Game Preview: Monsters at Bears 10/30
Oct 30, 2021In the first of four meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Giant Center in Hershey, PA, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 AM “The Gambler”, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 road shootout loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 3-1-0-2 on the season. With a .667 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank second in the North Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Jake Christiansen (2-4-6), LW Tyler Angle (0-6-6), and C Tyler Sikura (2-2-4).
BEARS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 home overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday, the Hershey Bears enter tonight’s game at 3-1-1-0 on the season. With a .700 points percentage, the Bears currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings and fifth in the Eastern Conference. Hershey is currently led in scoring by RW Garret Pilon (3-3-6), LW Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (2-3-5), and C Mike Sgarbossa (2-3-5).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the first of four meetings between the Monsters and Bears this season and the first of two games between the two clubs at Giant Center this year.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Jean-Francois Berube | OVERALL | 3 GP, (2-0-1), 1 SO, 1.95 GAA, .941 S% |
| LAST APP. | (38/40) in 2-3 SOL at TOR 10/24/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 2 GP, (1-0-1), 1 SO, 0.97 GAA, .972 S% | |
| 40 Daniil Tarasov | OVERALL | 2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 3.45 GAA, .881 S% |
| LAST APP. | (36/38) in 2-3 SOL at SYR 10/29/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 1.86 GAA, .947 S% |
BEARS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Hunter Shepard | OVERALL | -- |
| LAST APP. | -- | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | -- | |
| 31 Pheonix Copley | OVERALL | 3 GP, (1-1-1), 0 SO, 2.94 GAA, .878 S% |
| LAST APP. | (37/40) in 2-3 OTL vs SYR 10/27/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 2 GP, (1-0-1), 0 SO, 2.42 GAA, .909 S% | |
| 35 Zach Fucale | OVERALL | 2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 0.97 GAA, .962 S% |
| LAST APP. | (27/28) in 2-1 OTW at CHA 10/23/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.02 GAA, .958 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- WE’RE GOING STREAKING: Cleveland is currently in the midst of a five-game points streak (3-0-0-2) with the Monsters having earned at least one standings point in every game this season with the exception of the club’s opening-night 6-4 home loss to Syracuse on October 15th.
- STENLUND’S SUCCESS: Monsters C Kevin Stenlund is scoring at a better than point per game pace (1-2-3) in his last two outings.
- FAMILIAR FACE: Hershey C Mike Sgarbossa posted 28-59-87 with 162 penalty minutes and a -42 rating in 146 appearances for the Monsters spanning parts of three seasons with the team from 2012-15.