Game Preview: Monsters vs. Americans 01/21
Jan 20, 2022In the third 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 Friday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 AM “The Gambler”, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-5 home loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 12-11-4-3 on the season. With a .517 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank sixth in the North Division standings and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by C Brendan Gaunce (10-11-21), D Jake Christiansen (5-15-20), and LW Tyler Angle (4-15-19).
AMERICANS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 home overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday, the Rochester Americans enter today’s game at 19-11-2-1 on the season. With a .621 points percentage, the Americans currently rank second in the North Division standings and second in the Western Conference. Rochester is currently led in scoring by RW Jack Quinn (18-17-35), LW Michael Mersch (17-17-34), and RW JJ Peterka (6-20-26).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the third of ten meetings between the Monsters and Americans this season [(1-1-0-0), -3 goal differential (4/7)] and the first of five games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 6 GP, (2-3-0), 0 SO, 3.65 GAA, .893 S% |
| LAST APP. | (31/35) in 5-4 W at RFD 1/15/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 2 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 3.23 GAA, .898 S% | |
| 33 Cam Johnson | OVERALL | 3 GP, (1-0-1), 0 SO, 1.89 GAA, .932 S% |
| LAST APP. | (11/11) in 33:42 of relief in 2-5 L at RFD 1/14/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | -- | |
| 35 Jean-Francois Berube | OVERALL | 12 GP, (4-5-3), 1 SO, 3.02 GAA, .905 S% |
| LAST APP | (26/31) in 3-5 L vs GR 1/18/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 4.00 GAA, .840 S% | |
| AT HOME | 5 GP, (1-3-1), 0 SO, 4.11 GAA, .872 S% |
AMERICANS GOALTENDERS:
| 32 Mat Robson | OVERALL | 6 GP, (3-1-2), 0 SO, 4.81 GAA, .848 S% |
| LAST APP. | (25/28) in 2-3 OTL vs SYR 1/19/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 15.01 GAA, .600 S% | |
| 35 Charles Williams | OVERALL | 1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 6.13 GAA, .829 S% |
| LAST APP. | (29/35) in 5-6 OTL vs BEL 1/15/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | -- |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- HUMBLED AT HOME: Cleveland is currently in the midst of a five-game home losing streak (0-4-1-0), the AHL’s longest streak of its kind this year.
- LATEST TRANSACTIONS: The Monsters’ NHL affiliate, the Columbus Blue Jackets, assigned G Jean-Francois Berube to Cleveland on Sunday, but recalled top-scoring Monsters D Jake Christiansen on Monday. On Wednesday, Cleveland recalled C Jake Slaker from the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings and assigned RW Zach Jordan to Kalamazoo.
- STAY OUT OF THE BOX: Cleveland will need to be disciplined on Friday, as the Monsters square off against Rochester’s league-leading power-play unit (26.4%).