Monsters Continue the Homestand against the Comets
In the second of four meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Utica Comets, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, on Friday with full coverage, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, underway at 7:00 pm on Alt 99.1, AHLTV and the Monsters Hockey Network.
MONSTERS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-4 home overtime win over the Toronto Marlies on Saturday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 20-20-2-2 on the season. With 44 points, the Monsters currently rank eighth in the AHL’s North Division standings and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Adam Clendening (6-24-30), LW Nathan Gerbe (8-17-25) and C Stefan Matteau (10-13-23).
COMETS PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-4 road loss to the Belleville Senators on Saturday, the Utica Comets enter tonight’s game at 25-17-2-2 on the season. With 54 points, the Comets currently rank third in the AHL’s North Division standings and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Utica is currently led in scoring by LW Reid Boucher (24-26-50), LW Nikolay Goldobin (15-26-41) and RW Justin Bailey (24-16-40).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the second of four meetings between the Monsters and Comets this season and the first of two clashes between the two teams at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year. Cleveland is 0-1-0-0 vs. Utica both overall and on the road with a -4 goal differential (2/6) in both scenarios.
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Veini Vehvilainen | OVERALL | 23 GP, (9-11-2), 2 SO, 2.55 GAA, .907 S% |
| LAST APP. | (7/10) in first 15:25 of 5-4 OTW vs TOR 1/25/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 7.50 GAA, .792 S% | |
| AT HOME | 12 GP, (4-6-1), 2 SO, 2.41 GAA, .911 S% | |
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | 3 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 2.60 GAA, .887 S% |
| LAST APP. | (5/6) in 20:00 of relief in 2-6 L at UTI 1/18/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 4.00 GAA, .875 S% |
COMETS GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Zane MacIntyre | OVERALL | 23 GP, (11-9-2), 0 SO, 3.17 GAA, .894 S% |
| LAST APP. | (21/26) in 2-5 L vs BEL 1/24/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| ON THE ROAD | 9 GP, (6-3-0), 0 SO, 3.11 GAA, .898 S% | |
| 32 Richard Bachman | OVERALL | 3 GP, (1-1-1), 0 SO, 3.25 GAA, .909 S% |
| LAST APP. | (23/26) in 4-3 W at ROC 12/21/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| ON THE ROAD | 3 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 3.25 GAA, .909 S% | |
| 64 Michael DiPietro | OVERALL | 23 GP, (13-7-1), 0 SO, 2.82 GAA, .903 S% |
| LAST APP. | (27/31) in 2-4 L at BEL 1/25/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .923 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 8 GP, (5-3-0), 0 SO, 2.73 GAA, .913 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- RYAN’S ROLLIN’: Cleveland C Ryan MacInnis is currently in the midst of a five-game point streak (3-4-7) and a three-game assist streak (3).
- SIMMER’S SUCCESS: Monsters D Dillon Simpson currently ranks among the AHL’s defensive leaders in goals (8, T3rd) and shooting percentage (13.8%, 1st), has four points to his credit (2G, 2A) in his past two games and is currently riding a pair of matching two-game point (2-2-4) and assist (2) streaks.
- LEAGUE LEADER: A major key for the Monsters on Friday will be neutralizing the AHL’s top scorer, Utica RW Reid Boucher, who ranks among the league’s leaders in points (50, 1st), goals (24, T2nd) and shots on goal (173, 1st) this season and has three points to his credit (1G, 2A) in one appearances vs. Cleveland this year.
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