Thursday, November 15,2007

If you are looking for a fun time, try out the Monsters. They have fan cam, dance contests, shirt throws, ball throws, ice races, jello shots, a giant bird doing the gator to Otis Day and the Nights, musical chairs on ice, and of COURSE there is Hockey!!!

They took on the Quad City Flames for the second time in their last three games. The previous meeting they lost in a shootout on the last shot so this promised to be a pretty even contest.

First period ended up a 0-0 tie. After the Lake Eerie Monsters went a man down only twenty seconds into the contest on an interference call on Cody McCormick, they held tough, not letting the Flames jump out to an early lead. There were really only two potential scoring chances all first period, and both were by the Flames. The first was the result of a poor turnover on the Monsters right in front of their own net, but goalie Bacashihua stoned the shot. The second came on an extended offensive charge inside the Monsters' end of the ice. Needless to say, they lost the shots-on-goal battle 11-8. through the first period. The good news? The score remained 0-0. The bad news? The score remained 0-0. Lake Eerie went on the power play once on an Adam Pardy holding call 8:39 into the first period.

As the second period started, #7 Vladimir Denisov of the Monsters picked up an interference penalty as net minder Bacashihua gave up a cheap rebound that he should have gloved. Danesov had no choice but take the penalty. It didn't end up costing the Monsters even though the entire first minute of the power play took place in their end. The highlight of the penalty kill was a great hip check by Steve Margeson, sending a Flames player head over heels. After the penalty kill, there was a great exchange as Lake Eerie took it to the net, eventually dislodging it as the hitting continued. Both teams definitely picked up the pace and the hitting. While the score remained 0-0, the hockey was stellar!! Only a great glove save by Flames goalie McElhinney kept the game even. Yet again, Bacashihua stopped a point blank shot from two feet. Shots at the end of the period were a lopsided 22-12 in favor of the Flames. Both Goalies were looking sharp.

The third period brought the first goal of the night, and went the Monsters' way. At 2:22 #28, Matt Hussey poked it in with assists to Margeson and Hensick. With 13:39 to play Quad City attacked hard!! They slapped in a rebound for an apparent goal that was waved off because the net had been dislodged. The goal was a certainty had the net not popped. The Monsters answered with a two-on-two that nearly turned into a goal. The hitting continued; Quad City 's fore checkers versus Lake Eerie 's defenseman. It was a grind behind the Monsters net. A wide-open break away by Lake Eerie turned out to be just off sides. Quad City was all over the Monsters net, but could not generate a scoring chance. The Monsters fought back, ring the post from point blank range!! Then back to the Flames offensive zone again! It got heated with Wes O'neill for the Monsters called for holding the stick and Brett Palen of the Flames for roughing. They got two minutes each. Four-on-four action looked to favor the Flames and it did. The Monsters did get off one nice shot with five seconds left in the penalty, but it was covered by McElhinney. A great breakaway seconds later by the Monsters came up empty. The Monsters were getting a lot of break aways during the game, problem is, that means your at the other end to even get the opportunity for the breakaway. With 3:18 to go, the Monsters were staring down their first home win of the season. The Flames kept the pressure on, slamming shot after shot, soundly thwarted by the Monster defense. A face off in the Monster end almost proved fatal. Quad City squeezed off two shots before the clear. Quad City called time out with 2:05 remaining, and pulled their goalie as the faceoff was in the Monster end. Lake Eerie could not even touch the puck as a backside wrap-around was held by Bacashihua. Finally they cleared on the ensuing faceoff. With the Monsters controlling the puck in Quad City 's end, they could not get the insurance goal into the net. Time after time the Quad City defense held. With 38 seconds to go, the face off once again allowed the Flames to bring it in the zone. Finally, with 11 seconds to go, the Monsters T.J. Hensick scored the insurance goal. The home victory was all but locked up! Lake Eerie paid the Flames back for the previous home loss and sent the fans home happy. Next game is Saturday, November 17 th , a rematch of the top team in the league, the Toronto Marlies. Hopefully the Monsters will payback the Marlies as well.

The Stars of the game the third star. #29 Wes Oneill, second star, #35 Jason and the Star of the game,#38 Matt Hussey. Bacashihua for Lake Eerie scored his first shutout of the year.