the right side and roofing it.
The Monarchs made it 2-2 at 16:58 when captain Marc-Andre Cliche fired a wrist shot past York from the slot after an Andreoff pass from behind the net.
But the Falcons had the final word of the first when Audy-Marchessault scored on the power play at 18:48, snapping a wrist shot over Mannino’s shoulder short-side from the left circle. Mannino’s night was over shortly thereafter.
Springfield has a power-play goal in eight consecutive games.