Manchester Monarchs win AHL’s Calder Cup

Los Angeles Kings AHL affiliate the Manchester Monarchs are the Calder Cup champions, topping Vancouver Canucks affiliate the Utica Comets 2-1 on Sunday.

UTICA, N.Y. — The Manchester Monarchs won their first Calder Cup championship when they beat Utica Comets 2-1 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven American Hockey League series Saturday night.

Adrian Kempe and Vincent LoVerde scored in the first period for Manchester, the top affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Patrik Bartosak had 31 stops.

The Comets outshot the Monarchs 32-19. Cal O’Reilly scored Utica’s only goal at 19:45 of the third.

Kempe scored his eighth goal of the playoffs midway in the first period. LoVerde added a power-play score three minutes later off a pass from Nic Dowd.

Utica, which is affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks, went 0 for 3 on the power play.

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