Game Preview: Monsters at Penguins 12/9
Dec 9, 2022In the second 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 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, on Friday with full coverage, live from Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA, underway at 7:00 pm on Bally Sports Great Lakes, FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-3 home win over the Rochester Americans on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 10-6-1-2 on the season. With 23 standings points, the Monsters currently rank third in the North Division standings and eighth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (10-12-22), RW Emil Bemstrom (10-9-19), and RW Kirill Marchenko (8-11-19).
PENGUINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 7-3 road win over the Hershey Bears on Sunday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins enter tonight’s game at 11-6-1-2 on the season. With 25 standings points, the Penguins currently rank fifth in the Atlantic Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Wilkes-Baare/Scranton is currently led in scoring by RW Valtteri Puustinen (8-10-18), LW Filip Hallander (7-11-18), and LW Drew O’Connor (6-11-17).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the second of four meetings between the Monsters and Penguins this season (0-1-0-0, -4 goal differential [1/5]) and the second of two games between the two clubs at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza this year.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 41 Daniil Tarasov | OVERALL | 2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 3.48 GAA, .879 S% |
| LAST APP | (21/26) in 6-5 OTW at ROC 11/11/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.94 GAA, .808 S% | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 9 GP, (4-3-2), 0 SO, 3.99 GAA, .881 S% |
| LAST APP | (29/32) in 4-3 W vs ROC 12/3/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 5.00 GAA, .821 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 6 GP, (1-3-2), 0 SO, 4.10 GAA, .881 S% |
PENGUINS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Filip Lindberg | OVERALL |
8 GP, (4-3-0), 0 SO, 2.71 GAA, .901 S% |
| LAST APP. | (21/24) in 7-3 W at HER 12/4/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD |
-- |
|
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 3.06 GAA, .875 S% | |
| 40 Dustin Tokarski | OVERALL | 13 GP, (7-3-3), 1 SO, 2.04 GAA, .930 S% |
| LAST APP. | (22/27) in 1-5 L vs BRI 12/3/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.00 GAA, .970 S% | |
| AT HOME | 8 GP, (4-3-1), 1 SO, 1.98 GAA, .927 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- FANTASTIC FINN: Cleveland LW Joona Luoto is currently riding a three-game point streak (4-2-6) and a three-game goal streak (4G), and ranks among the AHL’s leaders in shooting percentage (31.3%, T2nd) so far this season.
- PLUGGED IN: The Monsters currently lead the AHL in overall power-play percentage (23/71, 32.4%) and road power-play percentage (18/42, 42.9%).
- THE FIX IS IN: Fresh off his first NHL recall of the season, Monsters RW Trey Fix-Wolansky is currently in the midst of a four-game AHL point streak (7-7-14) and a four-game AHL goal streak (7G), tied for the AHL’s second-longest such active streak.