
Game Preview: Monsters at Wolves 01/07
In the fourth 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 Chicago Wolves, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, on Saturday with full coverage, live from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, underway at 8:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-2 road win over the Chicago Wolves on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 13-14-1-2 on the season. With 29 standings points, the Monsters currently rank seventh in the North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (15-18-33), RW Emil Bemstrom (14-17-31), and C Justin Richards (6-16-22).
WOLVES PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-5 home loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Chicago Wolves enter tonight’s game at 11-16-3-1 on the season. With 26 standings points, the Wolves currently rank seventh in the Central Division standings and 15th in the Western Conference. Chicago is currently led in scoring by RW Malte Stromwall (7-16-23), C Jamieson Rees (5-15-20), and C Josh Melnick (8-11-19).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the fourth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Wolves this season (2-1-0-0, +2 goal differential [11/9]) and the second of four games between the two clubs at Allstate Arena this year (1-0-0-0, +3 goal differential [5/2]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
30 Pavel Cajan | OVERALL | 11 GP, (4-6-1), 0 SO, 3.82 GAA, .871 S% |
LAST APP | (12/19) in 5-7 L vs UTC 12/22/22 | |
HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 3.06 GAA, .878 S% | |
ON THE ROAD | 4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 3.67 GAA, .880 S% | |
73 Jet Greaves | OVERALL | 15 GP, (6-6-2), 0 SO, 3.69 GAA, .885 S% |
LAST APP | (28/30) in 5-2 W at CHI 1/6/23 | |
HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .933 S% | |
ON THE ROAD | 9 GP, (2-4-2), 0 SO, 3.98 GAA, .879 S% |
WOLVES GOALTENDERS:
30 Cale Morris | OVERALL | 7 GP, (1-4-2), 0 SO, 5.21 GAA, .843 S% |
LAST APP. | (15/21) in 2-6 L at RFD 12/31/22 | |
HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
AT HOME | 5 GP, (1-2-2), 0 SO, 4.68 GAA, .871 S% | |
36 Zachary Sawchenko | OVERALL | 19 GP, (8-10-1), 1 SO, 3.56 GAA, .886 S% |
LAST APP. | (25/29) in 2-5 L vs CLE 1/6/23 | |
HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 4.25 GAA, .877 S% | |
AT HOME | 9 GP, (3-5-1), 0 SO, 3.78 GAA, .878 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- FANTASTIC FONSTAD: Cleveland LW Cole Fonstad is currently riding a three-game point streak (2-2-4) and is scoring at a goal per game and better than point per game pace in his last five appearances (5-2-7).
- THE FIX IS IN: Monsters leading scorer RW Trey Fix-Wolansky posted his 100th and 101st career AHL points in Cleveland’s 5-2 road win over Chicago on Friday (1-1-2) and currently ranks in the AHL’s top ten in scoring (33 PTS, T10th).
- BELLWETHER BRETT: So LW Brett Gallant goes, so goes Cleveland in 2022-23 as the Monsters are 3-0-0-0 this season when Gallant registers a goal or a point.