Monsters End the Homestand with a Rematch against the Rocket
In the eighth of eight meetings between the two teams this season, the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, drop the puck vs. the Laval Rocket, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, 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 2-5 home loss to the Laval Rocket on Thursday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 24-29-4-2 on the season. With 54 points, the Monsters currently rank eighth in the AHL’s North Division standings and 15th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by D Adam Clendening (7-33-40), C Ryan MacInnis (7-23-30) and LW Stefan Matteau (12-16-28).
ROCKET PRE-SCOUT: Following a 5-2 road win over the Cleveland Monsters on Thursday, the Laval Rocket enter today’s game at 28-24-5-3 on the season. With 64 points, the Rocket currently rank sixth in the AHL’s North Division standings and tenth in the Eastern Conference. Laval is currently led in scoring by C Jake Evans (14-24-38), C Charles Hudon (27-8-35) and RW Riley Barber (13-18-31).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Friday marks the eighth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Rocket this season and the fourth of four games between the two clubs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year. Cleveland is 2-4-0-1 overall vs. Laval with a -6 goal differential (14/20) overall and 0-3-0-0 vs. the Rocket at home with a -8 goal differential (3/11).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 35 Veini Vehvilainen | OVERALL | 32 GP, (10-17-4), 3 SO, 2.78 GAA, .900 S% |
| LAST APP. | (16/20) in 2-5 L vs LAV 3/5/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 4 GP, (1-2-1), 0 SO, 2.24 GAA, .917 S% | |
| AT HOME | 17 GP, (5-10-1), 3 SO, 2.60 GAA, .904 S% | |
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | 7 GP, (3-3-0), 0 SO, 2.86 GAA, .894 S% |
| LAST APP. | (20/25) in 1-5 L vs BEL 2/28/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME | 4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 3.25 GAA, .895 S% |
ROCKET GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Cayden Primeau | OVERALL | 32 GP, (16-11-3), 3 SO, 2.53 GAA, .906 S% |
| LAST APP. | (29/31) in 5-2 W at CLE 3/5/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3 GP, (2-1-0), 0 SO, 1.68 GAA, .943 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 18 GP, (7-8-2), 1 SO, 2.86 GAA, .898 S% | |
| 40 Michael McNiven | OVERALL | 2 GP, (2-0-0), 0 SO, 2.98 GAA, .908 S% |
| LAST APP. | (28/30) in 5-2 W at UTI 2/29/20 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| ON THE ROAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .933 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- LEADING THE CHARGE: Cleveland’s leading scorer this season, D Adam Clendening, currently ranks among the AHL’s top ten defensemen in points (40, 4th), assists (33, 4th), power-play assists (15, T4th) and shots on goal (138, 7th) and is scoring at appoint per game pace vs. Laval this season (5GP, 1-4-5).
- TRIGGER MAN: Laval LW Yannick Veilleux currently ranks among the AHL’s leaders in shooting percentage (26.2%, 2nd) and posted three points (2G, 1A) in the Rocket’s 5-2 road win over Cleveland on Thursday.
- MAN-DOWN MAVENS: Both the Monsters (11, 4th) and the Rocket (9, T6th) rank among the AHL’s leaders in shorthanded goals this season.
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