Game Preview: Monsters at Crunch 03/23
In the eighth 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 3-2 road shootout win over the Utica Comets on Monday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 22-24-8-4 on the season. With a .483 points percentage, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Jake Christiansen (9-28-37), LW Tyler Angle (8-22-30), and C Brendan Gaunce (16-12-28).
CRUNCH PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-4 home overtime win over the Belleville Senators on Sunday, the Syracuse Crunch enter tonight’s game at 28-22-6-2 on the season. With a .552 points percentage, the Crunch currently rank fifth in the North Division standings and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Syracuse is currently led in scoring by C Gabriel Dumont (24-24-48), C Alex Barre-Boulet (11-29-40), and LW Charles Hudon (21-17-38).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Wednesday marks the eighth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Crunch this season [(4-2-0-1), +6 goal differential (27/21)] and the fourth of four games between the two clubs at Upstate Medical University Arena this year [(1-1-0-1), +2 goal differential (11/9)].
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 22 GP, (10-7-2), 0 SO, 2.67 GAA, .910 S% |
| LAST APP | (34/36) in 3-2 SOW at UTI 3/21/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 2.09 GAA, .909 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 13 GP, (6-4-1), 0 SO, 2.66 GAA, .913 S% | |
| 33 Cam Johnson | OVERALL | 10 GP, (3-4-2), 0 SO, 3.10 GAA, .875 S% |
| LAST APP | (25/32) in 5-8 L vs TOR 3/6/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 5 GP, (2-1-1), 0 SO, 2.78 GAA, .898 S% |
CRUNCH GOALTENDERS:
| 32 Ty Taylor | ORL (ECHL) | 1 GP, (0-0-0), 0 O, 2.33 GAA, .889 S% |
| 33 Max Lagace | OVERALL | 22 GP, (12-7-1), 1 SO, 2.94 GAA, .882 S% |
| LAST APP. | (26/30) in 5-4 OTW vs BEL 3/20/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 7.03 GAA, .755 S% | |
| AT HOME | 11 GP, (6-3-1), 0 SO, 3.22 GAA, .871 S% | |
| 35 Amir Miftakhov | OVERALL | 21 GP, (6-8-3), 1 SO, 2.92 GAA, .895 S% |
| LAST APP. | (27/30) in 6-3 W vs ROC 2/19/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (1-0-1), 0 SO, 2.31 GAA, .910 S% | |
| AT HOME | 9 GP, (3-3-1), 1 SO, 3.07 GAA, .889 S% | |
| 60 Hugo Alnefelt | OVERALL | 20 GP, (9-5-4), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .884 S% |
| LAST APP. | (14/15) in first 42:08 of 2-3 SOL vs TOR 3/12/22 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (2-0-1), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .884 S% | |
| AT HOME | 12 GP, (5-4-1), 0 SO, 2.80 GAA, .888 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- SCOTT’S STREAKING: Monsters C Justin Scott is currently riding a four-game point streak (1-4-5) and a three-game assist streak (4).
- BEST BEHAVIOR: Cleveland’s 3-2 shootout win in Utica on Monday was just the second game in Monsters franchise history in which neither team was assessed any penalty minutes.
- ON A ROLL: Monsters LW Tristan Mullin and RW Zach Jordan are riding two-game goal streaks while C Jake Gaudet is riding a two-game point streak (1-2-3) and a two-game assist streak (2), and D Scott Harrington is riding a two-game assist streak (2).
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