IceCaps continue to struggle after 4-1 loss to Monarchs as Jones makes 37 saves

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Martin Jones made 37 saves as the Manchester Monarchs defeated the St. John's IceCaps 4-1 in American Hockey League action Saturday night.

Bryan Rodney, Hunter Bishop and Andrew Bodnarchuk scored for Manchester (26-24-6). Linden Vey had a goal and an assist.

Aaron Gagnon had the lone goal for St. John's (23-31-4).

The game began with a scoreless first period that saw both teams trade chances and power plays.

The period featured an early fight between IceCaps big man Cody Sol and Monarchs forward Kris Belan, which the crowd loved and so did both benches.

The second period also featured a fight, this one between the under-sized, but feisty IceCaps newcomer Norm Ezekiel and Manchester's Ian O'Connor.

St. John's was energized when goaltender Eddie Pasquale was run by the Monarchs' Stefan Legein. The IceCaps peppered Manchester starter Martin Jones with shots, but could not solve him with the man advantage.

The period closed with the Monarchs getting on the board with just four seconds left in the period.

Rodney snuck in from the right point without a man marking him, and fired home a shot over Pasquale.

The shot sent Pasquale's water bottle flying, and his temper erupted as well, as he felt a player had knocked his blocker off as the shot was taken. Pasquale protested to the referees, but to no avail.

St. John's held a remarkable 23-13 shot advantage going into the third, with 14 of those shots coming in the second period.

The IceCaps went to work to start the third period, and a beautiful give-and-go tied the game at 2:06.

Gagnon drop-passed the puck to Jason Jaffray, who found Gagnon waiting at the back post for the tip-in, which Jones narrowly missed.

The Monarchs took the lead back at 9:35 when Bishop scored on a two-on-one short-handed effort.

Manchester added to their lead with a goal from Vey at 11:04. Monarchs forward Bodnarchuk put it away at 19:52 with an empty-net goal.

Pasquale finished with 19 saves. St. John's was 0 for 7 on the power play and Manchester was 0 for 5.