Game Preview: Monsters vs. Penguins 03/05
Mar 5, 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 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, on Sunday 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 3-2 home overtime win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter today’s game at 23-24-4-2 on the season. With 52 standings points, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 15th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (23-34-57), C Justin Richards (10-22-32), and RW Emil Bemstrom (14-17-31).
PENGUINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-3 road overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins enter today’s game at 22-23-4-5 on the season. With 53 standings points, the Penguins currently rank eighth in the Atlantic Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is currently led in scoring by RW Alexander Nylander (24-24-48), RW Valtteri Puustinen (21-24-45), and LW Drake Caggiula (12-25-37).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the fourth of four meetings between the Monsters and Penguins this season (1-2-0-0, -10 goal differential [5/15]) and the second of two games between the two clubs in Cleveland this year (1-0-0-0, +1 goal differential [3/2]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 30 Pavel Cajan | OVERALL |
19 GP, (7-8-2), 0 SO, 3.55 GAA, .873 S% |
| LAST APP | (14/18) in first 35:35 of 2-6 L at GR 2/25/23 | |
| HEAD TO HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | 9 GP, (5-3-1), 0 SO, 3.24 GAA, .886 S% | |
| 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 | 7 GP, (3-4-0), 0 SO, 4.40 GAA, .862 S% |
| LAST APP | (24/29) in 5-6 L at SYR 3/1/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 9.56 GAA, .706 S% | |
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .938 S% | |
| 73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 30 GP, (12-11-4), 0 SO, 3.37 GAA, .891 S% |
| LAST APP | (19/21) in 3-2 OTW vs WBS 3/4/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 4.03 GAA, .848 S% | |
| AT HOME | 17 GP, (9-6-2), 0 SO, 3.03 GAA, .903 S% |
PENGUINS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Filip Lindberg |
OVERALL |
19 GP, (6-11-1), 0 SO, 3.13 GAA, .896 S% |
| LAST APP. | (33/35) in 1-3 L vs PRO 2/11/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.01 GAA, .973 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 13 GP, (5-7-0), 0 SO, 3.37 GAA, .883 S% | |
| 33 Taylor Gauthier | OVERALL | 14 GP, (6-2-3), 0 SO, 2.42 GAA, .918 S% |
| LAST APP. | (20/22) in 1-2 OTL vs BEL 2/25/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 8 GP, (2-1-2), 0 SO, 2.34 GAA, .957 S% | |
| 40 Dustin Tokarski | OVERALL | 25 GP, (10-9-5), 1 SO, 2.47 GAA, .917 S% |
| LAST APP. | (28/31) in 2-3 OTL at CLE 3/4/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-0-1), 0 SO, 1.99 GAA, .938 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 12 GP, (4-4-3), 0 SO, 2.86 GAA, .910 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- MARVELOUS MARCUS: Cleveland D Marcus Bjork is scoring at a point per game pace vs. the Penguins this year (2 GP, 2-0-2) and ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in shooting percentage (11.9%, 4th).
- JOLTIN’ JAKE: Monsters D Jake Christiansen is currently riding a four-game point streak (1-4-5) and is scoring at a point per game pace vs. the Penguins this year (2 GP, 0-2-2).
- SILLINGER’S SUCCESS: Cleveland C Owen Sillinger is currently riding a two-game point streak (1-1-2).