Monsters Continue on to Face Rocket on the Road
Dec 10, 2019In the sixth of eight meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Laval Rocket, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, on Tuesday with full coverage, live from Place Bell in Laval, QC, underway at 7:00 pm on Alt 99.1, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 1-7 road loss to the Belleville Senators on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 12-11-1-1 on the season. With 26 points, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the AHL’s North Division standings and 12th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by LW Nathan Gerbe (6-15-21), D Adam Clendening (5-9-14) and C Ryan MacInnis (3-11-14).
ROCKET PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-3 road win over the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Laval Rocket enter tonight’s game at 14-10-3-0 on the season. With 31 points, the Rocket currently rank fourth in the AHL’s North Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Laval is currently led in scoring by RW Riley Barber (6-12-18), C Lukas Vejdemo (8-8-16) and C Jake Evans (5-11-16).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Tuesday marks the sixth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Rocket this season and the fourth of four meetings between the two clubs at Place Bell this year. Cleveland is 2-3-0-0 vs. Laval overall this season with a -2 goal differential (10/12) and 2-1-0-0 vs. the Rocket on the road with a +3 goal differential (9/6).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Veini Vehvilainen | OVERALL | 11 GP, (5-6-0), 2 SO, 2.12 GAA, .918 S% |
| LAST APP. | (17/19) in 6-2 W at BEL 12/6/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 1.52 GAA, .948 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD |
4 GP, (2-2-0), 0 SO, 2.03 GAA, .921 S% |
|
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | N/A |
| LAST APP. | N/A | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME | N/A | |
| 80 Matiss Kivlenieks | OVERALL | 12 GP, (6-4-2), 0 SO, 3.13 GAA, .887 S% |
| LAST APP. | (25/32) in 1-7 L at BEL 12/7/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 2.54 GAA, .915 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD |
8 GP, (3-3-2), 0 SO, 3.80 GAA, .871 S% |
ROCKET GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Keith Kinkaid | OVERALL | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 3.77 GAA, .870 S% |
| LAST APP. | (23/25) in 51:39 of relief in 4-3 W at SPR 12/7/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME | N/A | |
| 35 Charlie Lindgren | OVERALL | 14 GP, (6-5-2), 1 SO, 2.70 GAA, .894 S% |
| LAST APP. | (2/3) in first 8:21 of 4-3 W at SPR 12/7/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (2-1-0), 1 SO, 1.68 GAA, .934 S% | |
| AT HOME | 8 GP, (4-4-0), 0 SO, 3.21 GAA, .882 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- HANNI’S HELPING: Cleveland LW Markus Hannikainen has four points to his credit, including three goals, in his past four games played.
- GERBE THE GREAT: Monsters LW Nathan Gerbe is currently in the midst of a five-game point streak (1-5-6) and has nine points (2G, 7A) in his past nine appearances.
- GROUNDING THE ROCKET: Cleveland D Adam Clendening is scoring at a point-per-game pace versus Laval this season (3 GP, 1-2-3).