Bear Hughes (12) cuts in front of goal before scoring last Sunday during the Knight Monsters’ 4-3 win over the Adirondack Thunder. Hughes, who scored the first goal in Saturday’s win, had two goals and an assist in the series sweep over the Thunder.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
The first-year Tahoe Knight Monsters (29-17-3, 62 points) are now tied for third place in the East Coast Hockey League’s Western Conference standings after dropping two of three in their latest series against the Wichita Thunder (29-17-3, 62).
Tahoe won the first game of the three-game set by a 4-3 margin as Jake McGrew tallied a goal and an assist. Jett Jones dished out two assists of his own in the win.
The Thunder won the next two games of the series, 9-7 and 6-3.
In their previous weekend of action, the Knight Monsters won by scores of 3-1, 5-2 and 4-3 over the Thunder in a home series, Feb. 6-8.
McGrew and Simon Pinard led the charge with three goals apiece over the three-game set. Sloan Stanick tallied a goal in the third game of the series alongside four assists to bring his season total to a team-best 30 assists.
Jake Stevens pieced together two assists in the three wins, as well.
It was a quality bounce-back effort from Tahoe after dropping all three games against the Kansas City Mavericks (29-11-4, 63 points) the previous weekend.
TOP MONSTERS
Goals: Simon Pinard, 24
Assists: Sloan Stanick, 32
Points: Stanick, 53
+/-: Stanick and Bear Hughes, +10
Penalty minutes: Anthony Collins, 42
Wins: Jesper Vikman, 17
GAA: Jordan Papirny, 2.64
MOUNTAIN STANDINGS
Tahoe is now deadlocked with the Thunder and the Tulsa Oilers (27-15-5, 62 points) for second place.
All three teams trail the first-place Kansas City Mavericks (31-12-4, 67) by five points.
The Idaho Steelheads (25-16-7, 58 points) sit just out of the playoff picture in fifth place.
The top four teams in the Mountain Division qualify for the playoffs, which begin April 16.
COMING UP
• Feb. 19, 21-22: Tahoe at Florida Everblades (34-9-5, 74 points)
• Feb. 28-March 2: Allen Americans (13-27-7, 35 points) at Tahoe
The series against the Allen Americans begins Friday, Feb. 28 with a Knight Monsters family four-pack deal with four tickets and four beanies for $140. The Saturday and Sunday games against the Americans will be part of the “Retro Weekend” promotion.