Game Preview: Monsters vs Griffins 3/20
In the third 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 Saturday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 7:00 pm on FOX Sports 1350 AM “The Gambler”, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 3-1 road win over the Chicago Wolves on Saturday, March 6th, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 4-3-1-0 on the season. With nine points, the Monsters currently rank fourth in the Central Division standings and 14th league-wide. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (4-5-9), LW Nathan Gerbe (2-5-7), and D Dillon Simpson (2-4-6).
GRIFFINS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-1 home overtime loss to the Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday, the Grand Rapids Griffins enter tonight’s game at 6-3-2-0 on the season. With 14 points, the Griffins currently rank third in the Central Division standings and tenth league-wide. Grand Rapids is currently led in scoring by RW Riley Barber (8-5-13), C Kyle Criscuolo (4-5-9), and LW Taro Hirose (1-8-9).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the third of eight meetings between the Monsters and Griffins this season (0-1-1-0) and the second of four games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year (0-1-0-0).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Hayden Stewart | OVERALL | 12 GP, (4-6-2), 0 SO, 3.19 GAA, .906 S% |
| LAST APP. | (33/34) in 56:23 of relief in BHM 3-2 W at HSV 3/14/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| AT HOME | -- | |
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | 4 GP, (1-2-1), 0 SO, 3.28 GAA, .896 S% |
| LAST APP. | (29/32) in 7-3 W at RFD 2/22/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 2.02 GAA, .933 S% | |
| AT HOME | 2 GP, (0-2-0), 0 SO, 4.10 GAA, .873 S% | |
| 80 Matiss Kivlenieks | OVERALL | 3 GP, (3-0-0), 0 SO, 2.27 GAA, .938 S% |
| LAST APP. | (42/43) in 3-1 W at CHI 3/6/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 3.00 GAA, .900 S% |
GRFFINS GOALTENDERS:
| 33 Kevin Boyle | OVERALL | 6 GP, (3-1-1), 0 SO, 2.55 GAA, .885 S% |
| LAST APP. | (20/22) in 1-2 OTL vs RFD 3/13/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | -- | |
| ON THE ROAD | 4 GP, (2-1-0), 0 SO, 3.19 GAA, .857 S% | |
| 35 Pat Nagle | OVERALL | 5 GP, (3-2-0), 0 SO, 2.46 GAA, .906 S% |
| LAST APP. | (17/18) in 3-1 W at RFD 3/11/21 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 0.99 GAA, .960 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 4 GP, (2-2-0), 0 SO, 2.90 GAA, .894 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- START FAST: The Monsters have scored first in seven of their eight games this season (4-3-0-0) and boast a +9 goal differential in the first period (12/3).
- FRESH FACES: Should any of them draw into the lineup on Saturday, C Luke Moncada, D Ole Bjorgvik-Holm, C Josh Dunne, and G Hayden Stewart would each make their Monsters and AHL debuts. Should they play Saturday, Dunne and Moncada’s appearances would be their first professional action while Bjorgvik-Holm (Norway) and Stewart (SPHL, ECHL) have appeared professionally before, but never in the American League.
- BLOCK BARBER: Griffins RW Riley Barber currently ranks tied for second league-wide with seven power-play points this season, is scoring at a better than point-per-game pace vs. Cleveland this year (2 GP, 1-2-3), and is currently riding a five-game road goal streak (6G) and a seven-game road points streak (10 PTS), the longest such streaks in the AHL this season.
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