Game Preview: Monsters at Rocket 11/19
Nov 19, 2022In the second of eight meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Laval Rocket, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Place Bell in Laval, QC, underway at 3:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 7-3 road win over the Laval Rocket on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 8-5-0-1 on the season. With 17 standings points, the Monsters currently rank second in the North Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (9-12-21), RW Carson Meyer (6-11-17), and RW Kirill Marchenko (8-6-14).
ROCKET PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-7 home loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Laval Rocket enter tonight’s game at 4-9-3-0 on the season. With 11 standings points, the Rocket currently rank sixth in the North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Laval is currently led in scoring by LW Anthony Richard (11-5-16), C Xavier Simoneau (3-9-12), and RW Jesse Ylonen (4-7-11).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the second of eight meetings between the Monsters and Rocket this season (1-0-0-0, +4 goal differential [7/3]) and the second of four games between the two clubs at Place Bell this year.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Pavel Cajan | OVERALL | 5 GP, (3-2-0), 0 SO, 3.23 GAA, .887 S% |
| LAST APP | (32/35) in 7-3 W at LAV 11/18/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .914 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 3 GP, (2-1-0), 0 SO, 3.33 GAA, .891 S% | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 6 GP, (2-3-1), 0 SO, 4.68 GAA, .844 S% |
| LAST APP | (23/30) in 7-8 SOL at BEL 11/16/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 4 GP, (0-3-1), 0 SO, 4.98 GAA, .829 S% |
ROCKET GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Cayden Primeau | OVERALL | 10 GP, (3-5-2), 1 SO, 3.42 GAA, .895 S% |
| LAST APP. | (29/36) in 3-7 L vs CLE 11/18/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 7.00 GAA, .806 S% | |
| AT HOME | 8 GP, (3-3-2), 1 SO, 3.62 GAA, .895 S% | |
| 39 Kevin Poulin | OVERALL | 6 GP, (1-4-1), 0 SO, 3.63 GAA, .885 S% |
| LAST APP. | (23/26) in 1-4 L at HER 11/13/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 3.41 GAA, .899 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- TREY’S ON A TEAR: Cleveland RW Trey Fix-Wolansky currently ranks among the AHL’s leaders in points (21, T1st) and goals (9, T3rd) and is riding a three-game point streak (6-7-13), a three-game goal streak (6G) – tied for the league’s third-longest such active streak – and a three-game assist streak (7A). Fix-Wolansky tied a single-game Cleveland franchise record on Friday with five points (2G, 3A) and now ranks in the top-ten in Monsters franchise history in career goals (40, T10th) and power-play goals (14, T8th) posted in a Cleveland uniform.
- SAMMY’S SIZZLING: Monsters rookie D Samuel Knazko set a new single-game Cleveland franchise record on Friday with five assists in the Monsters’ 7-3 road win over Laval and tied a single-game club record for points. Knazko is currently riding a four-game point streak (1-7-8) and ranks among the AHL’s rookie leaders in points (10, T10th), assists (9, T2nd), power-play assists (7, 1st), and power-play points (7, T1st). Knazko also ranks among the league’s defensive leaders in points (T8th), power-play assists (T1st), and power-play points (T3rd).
- POWERED UP: After tying a single-game franchise record with five power-play goals on Friday, Cleveland’s power-play now leads the league both overall (18/55, 32.7%) and on the road (16/39, 41.0%) so far this season.