nccanes
04-05-2004, 02:59 PM
Looks like they've dropped out of the playoff picture for now. Perhaps getting Bayda, Ziggy (presumably), and Fast back will help.
Monsters on the outside now
By CHAZ SCOGGINS
LOWELL Boston Celtics great Larry Bird once claimed that you could lock Dennis Rodman in a gym all by himself for an hour and he still couldn't score 20 points.
The Lowell Lock Monsters weren't exactly alone, but they spent more than three hours in hockey rinks without scoring a goal.
Battling the wraiths of their own frustrations in addition to AHL opponents that made every shift look like it was 10-on-5 against them, the Lock Monsters finally ended the longest scoring famine in their history yesterday after being shut out in their three previous games.
But the Worcester IceCats did appear to be playing all by themselves at the Tsongas Arena, and they had no trouble scoring whatsoever.
Center Johnny Pohl scored two goals and set up another during a six-goal second-period outburst, and the IceCats went on to thrash the Lock Monsters 8-2 in front of a turnout of 3,987, dealing Lowell its fifth straight loss and a major setback in its bid to make the Calder Cup playoffs.
The Lock Monsters trail the Portland Pirates for the last playoff berth in the Atlantic Division by two points with three games left to play. The Pirates, who won yesterday, also have a game in hand.
"When you don't score a goal for two or three games, it seeps into your soul," said Lowell coach Ron Smith. "Disappointment sets in.
"You think you're listening to your coach to turn things around, but what really happens is you start trying to make plays you shouldn't, you get away from the system, and then what happens is you get whacked.
"Our defensive game was not good. We gave up three or four not-very-good goals," Smith continued. "We hadn't been doing that. But when you're frustrated, it gets you out of your game."
The eight goals allowed and six in the second period both matched franchise records.
The Monsters actually led after one period. Moments after a Lowell power play ended, David Inman stepped between two defenders at the blue line, took a pass from Tomas Malec, took a few strides into the Worcester zone and let a shot fly that sailed over the left shoulder of Curtis Sanford and found the net at 11:13.
The goal ended a franchise-record stretch 191:57 without one.
But the IceCats pumped three goals past Patrick DesRochers 2:36 apart early in the second period and never let up. Pohl ignited the flurry at 5:32, and Ryan Ready scored just 49 seconds later to put Worcester in front 2-1. Pohl scored again at 8:08, and Marc Brown made it 4-1 at 13:58.
Chad LaRose cut Worcester's lead in half when he circled the net, whirled around in the left circle and beat Sanford at 15:06.
But rookie Mike Glumac scored his 27th goal for Worcester at 17:29, and Blake Evans netted his 20th just 1:18 later to make it 6-1 after two periods.
Jeff Panzer and Aris Brimanis tacked on third-period goals against relief goalie Jamie Storr.
Lowell has let a five-point lead over Portland slip away during its losing streak.
"I wasn't counting my chickens when we were up five points," Smith said. "I thought even three weeks ago it would come down to the last weekend series against Portland.
"But we're missing 11 players from our Opening Night lineup, we're young and inexperienced, and I'm amazed we played better than .500 hockey for more than 50 games with the lineup we had."
Monsters on the outside now
By CHAZ SCOGGINS
LOWELL Boston Celtics great Larry Bird once claimed that you could lock Dennis Rodman in a gym all by himself for an hour and he still couldn't score 20 points.
The Lowell Lock Monsters weren't exactly alone, but they spent more than three hours in hockey rinks without scoring a goal.
Battling the wraiths of their own frustrations in addition to AHL opponents that made every shift look like it was 10-on-5 against them, the Lock Monsters finally ended the longest scoring famine in their history yesterday after being shut out in their three previous games.
But the Worcester IceCats did appear to be playing all by themselves at the Tsongas Arena, and they had no trouble scoring whatsoever.
Center Johnny Pohl scored two goals and set up another during a six-goal second-period outburst, and the IceCats went on to thrash the Lock Monsters 8-2 in front of a turnout of 3,987, dealing Lowell its fifth straight loss and a major setback in its bid to make the Calder Cup playoffs.
The Lock Monsters trail the Portland Pirates for the last playoff berth in the Atlantic Division by two points with three games left to play. The Pirates, who won yesterday, also have a game in hand.
"When you don't score a goal for two or three games, it seeps into your soul," said Lowell coach Ron Smith. "Disappointment sets in.
"You think you're listening to your coach to turn things around, but what really happens is you start trying to make plays you shouldn't, you get away from the system, and then what happens is you get whacked.
"Our defensive game was not good. We gave up three or four not-very-good goals," Smith continued. "We hadn't been doing that. But when you're frustrated, it gets you out of your game."
The eight goals allowed and six in the second period both matched franchise records.
The Monsters actually led after one period. Moments after a Lowell power play ended, David Inman stepped between two defenders at the blue line, took a pass from Tomas Malec, took a few strides into the Worcester zone and let a shot fly that sailed over the left shoulder of Curtis Sanford and found the net at 11:13.
The goal ended a franchise-record stretch 191:57 without one.
But the IceCats pumped three goals past Patrick DesRochers 2:36 apart early in the second period and never let up. Pohl ignited the flurry at 5:32, and Ryan Ready scored just 49 seconds later to put Worcester in front 2-1. Pohl scored again at 8:08, and Marc Brown made it 4-1 at 13:58.
Chad LaRose cut Worcester's lead in half when he circled the net, whirled around in the left circle and beat Sanford at 15:06.
But rookie Mike Glumac scored his 27th goal for Worcester at 17:29, and Blake Evans netted his 20th just 1:18 later to make it 6-1 after two periods.
Jeff Panzer and Aris Brimanis tacked on third-period goals against relief goalie Jamie Storr.
Lowell has let a five-point lead over Portland slip away during its losing streak.
"I wasn't counting my chickens when we were up five points," Smith said. "I thought even three weeks ago it would come down to the last weekend series against Portland.
"But we're missing 11 players from our Opening Night lineup, we're young and inexperienced, and I'm amazed we played better than .500 hockey for more than 50 games with the lineup we had."