Monsters earn win against Milwaukee

The best cure for a hockey hangover is to come out strong in the second period and never let up for 40 minutes.

The Lake Erie Monsters spotted the Milwaukee Admirals a 2-0 lead in the first period on Dec. 18, then scored once in the second period and three times in the third to rally for a tourniquet, tightening 4-3 victory in Quicken Loans Arena.

Two nights earlier, the Monsters sleep-skated through a 4-0 loss to the Admirals and afterward sat through an earburning post game speech in the locker room.

They skated the first 20 minutes on Dec. 18 as though they didn’t get the message.

“The first period was like ‘Here we go again,’” Coach Dean Chynoweth said.

“We played in the second and third like we did in that stretch when we were winning hockey games.”

The Monsters stitched together a six-game winning streak before losing to Rockford, 5-2, on Dec. 13. After that one Chynoweth said the IceHogs “schooled” his team. The lesson continued in the 4-0 loss to Milwaukee.

MLB

option with a $1 million buyout.

The 29-year-old went 14-12 with a 3.11 ERA in 2013, his only full season as a starter, and went 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last five starts.

Medlen, who hurt his elbow in spring training, also missed most of the 2011 season while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

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John Amis/Associated Press Former Atlanta right-hander Kris Medlen has agreed to an $8.5 million, two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals after missing last season while he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The agreement was announced Dec. 18.