Monsters at the All-Star Break
The Cleveland Monsters find themselves in eighth place with 46 points at the All-Star Break. Through 40 games the Monsters have the same amount of wins and losses (20). 15 of Cleveland’s victories have come in regulation, three in overtime, and two are shootout wins. The Monsters have 16 regulation losses, two overtime losses and two shootout losses on the season.
Cleveland comes into the break riding a two-game winning streak. Both wins coming against the Toronto Marlies. An impressive 5-2 win Friday and a 5-4 comeback win in overtime Saturday. Over their past 10 games Cleveland is 4-5-1-0, not exactly a hot streak.
While the Monsters goal differential is only -7, they trail first place Belleville by 42 in the goal scoring department. On the bright side, Cleveland has allowed the second-fewest amount of goals in the AHL’s North Division (130). The only team to allow fewer goals is second place Rochester.
Monsters team leaders
AHL All-Star Adam Clendening leads the Monsters in points (30) and assists (24). Clendening has appeared in 37 games for Cleveland this season and has been one of their key players.
Stefan Matteau leads Cleveland in goals with 10 on the season. Matteau’s latest goal came was the game-winner in Saturday’s overtime victory over Toronto, an impressive way to become the team leader in goals scored.
Dillon Simpson has appeared in the most games for Cleveland with 44 appearances this season. Simpson has 18 points total (10 assists, eight goals).
Veini Vehvilainen barely edges out Matiss Kivlenieks in save percetange (.907 for Vehvilainen, .903 for Kivlenieks). Vehvilainen has the advantage when it comes to goals against average (2.55), better than Kivlenieks by nearly four-tenths of a goal.
Columbus has gone to Cleveland for reinforcements quite often
There’s been plenty of roster moves for Cleveland this season. This is due to their NHL affiliate Columbus Blue Jackets being hit hard with injuries and needing players from Cleveland to fill out their roster. One notable Monsters player who seems to have found a spot in Columbus? Nathan Gerbe. Gerbe has been given another chance to play in the NHL. A chance he is certainly not going to squander. Gerbe has been playing well and is definitely earning his ice time with the Blue Jackets.
Other Monsters players making appearances for the Blue Jackets this season? Ryan MacInnis, Andrew Peeke, Gabriel Carlsson, Marko Dano, Kevin Stenlund, Mattis Kivlenieks, and Kole Sherwood.
Kivlenieks lone start in the NHL was the outstanding performance against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Kivleniks allowed one goal on 32 shots, earning his first career NHL win. If people did not know who Matiss Kivlenieks was before that game, they sure do now.
Monsters schedule after the break
Cleveland has six straight games at home after the break and they will be tough matchups. Five of their six games are against teams in their division. Two games against third place Utica to start the home stand. After that a visit from second place Rochester before hosting seventh place Binghamton for two games. A single home game against the Grand Rapids Griffins will close out their home stand before heading out on the road. Cleveland will head to Grand Rapids three days later to take on the Griffins. Things may not be easy for the Monsters after the All-Star Break concludes, but the return of some of their key players should give them a better chance now compared to earlier in the season.
