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Monarchs Ascending The Throne – OurSports Central – Independent and Minor League Sports News

The Monarchs swept a recent six-game homestand, outscoring their opponents by a 21-3 count and posting three shutouts. Jonathan Bernier (6-2-0, 1.49,.956), the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft, ranks among the AHL’s top five in both goals-against average and save percentage and was named the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October. Stablemate Jeff Zatkoff (3-1-0, 0.75,.978), a third-round pick in that same 2006 draft, leads the league in both categories as Monarchs opponents have been denied on 96.4 percent of their shots through 12 games.

Nineteen-year-old rookie Andrei Loktionov, the second-youngest player to skate in the AHL this season, has paced the Monarchs’ offense. A fifth-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 2008, Loktionov began his pro career with a hat trick at Albany on Oct. 3 and boasts team highs in goals (5), points (12), and plus/minus rating (+10). Third-year pro Scott Parse racked up 11 points (2-9-11) and a plus-8 mark before earning his first-ever NHL recall on Oct. 23, and he has contributed a goal and two assists in his first four games with the Kings.

Oscar Moller, a second-round draft choice in 2007, has put up nine points (4-5-9) and a league-leading three game-winning goals in the early going, while 2009 AHL All-Star Brandon Segal also has nine points (3-6-9). Former third-round draft pick Bud Holloway has six points (4-2-6) and a plus-7 mark through 10 games of his sophomore season, while Gabe Gauthier (1-4-5), rookie Corey Elkins (3-1-4) and second-year pro Justin Azevedo (1-3-4) have also made contributions up front.

Former second-round draft pick Viatcheslav Voynov, 19, leads all Monarchs defensemen with six points (3-3-6) in his second pro season, and Drew Bagnall shows four points (1-3-4) and a plus-5 rating thus far. Rookie blueliners Patrick Mullen and Thomas Hickey – drafted fourth overall in 2007 – and second-year rearguard Andrew Campbell join the youth movement on the blue line.

via Monarchs Ascending The Throne – OurSports Central – Independent and Minor League Sports News.

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