SPRINGFIELD, MA – Rookie Noah Clarke had one goal and two assists and goaltender Adam Hauser finished with 30 saves as the Manchester Monarchs beat the Springfield Falcons, 6-3, before a crowd of 3,461 at the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday night.

Center Steve Kelly (1g, 1a) and left wing Scott Barney (1g, 1a) also collected multi-point games as the Monarchs put an end to their two-game winless streak. With the win, their first in three tries against the Falcons this season, the Monarchs moved into second place in the Atlantic Division (9-6-1-2, 21 points). The division-leading Hartford Wolf Pack (9-3-4-1, 23 points) tied the third place Providence Bruins (8-6-4-0, 20 points) in other division action on Saturday night. The loss was the second straight for the sixth-place Falcons (6-9-2-0, 14 points).

Defenseman Richard Seeley collected the game-winner for the Monarchs, who never trailed in the game. Seeley, captain of the Monarchs, scored from the right wing circle shortly after Kelly’s draw win midway through the third period. Clarke also assisted on Seeley’s second of the season, scored at 10:28, as the Monarchs took a 4-3 lead.

Hauser, who earned his fifth victory, preserved the one-goal lead with an outstanding save on left wing Martin Podelsak’s backhander 15 minutes into the period. The Monarchs iced the game moments later with goals from Kelly and right wing Pavel Rosa. Kelly’s goal, scored at 18:35, was unassisted. Rosa’s goal, scored into an empty net at 18:54, was assisted on by defenseman Martin Strbak and Clarke.

The Monarchs allowed a season-high 18 first period shots, but skated to a 2-2 tie after the opening stanza thanks to Hauser, who had his five-game AHL unbeaten streak (4-0-1) snapped by the Falcons in a 4-3 overtime loss at the Verizon Wireless Arena on November 15. Hauser finished the period with several challenging saves, including a pair against center Erik Westrum, his former University of Minnesota teammate, 10 minutes into the game.

First period goals from Barney and center Yanick Lehoux gave the Monarchs the early lead, but the Falcons struck twice late in the period to tie the game. Barney collected his team-leading ninth goal on a deflection in front of the Falcons net at 4:10. The goal was unassisted. Barney also had a hand in the Lehoux tally, setting up the second year pro from behind the net. Lehoux scored his fourth of the season by hammering a slap shot past goaltender David LeNeveu from the slot at 12:44. Right wing Dan Welch also had an assist on the play.

Center Frank Banham scored his second of the season by jabbing a rebound by Hauser on a Falcons power play at 15:17. The power play goal snapped a streak of 52 straight penalty kills by the Monarchs over the last 11 games. Westrum and right wing Fredrik Sjostrom assisted on the first power play goal allowed by the Monarchs since October 24.

The Falcons tied the game 29 seconds later when center Gary Shuchuk and Podelsak set center Jason Jaspers up for his second goal.

Clarke put the Monarchs back on top at 3-2 by stealing the puck and wristing his backhander by LeNeveu just 22 seconds into the middle period. Clarke’s goal, his third, was also unassisted.

The pesky Falcons again tied the game when defenseman Goran Bezina scored his first of the season at 4:25 of the third period. Right wing Peter Ferraro and center Chris Ferraro assisted on the goal.

The Monarchs will host the Falcons in the second half of a home-and-home series between the Atlantic Division rivals on Sunday, November 23 at 4:05 p.m. Sunday is also Union Leader Family Value Night at the Verizon Wireless Arena, meaning fans can purchase four Silver Level tickets, four sodas and four hot dogs or pretzels for only $46. Check the Union Leader and the New Hampshire Sunday News for more details.