Monsters vs Phantoms Live Game Updates : Looking For Consistency
Photo Credit: Cleveland Monsters
The Cleveland Monsters (15-6-0-2) take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-9-4-1) at RocketMortgage FieldHouse in a midweek matchup.
Lehigh Valley is on a four-game losing streak, looking to launch themselves out of seventh in the Atlantic. Four points is the distance between the Phantoms in seventh and a tie for second in their division. Sweeping the Monsters this week will give the Phantoms a big boost. Look for them to start tonight’s game fast and hot.
With Jet Greaves starting for the parent club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, tonight, Zach Sawchenko will likely get the start between the pipes.
Officials
Referees : Adam Tobia (16), Chris Rumble (65)
Linespeople : Felix-Antoine Voyer (33), Joe Sherman (75)
Cleveland Lineup
Forwards
Trey Fix-Wolansky - Luca Del Bel Belluz - Gavin Brindley
Rocco Grimaldi - Dylan Gambrell - Owen Sillinger
James Malatesta - Hunter McKown - Max McCue
Justin Pearson - Joseph LaBate - Roman Ahcan
Defensemen
Denton Mateychuk - Daemon Hunt
Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm - Corson Ceulemans
Stanislav Svozil - Cole Clayton
Goalies
Zach Sawchenko - Pavel Cajan
Start of the 1st - Monsters 0, Phantoms 0
1st Period - Thursday Night Is Alright For Fighting
Within the first four minutes of the game, there were two separate altercations. One took place 2:55 into the game when someone came for Joseph LaBate behind the Lehigh Valley net. LaBate had just rushed the net with the puck and the Phantoms didn’t like how close he got to Cal Petersen.
The next altercation happened a minute later after a hit Gavin Brindley laid on Xavier Bernard. Brindley laid a few punches before his teammate stepped in to calm things down.
End of the 1st Period - Monsters 0, Phantoms 0
Joseph LaBate looked strong, stopping the six shots he faced in the opening period. He knocked pucks out of the air like ping-pong balls, and his quick, strong legs slammed the door on lower shots.
The offense put Cal Petersen to work with their 11 registered shots. Some of which were after a rush. Petersen definitely needed to stay focused to survive the first.
Start of the 2nd Period - Monsters 0, Phantoms 2
Cleveland started the second period down a man for 1:14.
2nd Period, 6:14 - Solid Petersen
The Monsters registered seven shots on goal within the first six minutes of the second period. Yet again, Petersen stood tall and refused to let a single puck into the net. This man will literally do flips and rolls in the crease to prevent Cleveland from scoring.
GOAL - 2nd Period, 9:49 - Monsters -, Phantoms 1
Garrett Wilson gave the Phantoms the 1-0 lead with a shot from the right post through Zach Sawchenko’s five-hole.
Once Jacob Gaucher calmed a bouncing puck below the goal line, he fired it off to Wilson for the goal.
End of the 2nd Period - Monsters 0, Phantoms 1
Cleveland looked flat for much of the second period. They just couldn’t find the energy needed to get a leg up on Lehigh Valley. It took a 5-on-3 power play towards the end of the middle stanza to light a fire under the Monsters.
Start of the 3rd Period - Monsters 0, Phantoms 1
The third period started with a 30 second 5-on-3 power play for the Monsters.
GOAL - 3rd Period, :30 - Power Play - Monsters 1, Phantoms 1
Right as time ran out on the two-man advantage, Trey Fix-Wolansky found the back of the net for the Cleveland Monsters.
Denton Mateychuk saw Fix-Wolansky open on the right side of the net and fired the puck down the slot. He went forehand backhand before finding a space between the post and Petersen’s blocker for the goal.
GOAL - 3rd Period, 2:17 - Monsters 1, Phantoms 2
Zayde Wisdom took back the lead with a snipe to the left corner of the net.
Luca Del Bel Belluz blocked Wisdom’s first shot . However, as Wisdom was firing off his next shot, Sawchenko was screened by two Phantoms and two Monsters who were moving through the slot.
GOAL - 3rd Period, 9:08 - Monsters 2, Phantoms 2
Hunter Mckown lept over Helge Grans, who was sliding to the left of the net, and fired the puck past Petersen’s right skate.
GOAL - 3rd Period, 11:08 - Monsters 3, Phantoms 2
Stanislav Svozil fires a shot over a sliding Phantom and into the net to give the Cleveland Monsters the lead.
Fix-Wolansky did a nice backwards pass to get Svozil the puck.
Final - Monsters 3, Phantoms 2
Three Stars
1st - Cleveland - Stanislav Svozil - 1 goal, 1 assist
2nd - Cleveland - Hunter McKown - 1 goal, 1 assist
3rd - Cleveland - Trey Fix-Wolansky - 1 goal, 1 assist
Post Game Press Conference
Despite putting around 50 shots on net this season, Hunter McKown didn’t find the back of the net until tonight. His third period goal lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders. Head Coach Trent Vogelhuber and McKown discussed how nice it was for him to finally get a tally in the goal column.
Stanislav Svozil has been making some incredible plays as the season goes along. He quickly explained how his rising confidence is leading to his rising skill.
Hear from Head Coachh Trent Vogelhuber, forward Hunter McKown, and defender Stanislav Svozil below.
Unsung Hero
Tonight’s Unsung Hero award goes to goaltender Zach Sawchenko. Stopping 22 of 24 shots, Sawchenko used his strong legs and quick reactions to defend the net.
