Monsters Take on Rocket at Home Rematch
In the fourth 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 Saturday 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 1-2 home loss to the Laval Rocket on Friday, the Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game at 8-4-0-1 on the season. With 17 points, the Monsters currently rank second in the AHL’s North Division standings and third in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is currently led in scoring by LW Nathan Gerbe (3-8-11), C Zac Dalpe (5-4-9) and C Justin Scott (3-6-9).
ROCKET PRE-SCOUT: Following a 2-1 road win over the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, the Laval Rocket enter tonight’s game at 8-5-1-0 on the season. With 17 points, the Rocket currently rank fourh in the AHL’s North Division standings and fifth in the Eastern Conference. Laval is currently led in scoring by C Alex Belzile (4-5-9), C Charles Hudon (5-2-7) and C Lukas Vejdemo (4-3-7).
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES: Saturday marks the fourth of eight meetings between the Monsters and Rocket this season and the second of four games between the two teams at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this year. Cleveland is 2-1-0-0 vs. Laval so far this season with a +3 goal differential (8/5) overall and 0-1-0-0 vs. the Rocket at home with a -1 goal differential (1/2).
MONSTERS GOALTENDERS:
| 32 Elvis Merzlikins | OVERALL | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 2.04 GAA, .933 S% |
| LAST APP. | (28/30) in 1-2 L vs LAV 11/8/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 2.04 GAA, .933 S% | |
| AT HOME | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 2.04 GAA, .933 S% | |
| 35 Veini Vehvilainen | OVERALL | 5 GP, (3-2-0), 1 SO, 2.02 GAA, .932 S% |
| LAST APP. | (22/23) in 5-1 W vs CHA 11/3/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (1-0-0), 0 SO, 1.00 GAA, .968 S% | |
| AT HOME | 3 GP, (2-1-0), 1 SO, 2.33 GAA, .921 S% | |
| 39 Brad Thiessen | OVERALL | N/A |
| LAST APP. | N/A | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | N/A | |
| AT HOME | N/A |
ROCKET GOALTENDERS:
| 31 Cayden Primeau | OVERALL | 7 GP, (5-2-0), 0 SO, 1.69 GAA, .943 S% |
| LAST APP. | (24/25) in 2-1 W at CLE 11/8/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 2 GP, (1-1-0), 0 SO, 1.52 GAA, .946 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 4 GP, (3-1-0), 0 SO, 1.73 GAA, .941 S% | |
| 35 Charlie Lindgren | OVERALL | 7 GP, (3-3-1), 0 SO, 2.94 GAA, .883 S% |
| LAST APP. | (21/26) in 6-5 SOW vs TOR 11/2/19 | |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD | 1 GP, (0-1-0), 0 SO, 3.08 GAA, .870 S% | |
| ON THE ROAD | 2 GP, (0-1-1), 0 SO, 2.44 GAA, .884 S% |
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
- BLOCK BELZILE: Cleveland will look to neutralize Laval forward Alex Belzile on Saturday as Belzile has three points to his credit (2G, 1A) in three appearances vs. the Monsters this season and currently sits tied for the AHL-lead with two shootout game-winning goals this year.
- MILESTONE MAN: Monsters forward Zac Dalpe currently sits just one power-play goal shy of Andrew Agozzino’s all-time Monsters franchise record (19) while Dalpe’s 57 career Monsters goals are also one shy of David van der Gulick for second-most in Cleveland franchise history. Dalpe additionally has three points (2G, 1A) in three appearances vs. the Rocket this season.
- PENALTY KILL PROWESS: Both the Monsters and Rocket have excelled while shorthanded this season. Cleveland currently leads the AHL with five shorthanded goals to their credit this season while Laval’s penalty kill leads the league at 94.2% and has yet to allow a power-play goal to their opposition on the road this season (22/22, 100.0%, 1st).
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