Game Preview: Monsters vs. Americans 4/16
Apr 16, 2023In the seventh 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 Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, on Saturday with full coverage, live Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY, underway at 5:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 1-2 road loss to the Utica Comets on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 32-31-5-2 on the season. With 71 standings points, the Monsters currently rank sixth in the North Division standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (29-41-70), C Justin Richards (10-28-38), and D David Jiricek (6-32-38).
AMERICANS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-7 home loss to the Belleville Senators on Friday, the Rochester Americans enter tonight’s game at 35-26-6-3 on the season. With 79 standings points, the Americans currently rank third in the North Division standings and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Rochester is currently led in scoring by LW Lukas Rousek (15-40-55), C Brandon Biro (16-35-51), and LW Brett Murray (23-26-49).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the seventh of eight meetings between the Monsters and Americans this season (4-1-1-0, even goal differential [20/20]) and the fourth of four games between the two clubs at Blue Cross Arena this year (2-1-0-0, -1 goal differential [11/12]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Pavel Cajan | OVERALL | 22 GP, (8-10-2), 0 SO, 3.42 GAA, .878 S% |
| LAST APP | (24/27) in 4-3 W at ROC 4/15/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-0-1), 0 SO, 3.40 GAA, .870 S% | |
| AT HOME | 11 GP, (2-6-1), 0 SO, 3.76 GAA, .859 S% | |
| 31 Nolan Lalonde | ERI (OHL) |
41 GP, (11-20-2), 1 SO, 4.10 GAA, .868 S% |
| 40 Daniil Tarasov | OVERALL |
11 GP, (5-5-0), 0 SO, 3.85 GAA, .882 S% |
| LAST APP | (16/18) in first 25:21 of 2-5 L at ROC 3/26/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.88 GAA, .841 S% | |
| AT HOME |
4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 2.48 GAA, .924 S% |
|
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL |
42 GP, (19-15-5), 2 SO, 3.08 GAA, .899 S% |
| LAST APP |
(23/25) in 1-2 L at UTC 4/14/23 |
|
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 2.24 GAA, .927 S% | |
| AT HOME | 22 GP, (11-8-3), 0 SO, 3.07 GAA, .900 S% |
AMERICANS GOALTENDERS:
| 29 Michael Houser | OVERALL | 21 GP, (9-8-2), 1 SO, 2.80 GAA, .906 S% |
| LAST APP. | (30/34) in 3-4 L vs CLE 4/15/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 4.20 GAA, .874 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 14 GP, (7-5-1), 1 SO, 2.56 GAA, .917 S% | |
| 47 Malcolm Subban | OVERALL | 38 GP, (19-14-5), 2 SO, 2.99 GAA, .902 S% |
| LAST APP. | (18/24) in 4-7 L vs BEL 4/14/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 4 GP, (2-1-1), 0 SO, 2.45 GAA, .905 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD |
16 GP, (8-6-2), 1 SO, 2.74 GAA, .917 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- RECORD SETTER: Already having claimed the Monsters’ all-time record with 22 power-play goals in his Cleveland career, an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 road win over Rochester, his 71st point of the season, put Cleveland RW Trey Fix-Wolansky alone atop the franchise’s all-time single season scoring list.
- AWESOME ATTENDANCE: For the third time in four years, the Monsters enter the final day of the regular season as the AHL’s attendance leader both in total attendance (330,506) and average attendance (9,443).
- ROCKING ROCHESTER: Cleveland’s active roster currently features four players scoring at a point per game or better pace vs. the Amerks this season, including RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (3 GP, 2-4-6), LW Joona Luoto (5 GP, 3-2-5), D Jake Christiansen (2 GP, 2-0-2), and D Stanislav Svozil (1 GP, 0-2-2).