Game Preview: Monsters at Marlies 03/25
Mar 25, 2023In the fourth 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 Toronto Marlies, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON, underway at 4:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-2 home overtime win over the Toronto Marlies on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter today’s game at 27-26-5-2 on the season. With 61 standings points, the Monsters currently rank sixth in the North Division standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (26-41-67), C Josh Dunne (19-15-34), and C Justin Richards (10-24-34).
MARLIES PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 road overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Toronto Marlies enter today’s game at 40-18-3-2 on the season. With 85 standings points, the Marlies currently rank first in the North Division standings and first in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is currently led in scoring by C Logan Shaw (18-44-62), LW Alex Steeves (17-30-47), and LW Nick Abruzzese (15-28-43).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the fourth of four meetings between the Monsters and Marlies this season (2-1-0-0, +2 goal differential [9/7]) and the second of two games between the two clubs at Coca-Cola Coliseum this year (1-0-0-0, +4 goal differential [5/1]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 32 Jon Gillies | TUC (AHL) |
15 GP, (5-8-2), 0 SO, 3.70 GAA, .878 S% |
| LAST APP: |
(36/41) in 2-5 L at CV 1/16/23 |
|
| 40 Daniil Tarasov | OVERALL | 10 GP, (5-5-0), 0 SO, 3.81 GAA, .882 S% |
| LAST APP | (37/39) in 3-2 OTW vs TOR 3/24/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.87 GAA, .949 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 6 GP, (2-4-0), 0 SO, 4.90 GAA, .846 S% | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 34 GP, (14-12-5), 0 SO, 3.34 GAA, .893 S% |
| LAST APP | (33/36) in 5-3 W vs BEL 3/19/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD |
1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.00 GAA, .976 S% |
|
| ON THE ROAD | 14 GP, (4-5-2), 0 SO, 3.68 GAA, .882 S% |
MARLIES GOALTENDERS:
| 40 Luke Cavallin |
NFL (ECHL) |
31 GP, (21-8-1), 1 SO, 2.57 GAA, .916 S% |
| 50 Erik Kallgren | OVERALL | 21 GP, (9-7-2), 0 SO, 3.21 GAA, .887 S% |
| LAST APP | (23/26) in 1-4 L vs CLT 3/18/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 11 GP, (4-4-1), 0 SO, 2.65 GAA, .900 S% | |
| 80 Keith Petruzzelli | OVERALL | 21 GP, (12-7-1), 0 SO, 2.88 GAA, .907 S% |
| LAST APP. | (31/34) in 2-3 OTL at CLE 3/24/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 3.44 GAA, .896 S% | |
| AT HOME | 11 GP, (7-4-0), 0 SO, 2.27 GAA, .917 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- LIGHTS OUT LU: Cleveland LW Joona Luoto is currently riding a two-game goal streak (2) and a two-game point streak (2-1-3), and is scoring at a goal per game and better than point per game pace vs. Toronto this season (3 GP, 3-1-4).
- SHUT DOWN STEEVES: The Monsters will try to neutralize Toronto C Alex Steeves on Saturday as Steeves is scoring at an assist per game and better than point per game pace vs. Cleveland this season (3 GP, 1-3-4).
- SHORTHANDED: On Saturday, the Monsters will need to overcome the absence of the club’s top scorer, RW Trey Fix-Wolansky, and productive blue-liner Jake Christiansen, both of whom were added to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ roster late Friday on emergency recall.