The old gang got back together Friday night and did some damage at Mile One Centre.
No, it wasn’t a case of criminal activity, expect perhaps in the eyes of the Manchester Monarchs.
The line of Brady Ferguson, Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power was reunited for the Newfoundland Growlers and each of those players produced a goal as the Growlers downed the Monarchs 4-2, a result that clinched first place in the ECHL’s North Division for Newfoundland.
O’Brien, whoo was said to be dealing with some nagging injuries, hadn’t played in Newfoundland’s four previous games, but was in the lineup Friday as the Growlers played the first of a back-to-back against Manchester. He and his regular linemates immediately clicked as Power scored less than seven minutes into the contest.
Ferguson followed with his team-leading 28th tally of the season midway through the second period, but Manchester quickly scratched its way back, and less than four minutes after Ferguson’s marker, the game as tied on goals by Monarchs Sam Kurker and Bokonji Imama.
The score remained 2-2 until O’Brien would get what stood as the game-winner with his 27th goal of the campaign at 10:41 of third, with Power and Ferguson drawing assists.
Also getting his 27th goal was Scott Pooley, just down from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Pooley sealed the deal with an empty-netter in the late going.
Forward Gabriel Gagne, sent to Newfoundland from the Marlies at the same time as Pooley, had two assists in his Growlers debut.
The win not only earned Newfoundland the North Division title, but also ensured the Growlers will be the Eastern Conference’s second seed for the upcoming Kelly Cup playoffs. Newfoundland, which has four games remaining, including a rematch with the Monarchs tonight (7 o’clock) at Mile One, can’t catch the conference-leading Florida Everblades. However, the Growlers’ win Friday, coupled with an Orlando Solar Bears loss in Greenville, S.C., means Newfoundland is cemented into second place in the conference.
Tonight marks the final regular-season home date for the expansion Growlers, who close out their 72-game inaugural ECHL schedule with three road contests in New England next weekend.
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Dog Bites
In the last six games he has played, O'Brien has 12 points (7G, 5A) ... Eamon McAdam made 27 saves in the Newfoundland goal Friday, while Manchester’s Charles Williams faced 33 shots at the other end of the rink … Defenceman Sam Jardine, reassigned to Newfoundland from Toronto along with Pooley and Gagne, was one of five Growlers who were plus-two Friday, joining Ferguson, O’Brien, Gagne and fellow rearguard Alex Gudbranson … Attendance Friday at Mile One was 3,853, just above the Growlers’ average through their first 34 home games … Friday’s three stars: 1. Ferguson (G, 2A), 2. O’Brien 3. Manchester defenceman David Kolomatis …
Twitter: @telybrendan
