Monsters Begin Weekend Homestand Against Checkers

Nov 1, 2019

In the first of eight meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Charlotte Checkers, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, on Friday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 7:00 pm on Alt 99.1, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.

 

MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-0 home win over the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 5-3-0-1 on the season. With 11 points, the Monsters currently rank fourth in the AHL’s North Division standings and seventh in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by C Zac Dalpe (4-4-8), LW Nathan Gerbe (2-6-8), LW Calvin Thurkauf (2-4-6) and C Justin Scott (2-4-6).

 

CHECKERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 home loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday, the Charlotte Checkers enter tonight’s game at 4-4-0-0 on the season. With eight points, the Checkers currently rank seventh in the AHL’s Atlantic Division standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is currently led in scoring by C Morgan Geekie (4-5-9), LW Brian Gibbons (3-5-8) and D Chase Priskie (2-6-8).

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the first of eight games between the Monsters and Checkers this season and the first of four meetings between the two teams at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year.

MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:

35 Veini Vehvilainen	OVERALL	4 GP, (2-2-0), 1 SO, 2.27 GAA, .927 S%
	LAST APP.	(29/29) in 5-0 W vs RFD 10/26/19
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	N/A
	AT HOME	2 GP, (1-1-0), 1 SO, 3.00 GAA, .909 S%
39 Brad Thiessen	OVERALL	N/A
	LAST APP.	N/A
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	N/A
	AT HOME	N/A
80 Matiss Kivlenieks	OVERALL	5 GP, (3-1-1), 0 SO, 2.52 GAA, .906 S%
	LAST APP.	(24/25) in 7-1 W vs RFD 10/25/19
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.00 GAA, .960 S%
	AT HOME	2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 1.51 GAA, .939 S%

CHECKERS GOALTENDERS:

30 Alex Nedeljkovic	OVERALL	4 GP, (0-4-0), 0 SO, 4.45 GAA, .851 S%
	LAST APP.	(39/42) in 2-3 L vs LV 10/26/19
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	N/A
	ON THE ROAD	2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 6.58 GAA, .714 S%
31 Anton Forsberg	OVERALL	5 GP, (4-0-0), 0 SO, 2.69 GAA, .909 S%
	LAST APP.	(24/26) in 3-2 SOW vs LV 10/25/19
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	N/A
	ON THE ROAD	3 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 3.64 GAA, .886 S%

 

KEYS TO SUCCESS:

• MAKING HISTORY: After outscoring the Rockford IceHogs by a combined margin of 12-1 in two home wins last weekend, Cleveland’s active stretch of 12 unanswered goals is the longest streak of its kind in franchise history and following Saturday’s 5-0 win over Rockford, the Monsters have scored five or more goals in three consecutive games for the first time ever.
• FIRST-TIMER: Cleveland D Andrew Peeke scored his first professional goal in the Monsters’ 5-0 home victory over Rockford on Saturday and has four points to his credit (1-3-4) in his past three appearances.
• PAST THE QUAD, TO THE GYMNASIUM: Three Monsters players are currently in the midst of three-or-more game points streaks, including LW Markus Hannikainen (4 GP, 1-3-4), C Zac Dalpe (3 GP, 2-3-5) and LW Nathan Gerbe (3 GP, 2-2-4).