Beneath the Elms: The Beast of New Haven

By Laurie Randell

Strong play by several new additions to the Beast of New Haven's lineup has propelled the American Hockey League team to second place in the Eastern New England Division, with an overall record of 20-20-3.

The Beast began the new year with a six-game unbeaten streak before falling to the Springfield Falcons 4-2 on Mon., Jan. 18. The streak came to an end when Springfield player Trevor Letowski capped off the win with an empty-net goal with under a minute remaining in the third period. The Falcons' defense was key to their win, as it shut out Beast player Craig MacDonald, snapping his nine-game point-scoring streak.

New Haven has benefited from the addition of several key players midway through the season. On Sat., Dec. 26, the Beast added rookie defenseman Greg Kuznick and forward Partrick Mikesch to the roster after the two were promoted from the Florida Everblades of the East Coast League. In 12 games with the Beast, Mikesch has accumulated eight points, including two goals. He was Florida's leading scorer, with 14 goals and 24 assists in 25 games.

The Beast also recently acquired left wing Peter Worrell from one of their parent clubs, the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. Demoted from the NHL for lack of scoring and excessive penalty minutes, Worrell has established a solid presence in his short time in New Haven, racking up two goals in his first three games with the Beast.

1999's impressive beginning was the result of inspired play by many of the Beast's players. A 4-3 victory over the Adirondack Red Wings on Wed., Jan. 13, featured a third period game-winning goal by Jaroslav Spacek. The Czech had a three-game goal -scoring streak after the victory.

A 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks on Sat., Jan. 16, marked the Beast's fourth straight win and the beginning of a long road trip. The struggling Mighty Ducks gave up three second-period goals to the Beast, scored by Ian McNeil, worrell, and Scott Levins. Cincinnati fell to 2-5-1 in their last eight games.

The rest of the season for New Haven should be exciting. The Beast face their perennial rival, the Hartford Wolf Pack, on Sat., Jan. 23. When the Beast return, they will defend their three-game home win streak against the Saint John Flames. New Haven leads the league in power play goals.

The Beast of New Haven is the latest in a line of American Hockey League franchises in New Haven, following the Nighthawks and the Senators. Yet this year's Beast team seems assured of a place in the heart of New Haven, especially if it continues its great play.

Beast of New Haven logo courtesy www.beastofnewhaven.com.

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