Game Preview: Monsters at Griffins 04/20

Apr 20, 2021

In the fifth of ten meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, on Tuesday with full coverage, live from Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 AM “The Gambler”, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.

 

MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 6-3 home win over the Rochester Americans on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 11-5-1-0 on the season. With a .676 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank second in the Central Division standings and seventh league-wide. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by C Tyler Sikura (9-7-16), RW Carson Meyer (5-8-13), and C Tyler Angle (6-5-11).

 

GRIFFINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-3 home overtime loss to the Iowa Wild on Saturday, the Grand Rapids Griffins enter tonight’s game at 9-6-3-0 on the season. With a .583 points percentage, the Griffins currently rank third in the Central Division standings and 12th league-wide. Grand Rapids is currently led in scoring by RW Riley Barber (13-8-21), LW Taro Hirose (4-12-16), and C Kyle Criscuolo (7-5-12).

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Tuesday marks the fifth of ten meetings between the Monsters and Griffins this season (1-2-1-0) and the second of five games between the two clubs at Van Andel Arena this year (0-0-1-0).

MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:

34 Daniil Tarasov	OVERALL	2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 2.52 GAA, .898 S%
	LAST APP.	(17/20) in 5-3 W at ROC 4/10/21
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.04 GAA, .931 S%
	ON THE ROAD	1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .850 S%
39 Brad Thiessen	OVERALL	9 GP, (4-4-1), 0 SO, 2.80 GAA, .906 S%
	LAST APP.	(23/24) in 5-1 W at ROC 3/31/21
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	3 GP, (0-2-1), 0 SO, 2.68 GAA, .916 S%
	ON THE ROAD	6 GP, (2-4-0), 0 SO, 3.22 GAA, .894 S%
80 Matiss Kivlenieks	OVERALL	5 GP, (5-0-0), 0 SO, 2.36 GAA, .924 S%
	LAST APP.	(28/31) in 6-3 W vs ROC 4/17/21
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	--
	ON THE ROAD	3 GP, (3-0-0), 0 SO, 1.95 GAA, .938 S%

GRIFFINS GOALTENDERS:

35 Pat Nagle	OVERALL	8 GP, (4-4-0), 0 SO, 2.96 GAA, .885 S%
	LAST APP.	(23/27) in 2-4 L at CLE 4/3/21
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 2.01 GAA, .922 S%
	AT HOME	1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 0.98 GAA, .957 S%
36 Kaden Fulcher	OVERALL	1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 3.88 GAA, .862 S%
	LAST APP	(25/29) in 3-4 OTL vs IA 4/17/21
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	--
	AT HOME	1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 3.88 GAA, .862 S%

KEYS TO SUCCESS:

• STILL STREAKING: The Monsters are currently in the midst of a season-long six-game winning streak, the AHL’s longest such active streak and the sixth-longest streak of its kind league-wide this season. Cleveland is additionally riding a five-game road winning streak, tied for the AHL’s longest such active streak and tied for the fourth-longest streak of its kind league-wide this year.
• TERRIFIC TYLER: Cleveland’s leading scorer, C Tyler Sikura, is currently in the midst of a six-game point streak (7-3-10) and a six-game goal streak (7G), the second-longest such active streak in the AHL and the second-longest streak of its kind league-wide this year.
• DYNAMIC DILLON: Monsters D Dillon Simpson ranks in the AHL’s top-five among defensemen in goals (5, T3rd) and shooting percentage (23.8%, 1st) and is currently in the midst of a five-game point streak (4-2-6).