Game Preview: Monsters vs. Griffins 03/07
In the fifth 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 Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, on Tuesday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 “The Gambler”, AHLTV, and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 4-6 home loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday, the Cleveland Monsters enter today’s game at 23-54-4-2 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 (24-34-58), C Justin Richards (10-22-32), and C Josh Dunne (17-14-31).
GRIFFINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-4 home overtime loss to the Iowa Wild on Saturday, the Grand Rapids Griffins enter today’s game at 22-26-4-2 on the season. With 50 standings points, the Griffins currently rank seventh in the Central Division standings and 14th in the Western Conference. Grand Rapids is currently led in scoring by RW Taro Hirose (13-32-45), C Joel L’Esperance (19-18-37), and C Austin Czarnik (13-23-36).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Tuesday marks the fifth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Griffins this season (2-2-0-0, +1 goal differential [14/13]) and the second of four games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year (1-0-0-0, +3 goal differential [5/2]).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 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 | 8 GP, (3-5-0), 0 SO, 4.51 GAA, .860 S% |
| LAST APP | (29/34) in 4-6 L vs WBS 3/5/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .938 S% | |
| AT HOME | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 3.56 GAA, .894 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, 2.16 GAA, .904 S% | |
| AT HOME | 17 GP, (9-6-2), 0 SO, 3.03 GAA, .903 S% |
GRIFFINS GOALTENDERS:
| 1 Victor Brattstrom | OVERALL | 17 GP, (4-8-3), 0 SO, 3.83 GAA, .881 S% |
| LAST APP. | (26/30) in 2-5 L vs IA 3/3/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 4.07 GAA, .810 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 10 GP, (3-4-1), 0 SO, 3.42 GAA, .886 S% | |
| 34 Alex Nedeljkovic | OVERALL | 19 GP, (9-7-2), 1 SO, 2.89 GAA, .909 S% |
| LAST APP. | (25/29) in 3-4 L vs CHI 3/1/23 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (2-1-0), 0 SO, 3.01 GAA, .909 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 6 GP, (4-2-0), 0 SO, 2.83 GAA, .910 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- MARVELOUS MARCUS: Cleveland D Marcus Bjork currently ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in shooting percentage (11.6%, 5th).
- TERRIFIC TREY: Cleveland RW Trey Fix-Wolansky currently ranks among the AHL’s leaders in points (58, 5th), goals (24, T7th), assists (34, 10th), shots (172, T4th), power-play goals (9, T9th), and shootout goals (3, T6th). Fix-Wolansky is also riding a four-game point streak (3-1-4) and is scoring at a better than point per game pace vs. Grand Rapids this year (4 GP, 1-4-5).
- GETTING IT DUNNE: Monsters C Josh Dunne is currently riding a four-game point streak (2-3-5) and a two-game assist streak (3).
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