Kings’ minor-league affiliate advances in Calder Cup playoffs
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The Kings’ season might be over, but their American Hockey League affiliate continues to showcase the franchise’s stable of talented prospects in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Viatcheslav Voynov scored less than two minutes into overtime to lift the Manchester Monarchs to a series-clinching 2-1 victory over the Worcester Sharks in Game 6 of the Atlantic Division finals on Friday.
Torrance native Gabe Gauthier also scored for the Monarchs and Jonathan Bernier, who was impressive in brief stints with the Kings this past season, made 28 saves to improve to 8-2 in the postseason. The Monarchs will play the Hershey Bears in a rematch of the 2007 Eastern Conference final.
Voynov, who was drafted by the Kings in the second round in 2008, assisted on Gauthier’s goal.
The Russian has played well this season and has a chance of cracking the Kings blue-line corps next season as the sixth defenseman -- especially if the Kings don’t bring back unrestricted free agents Sean O’Donnell and Randy Jones.
The Monarchs open their Eastern finals series against Hershey on Wednesday.
-- Austin Knoblauch
