Game Preview: Monsters at Americans 03/19

Mar 19, 2022

In the sixth of ten 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 Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY, underway at 6:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.

 

MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-5 road loss to the Rochester Americans on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 21-24-7-4 on the season. With a .473 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Jake Christiansen (9-27-36), LW Tyler Angle (7-22-29), and C Brendan Gaunce (16-12-28).

 

AMERICANS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-4 home win over the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Rochester Americans enter tonight’s game at 29-23-4-2 on the season. With a .552 points percentage, the Americans currently rank sixth in the North Division standings and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Rochester is currently led in scoring by RW JJ Peterka (16-34-50), LW Michael Mersch (20-21-41), and RW Jack Quinn (20-21-41).

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the sixth of ten meetings between the Monsters and Americans this season [(2-3-0-0), -3 goal differential (16/19)] and the fourth of five games between the two clubs at Blue Cross Arena this year [(1-2-0-0), -4 goal differential (8/12)].

MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:

31 Jet Greaves	OVERALL	21 GP, (9-7-2), 0 SO, 2.72 GAA, .908 S%
	LAST APP	(17/22) in 4-5 L at ROC 3/18/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 4.07 GAA, .886 S%
	ON THE ROAD	12 GP, (5-4-1), 0 SO, 2.75 GAA, .909 S%
35 Jean-Francois Berube	OVERALL	18 GP, (4-10-4), 1 SO, 3.52 GAA, .885 S%
	LAST APP	(21/27) in 1-6 L at GR 3/11/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 3.56 GAA, .857 S%
	ON THE ROAD	10 GP, (3-5-2), 1 SO, 3.40 GAA, .889 S%

AMERICANS GOALTENDERS:

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	OVERALL	22 GP, (9-11-2), 1 SO, 3.38 GAA, .897 S%
	LAST APP.	(40/44) in 3-4 OTL at SYR 3/13/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	2 GP, (1-1-0), 1 SO, 2.02 GAA, .947 S%
	AT HOME	9 GP, (3-6-0), 1 SO, 3.10 GAA, .899 S%
80 Aaron Dell	OVERALL	16 GP, (10-4-1), 0 SO, 2.94 GAA, .907 S%
	LAST APP.	(31/35) in 5-4 W vs CLE 3/18/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.00 GAA, .886 S%
	AT HOME	9 GP, (5-3-0), 0 SO, 3.09 GAA, .906 S%

KEYS TO SUCCESS:

• CHRISTIANSEN’S CRUISIN’: Cleveland D Jake Christiansen ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in points (36, 4th), goals (9, T4th), and shots on goal (129, 2nd), is scoring at a point per game pace vs. Rochester this season (3GP, 1-2-3), and is riding a seven-game assist streak (7), the league’s longest such active streak and tied for the fourth-longest streak of its kind this season, a seven-game point streak (3-7-10), tied for the league’s longest such active streak, and a five-game road assist streak (5), tied for the AHL’s longest such active streak.
• SIKURA’S SUCCESS: Monsters C Tyler Sikura is riding a three-game point streak (3-1-4) and is scoring at a better than point per game pace in his last seven appearances (5-3-8).
• ROCKING ROCHESTER: Cleveland RW Trey Fix-Wolansky is scoring at a better than goal per game pace vs. the Americans this season (2 GP, 3-0-3).