Game Preview: Monsters vs Crunch 10/15
Oct 15, 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 Syracuse Crunch, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 3:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 6-5 home shootout win over the Syracuse Crunch on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter today’s game at 1-0-0-0 on the season. With two standings points, the Monsters currently rank tied for first in the North Division standings and tied for tied for first in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Marcus Bjork (1-1-2), RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (1-1-2), and RW Kirill Marchenko (1-1-2).
CRUNCH PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-6 road shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Syracuse Crunch enter today’s game at 0-0-0-1 on the season. With one standings point, the Crunch currently rank tied for fourth in the North Division standings and tied for 6th in the Eastern Conference. Syracuse is currently led in scoring by C Simon Ryfors (2-1-3), C Felix Robert (1-1-2), and C Gemel Smith (1-1-2).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the second of four games between the Monsters and Crunch this season (1-0-0-0, +1 goal differential [6/5]) and the second of two games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year (1-0-0-0, +1 goal differential [6/5]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Pavel Cajan | OVERALL | 0 GP, (0-0-0), 0 SO, 0.00 GAA, .000 S% |
| LAST APP | -- | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | -- | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .848 S% |
| LAST APP | (28/33) in 6-5 SOW vs SYR 10/14/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD |
1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .848 S% |
|
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .848 S% |
CRUNCH GOALTENDERS:
| 33 Max Lagace | OVERALL | 1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .868 S% |
| LAST APP. | (33/38) in 5-6 SOL at CLE 10/14/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .868 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 4.62 GAA, .868 S% | |
| 60 Hugo Alnefelt | OVERALL | 0 GP, (0-0-0), 0 SO, 0.00 GAA, .000 S% |
| LAST APP. | -- | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | -- |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- DYNAMIC DEBUTS: Cleveland RW Kirill Marchenko posted his first North American pro goal, assist, and multi-point showing in Friday’s 6-5 home shootout win over Syracuse in his first AHL appearance while Monsters D Marcus Bjork achieved the same feats on Friday in his AHL debut.
- NOT WASTING TIME: Monsters RW Kirill Marchenko scored Cleveland’s first goal of the season just 26 seconds into Friday’s game, marking the fastest opening goal to start a campaign in the team’s 16-season history.
- STAY OUT OF THE BOX: In Friday’s season opener, the Monsters killed just one of the four minor penalties they faced vs. Syracuse in what turned out to be a 6-5 Monsters shootout win. Cleveland’s struggles on the PK will need to be remedied heading into Saturday’s matinee rematch vs. the Crunch.