Game Preview: Monsters vs. Rochester 4/17
Apr 17, 2021In the fifth of six 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 from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 4:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 AM “The Gambler”, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-3 road win over the Rochester Americans on Wednesday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 10-5-1-0 on the season. With a .656 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 (8-7-15), RW Carson Meyer (5-7-12), and LW Nathan Gerbe (4-6-10).
AMERICANS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-3 home loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Wednesday, the Rochester Americans enter tonight’s game at 8-7-2-1 on the season. With a .528 points percentage, the Americans currently rank fifth in the North Division standings and 15th league-wide. Rochester is currently led in scoring by LW Brett Murray (6-8-14), C Arttu Ruotsalainen (5-8-13), and C Jean-Sebastien Dea (4-9-13).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the fifth of six meetings between the Monsters and Americans this season (3-1-0-0) and the second of three games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year (0-1-0-0).
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, 3.00 GAA, .850 S% |
|
| AT HOME |
1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.04 GAA, .931 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 |
2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 3.54 GAA, .877 S% |
|
| AT HOME | 6 GP, (2-4-0), 0 SO, 3.22 GAA, .894 S% | |
| 80 Matiss Kivlenieks | OVERALL | 4 GP, (4-0-0), 0 SO, 2.21 GAA, .929 S% |
| LAST APP. | (12/14) in 9-2 W at ROC 4/10/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .857 S% | |
| AT HOME |
1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .900 S% |
AMERICANS GOALTENDERS:
| 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | OVERALL: | 14 GP, (7-5-2), 0 SO, 3.60 GAA, .888 S% |
| LAST APP. | (22/27) in first 33:35 of 2-9 L vs CLE 4/10/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (1-2-0), 0 SO, 4.71 GAA, .881 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 7 GP, (4-2-1), 0 SO, 3.27 GAA, .905 S% | |
| 30 Billy Christopoulos | OVERALL | 2 GP, (0-0-0), 0 SO, 9.42 GAA, .583 S% |
| LAST APP. | (5/9) in 26:25 of relief in 2-9 L vs CLE 4/10/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-0-0), 0 SO, 9.09 GAA, .556 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | -- | |
| 34 Stefanos Lekkas | OVERALL |
2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 3.93 GAA, .869 S% |
| LAST APP | (28/32) in 3-5 L vs CLE 4/14/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 4.02 GAA, .875 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | -- |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- STILL STREAKING: The Monsters are currently in the midst of a season-long five-game winning streak, the AHL’s second-longest such active streak.
- TERRIFIC TYLER: Cleveland’s leading scorer, C Tyler Sikura, is currently in the midst of a five-game point streak (6-3-9) and a five-game goal streak (6G). Sikura is also scoring at a point per game pace vs. Rochester this season (4 GP, 3-1-4).
- DYNAMIC DILLON: Monsters D Dillon Simpson currently ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in goals (5, T2nd) and shooting percentage (25.0%, T1st), and is currently riding a three-game goal streak (4G) and a four-game point streak (4-1-5). Simpson is also scoring at a better than point per game pace vs. Rochester this season (2 GP, 3-0-3).