Game Preview: Monsters at Checkers 01/21
Jan 21, 2023In the third of four meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Charlotte Checkers, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC, underway at 4:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 1-2 home overtime loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, the Cleveland Monsters enter today’s game at 14-17-3-2 on the season. With 33 standings points, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 15th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (17-20-37), RW Emil Bemstrom (14-17-31), and C Justin Richards (6-16-22).
CHECKERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 home shootout loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday, the Charlotte Checkers enter today’s game at 19-14-2-2 on the season. With 42 standings points, the Checkers currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is currently led in scoring by C Riley Nash (12-17-29), D Santtu Kinnunen (5-14-19), and RW Grigori Denisenko (8-10-18).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the third of four meetings between the Monsters and Checkers this season (0-2-0-0, -2 goal differential [4/6]) and the first of two games between the two clubs at Bojangles Coliseum this year.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 40 Daniil Tarasov | OVERALL |
4 GP, (2-2-0), 0 SO, 4.29 GAA, .850 S% |
| LAST APP | (22/25) in 2-3 L at HER 12/10/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (1-2-0), 0 SO, 5.20 GAA, .809 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 13 GP, (2-9-1), 0 SO, 3.28 GAA, .908 S% | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 17 GP, (6-7-3), 0 SO, 3.49 GAA, .891 S% |
| LAST APP | (31/33) in 1-2 OTL vs LV 1/18/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 3.13 GAA, .902 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 9 GP, (2-4-2), 0 SO, 3.75 GAA, .885 S% |
CHECKERS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Jean-Francois Berube |
OVERALL |
4 GP, (1-2-1), 0 SO, 3.44 GAA, .872 S% |
| LAST APP. | (32/34) in 2-3 SOL vs WBS 1/15/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 3 GP, (1-1-1), 0 SO, 2.61 GAA, .910 S% | |
| 30 Spencer Knight | OVERALL | -- |
| LAST APP. | -- | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | -- |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- THE FIX IS IN: Cleveland RW Trey Fix-Wolansky currently ranks among the AHL’s leaders in scoring (37 PTS, T13th) and ranks tied for fourth league-wide with three shootout goals so far this season. Fix-Wolansky is also scoring at a better than point per game pace in his last five outings (3-3-6).
- GETTING HEALTHY: Monsters C Justin Richards and RW Luka Burzan have both been cleared to return to game action following matching six-game injury absences due to a pair of lower-body injuries suffered in Cleveland’s 5-2 road win over Chicago on January 6th.
- TERRIFIC TARASOV: Cleveland G Daniil Tarasov, assigned to the Monsters by the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, is expected to make his fifth AHL start of the season on Saturday, his first appearance for the Monsters since he stopped 22 of 25 pucks in a 3-2 Monsters loss in Hershey on December 10th.