Monsters Head to Face Crunch
Nov 16, 2019In the third of four meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Syracuse Crunch, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Onondaga County War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, NY, underway at 7:00 pm on Alt 99.1, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 road overtime loss to the Rochester Americans on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 8-6-1-1 on the season. With 18 points, the Monsters currently rank fifth in the AHL’s North Division standings and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by LW Nathan Gerbe (4-8-12), C Zac Dalpe (7-4-11) and C Justin Scott (3-6-9).
CRUNCH PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-5 home loss to the Utica Comets on Friday, the Syracuse Crunch enter tonight’s game at 7-6-2-0 on the season. With 16 points, the Crunch currently rank seventh in the AHL’s North Division standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Syracuse is currently led in scoring by C Alex Barre-Boulet (8-5-13), D Cameron Gaunce (1-12-13) and C Chris Mueller (5-7-12).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the third of four meetings between the Monsters and Crunch this season and the first of two games between the two teams at Onondaga County War Memorial Arena this year. Cleveland is 0-2-0-0 vs. Syracuse both overall and at home this season with a -4 goal differential (4/8) vs. the Crunch.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Veini Vehvilainen | OVERALL |
7 GP, (3-4-0), 1 SO, 2.17 GAA, .923 S% |
| LAST APP. | (19/22) in 2-4 L vs GR 11/12/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD |
1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 6.00 GAA, .838 S% |
|
| ON THE ROAD | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 1.53 GAA, .947 S% | |
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | N/A |
| LAST APP. |
N/A |
|
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| ON THE ROAD | N/A | |
| 80 Matiss Kivlenieks | OVERALL | 8 GP, (5-1-2), 0 SO, 2.45 GAA, .904 S% |
| LAST APP. | (20/23) in 2-3 OTL at ROC 11/15/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 2.03 GAA, .917 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 5 GP, (3-0-2), 0 SO, 3.09 GAA, .885 S% |
CRUNCH GOALTENDERS:
| 29 Scott Wedgewood | OVERALL |
8 GP, (3-2-1), 0 SO, 3.28 GAA, .884 S% |
| LAST APP. |
(7/7) in 19:57 of relief in 2-5 L vs UTI 11/15/19 |
|
| HEAD-TO-HEAD |
1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.00 GAA, .969 S% |
|
| AT HOME | 5 GP, (2-0-1), 0 SO, 2.96 GAA, .875 S% | |
| 30 Spencer Martin | OVERALL |
5 GP, (2-3-0), 0 SO, 2.84 GAA, .890 S% |
| LAST APP. | (17/21) in first 39:40 of 2-5 L vs UTI 11/15/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME |
2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 4.16 GAA, .860 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- FAMILIAR FACE: On Saturday, Cleveland will face the all-time leader in games played in Monsters franchise history, Crunch defenseman Cameron Gaunce. So far this season, Gaunce leads all AHL blue-liners in assists (12, 1st) and points (13, T1st), and ranks tied for second among AHL defensemen with six power-play assists.
- RIVAL ROOKIES: Cleveland D Andrew Peeke currently ranks in the league’s top-ten among first-year skaters in assists (7, T4th), points (9, T7th) and shorthanded points (3, 1st), while Syracuse C Peter Abbondonato ranks in the AHL’s top-two among rookies in power-play goals (2, T2nd) and game-winning goals (2, T1st).
- DALPE’S DOMINATING: Cleveland’s top goal scorer so far this season is C Zac Dalpe. Currently in the midst of a two-game goal-scoring streak (2G), Dalpe ranks in the AHL’s top-four in shorthanded goals (2, T3rd) and shots on goal (58, T4th), and currently ranks second in Monsters franchise history in goals (59). Dalpe is also one power-play goal away from tying the Monsters’ franchise record for extra-man scores with 20 in his Cleveland career.