LAKE ERIE MONSTERS

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The Monsters have lost three games in a row at home.

Willsie and Sertich, who each missed the previous three games because of injuries, combined for three goals but Lake Erie fell to Chicago, 5-4, in The Q.

Lake Erie fell to Hartford, 5-3, Sunday at The Q.

One of these days, his players must realize on their own that penalties kill. More to the point: Failure to kill penalties kills. Until they figure it out, the Monsters will struggle, regardless of the makeup of their roster.

Lake Erie gave up two power-play goals - the last two goals of the game - in a 5-3 loss to Hartford on Sunday in The Q.

The Houston Aeros -- specifically, goalie Barry Brust -- perform at an NHL level when they face the Monsters.

Houston improved to 5-0-0-0 in two seasons against Lake Erie with a 3-1 victory Friday night in The Q.

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerLake Erie's Darcy Campbell, left, and Hamilton's Greg Stewart go after the puck behind the goal in the third quarter on Nov. 9, 2008.

Lake Erie, seemingly cooked after two periods, scored four goals in a five-minute span of the third to stun the powerful Hamilton Bulldogs, 6-4, in The Q.

The Monsters put on a show late in front of a crowd of 3,448 and a TV audience.

Brian Willsie is making the best of a difficult situation.

AHL photoBrian Willsie

"It's disappointing that I'm not in the NHL," he said. "It stinks. I hope I get a call in an hour that I'm going to the NHL and staying there."

This is not some wide-eyed rookie pro dreaming of the show. Willsie's angst stems from having played exclusively in the NHL the past three seasons. The right winger appeared in 82 games for the Washington Capitals in 2005-2006, 81 for the Los Angeles Kings in 2006-2007, and 53 for the Kings last season.

Willsie, 30, signed a standard two-way contract with Colorado in July.

"As much as I want to be up there, I have a job to do down here," he said. "I'm not going to have a bad attitude. That's not the way to get back up, and it's not going to help this club. I'm giving everything I have to the Lake Erie Monsters."

Peoria's Trent Whitfield scored two goals, including an empty-netter, and Chris Conner had a goal and an assist to lead the Rivermen past the Monsters, 5-2, on Sunday in Peoria, Ill.

PEORIA, Ill. --- Playing their second straight game, and second of three games in as many nights, the Lake Erie Monsters were outpowered in Peoria on Saturday, falling, 5-2, to the Rivermen in American Hockey League action.

Trailing, 2-0, early in the first period, Lake Erie fought back on a T.J. Hensick power play goal, assisted by Brian Willsie and Derek Peltier. Hensick has recorded a point in four straight games and leads the Monsters with 10 points. Willsie has notched a point in all seven games of the 2008-09 Lake Erie season, and he currently sits second on the team with nine points.

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Monsters right winger Brian Willsie has scored goals in five straight games to open the season. But that's only the half of it.

Willsie, who spent the past three seasons in the NHL, is playing superbly at both ends.

"He always seems to be in the right place at the right time," Monsters coach Joe Sacco said. "He steps in and breaks up a lot of plays defensively, which is a great example for our younger guys. Our staff really believes you have to be a strong player away from the puck. We'll harp on that all year."

Willsie, 30, signed with the Colorado organization in July.