Game Preview: Monsters at Crunch 01/26
In the seventh of eight 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 Wednesday with full coverage, live from Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse, NY, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 1-5 road loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Monday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 13-13-4-3 on the season. With a .500 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 (14-11-25), D Jake Christiansen (5-15-20), and LW Tyler Angle (4-15-19).
CRUNCH PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-6 road loss to the Utica Comets on Saturday, the Syracuse Crunch enter tonight’s game at 14-13-3-1 on the season. With a .516 points percentage, the Crunch currently rank fifth in the North Division standings and tenth in the Eastern Conference. Syracuse is currently led in scoring by C Gabriel Dumont (14-13-27), LW Charles Hudon (11-11-22), and LW Cole Koepke (8-11-19).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Wednesday marks the seventh of eight meetings between the Monsters and Crunch this season [(4-1-0-1), +8 goal differential (26/18)] and the third of four games between the two clubs at Upstate Medical University Arena this year [(1-0-0-1), +4 goal differential (10/6)].
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 8 GP, (3-3-0), 0 SO, 3.48 GAA, .894 S% |
| LAST APP. | (12/14) in 40:00 of relief in 1-5 L at WBS 1/24/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 5 GP, (2-2-0), 0 SO, 3.70 GAA, .887 S% | |
| 35 Jean-Francois Berube | OVERALL | 14 GP, (4-7-3), 1 SO, 3.18 GAA, .898 S% |
| LAST APP | (6/9) in first 19:51 of 1-5 L at WBS 1/24/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 3.49 GAA, .894 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 8 GP, (3-3-2), 1 SO, 2.65 GAA, .916 S% |
CRUNCH GOALTENDERS:
| 33 Max Lagace | OVERALL | 12 GP, (5-5-0), 0 SO, 3.43 GAA, .866 S% |
| LAST APP. | (24/28) in 3-5 L at CLT 12/11/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 7.02 GAA, .755 S% | |
| AT HOME | 5 GP, (2-2-0), 0 SO, 3.36 GAA, .850 S% | |
| 35 Amir Miftakhov | OVERALL | 12 GP, (3-4-2), 1 SO, 2.65 GAA, .907 S% |
| LAST APP. | (24/28) in 3-5 L at CLT 12/11/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-0-1), 0 SO, 3.11 GAA, .881 S% | |
| AT HOME | 6 GP, (1-2-1), 1 SO, 2.76 GAA, .902 S% | |
| 60 Hugo Alnefelt | OVERALL | 12 GP, (6-4-2), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .881 S% |
| LAST APP. | (13/16) in first 40:00 of 1-4 L vs UTI 1/21/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (2-0-1), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .884 S% | |
| AT HOME | 7 GP, (4-3-0), 0 SO, 2.67 GAA, .896 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- SIMPSON’S STREAKING: Monsters D Dillon Simpson is currently riding a four-game point streak (1-4-5) and a four-game assist streak (4).
- HEAD-TO-HEAD HEROES: Cleveland’s roster currently features seven players scoring at a point per game or better pace vs. Syracuse this season, including LW Adam Helewka (6 GP, 4-3-7), D Jake Christiansen (6 GP, 1-5-6), LW Tyler Angle (5 GP, 1-4-5), C Kevin Stenlund (4 GP, 1-3-4), RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (3 GP, 2-1-3), LW Cole Fonstad (2 GP, 1-2-3), and D Cole Clayton (2 GP, 0-3-3).
- RECENT REVELATION: Monsters C Brendan Gaunce, the team’s top scorer this season, posted 4-0-4 in his last three appearances and 5-1-6 in his last five games played.
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