Game Preview: Monsters at Penguins 03/09
Mar 9, 2022In the fourth 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 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, on Wednesday with full coverage, live from Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-8 home loss to the Toronto Marlies on Sunday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 19-22-6-4 on the season. With a .471 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Jake Christiansen (7-22-29), C Brendan Gaunce (16-12-28), and LW Tyler Angle (7-20-27).
PENGUINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-5 road overtime loss to the Providence Bruins on Sunday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins enter tonight’s game at 23-23-3-4 on the season. With a .500 points percentage, the Penguins currently rank sixth in the Atlantic Division standings and 12th in the Eastern Conference. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is currently led in scoring by RW Valtteri Puustinen (17-17-34), RW Alexander Nylander (16-12-28), and D Pierre-Olivier Jospeh (9-19-28).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Wednesday marks the fourth of four meetings between the Monsters and Penguins this season [(0-3-0-0), -11 goal differential (3/14)] and the second of two games between the two clubs at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza this year [(0-1-0-0), -4 goal differential (1/5)].
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 17 GP, (7-6-1), 0 SO, 2.65 GAA, .912 S% |
| LAST APP | (25/27) in 4-2 W vs TOR 3/5/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 3.60 GAA, .870 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 10 GP, (4-3-1), 0 SO, 2.57 GAA, .917 S% | |
| 35 Jean-Francois Berube | OVERALL | 17 GP, (4-9-4), 1 SO, 3.37 GAA, .891 S% |
| LAST APP | (16/22) in 5-7 L at UTI 2/11/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 9.07 GAA, .667 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 9 GP, (3-4-2), 1 SO, 3.10 GAA, .900 S% |
PENGUINS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Filip Lindberg | OVERALL | 7 GP, (4-2-0), 0 SO, 2.76 GAA, .915 S% |
| LAST APP. | (27/28) in first 40:00 of 2-1 W vs CLT 11/12/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 6 GP, (3-2-0), 0 SO, 2.74 GAA, .915 S% | |
| 33 Alex D’Orio | OVERALL | 20 GP, (7-9-3), 1 SO, 2.91 GAA, .894 S% |
| LAST APP. | (20/25) in 4-5 OTL at PRO 3/6/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (3-0-0), 1 SO, 1.00 GAA, .964 S% | |
| AT HOME | 9 GP, (5-2-2), 0 SO, 2.08 GAA, .920 S% | |
| 37 Tommy Nappier | OVERALL | 17 GP, (8-7-2), 0 SO, 3.05 GAA, .891 S% |
| LAST APP. | (15/20) in 4-5 L at BRI 3/4/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 8 GP, (4-3-1), 0 SO, 2.29 GAA, .921 S% | |
| 70 Louis Domingue | OVERALL | 10 GP, (3-4-2), 0 SO, 2.69 GAA, .918 S% |
| LAST APP. | (30/34) in 1-4 L vs HER 12/27/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 3 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 3.58 GAA, .882 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- SIKURA’S SUCCESS: Monsters C Tyler Sikura is riding a two-game point streak (2-2-4) and is scoring at a better than point per game pace in his last four appearances (2-3-5).
- DYNAMIC DEFENSEMAN: Cleveland D Jake Christiansen is riding a two-game point streak (1-2-3) and a two-game assist streak (2) and currently ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in points (29, 10th) and shots on goal (112, 4th) so far this season.
- PAYNE’S PROWESS: Monsters C Robbie Payne is riding a two-game point streak (2-2-4) and a two-game assist streak (2) and is scoring at a point per game pace in his last six outings (3-3-6).