Game Preview: Monsters at Griffins 03/11

Mar 11, 2022

In the fifth of eight meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, on Friday with full coverage, live from Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.

 

MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-2 road overtime win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 20-22-6-4 on the season. With a .481 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Jake Christiansen (8-23-31), C Brendan Gaunce (16-12-28), and LW Tyler Angle (7-20-27).

 

GRIFFINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-4 home loss to the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday, the Grand Rapids Griffins enter tonight’s game at 23-23-5-2 on the season. With a .500 points percentage, the Griffins currently rank fourth in the North Division standings and 10th in the Western Conference. Grand Rapids is currently led in scoring by LW Taro Hirose (14-31-45), LW Jonatan Berggren (14-23-37), and LW Turner Elson (14-16-30).

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the fifth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Griffins this season [(1-2-1-0), -5 goal differential (7/12)] and the second of four games between the two clubs at Van Andel Arena this year [(1-0-0-0), +1 goal differential (2/1)].

MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:

31 Jet Greaves	OVERALL	18 GP, (8-6-1), 0 SO, 2.60 GAA, .914 S%
	LAST APP	(32/34) in 3-2 OTW at WBS 3/9/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	--
	ON THE ROAD	11 GP, (5-3-1), 0 SO, 2.50 GAA, .920 S%
35 Jean-Francois Berube	OVERALL	17 GP, (4-9-4), 1 SO, 3.37 GAA, .891 S%
	LAST APP	(16/22) in 5-7 L at UTI 2/11/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 4.18 GAA, .864 S%
	ON THE ROAD	9 GP, (3-4-2), 1 SO, 3.10 GAA, .900 S%

GRIFFINS GOALTENDERS:

1 Victor Brattstrom	OVERALL	15 GP, (5-8-2), 1 SO, 3.41 GAA, .895 S%
	LAST APP.	(29/32) in 2-4 L vs CHI 3/9/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 1.99 GAA, .944 S%
	AT HOME	10 GP, (4-5-1), 1 SO, 3.12 GAA, .902 S%
31 Calvin Pickard	OVERALL	38 GP, (18-14-5), 1 SO, 2.47 GAA, .923 S%
	LAST APP.	(28/31) in 2-3 L at MIL 3/6/22
	HEAD-TO-HEAD	3 GP, (3-0-0), 0 SO, 1.64 GAA, .950 S%
	AT HOME	20 GP, (8-7-4), 1 SO, 2.33 GAA, .926 S%

KEYS TO SUCCESS:

• JOLTIN’ JAKE: Cleveland’s leading scorer, D Jake Christiansen, ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in points (31, 7th), goals (8, T5th), and shots on goal (115, 2nd). Christiansen is currently riding a three-game assist streak (3) and a three-game point streak (2-3-5).
• HELPING HAND: Monsters C Cole Cassels is currently riding a two-game assist streak (4) and a four-game road assist streak (5), tied for the AHL’s second-longest such active streak. Cassels has four assists in his last two games, nine in his last seven, and 11 in his last nine outings.
• CARSON’S CONTRIBUTING: Cleveland RW Carson Meyer is currently riding a two-game point streak (2-1-3) and is scoring at a better than point per game pace in his last four appearances (3-2-5).