Preview: Monsters Look to Melt IceHogs
Cleveland Monsters at Rockford IceHogs
Wednesday, February 15th, 2017 at 11:30am EST
BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford, Illinois
Radio: 99x(99.1); 99x Online
Twitter: @goicehogs, #IceHogs
@MonstersHockey , #CLEMonsters
Cleveland Monsters, 23-18-2-4; 52 points; 5th Central; 9th West
vs
Rockford IceHogs, 17-23-8-3; 45 points;8th Central; 16th West
The Monsters start their seven-game road trip against the last-place Rockford IceHogs. Even thought the IceHogs are in last place they are not a team to take lightly. They are on a six-game point streak and have won their last three games.
Sam Carrick and Michael Latta are currently lighting things up for the IceHogs. In the past three weeks, Latta has notched seven assists. While Carrick has tallied 10 goals and six assists over the course of 24 games.
The Monsters are playing with a short bench due to six injured players and Oliver Bjorkstrand being called up to the Blue Jackets. Luckily, the Monsters spent Sunday-Tuesday signing a barrage of players to PTO contracts.
On Sunday, they signed Akim Aliu who is revered for his ability to play as a defender and a forward.
Valentine's Day brought forth the signing of two players who are able to create a play out of thin air, Alex Petan and Kyle Thomas.
Thomas scored a hat trick on Sunday for the Fort Wayne Komets before signing a PTO with the Monsters.
| IceHogs | Monsters | |
| 6-2-3-2 | Leading After 1 | 8-2-0-2 |
| 12-0-1-1 | Leading After 2 | 12-2-0-2 |
| 8-9-1-0 | Tied After 1 | 10-7-2-1 |
| 3-2-5-1 | Tied After 2 | 8-4-2-0 |
| 3-12-4-1 | Trailing After 1 | 5-9-0-1 |
| 2-21-2-1 | Trailing After 2 | 3-12-0-2 |
| 16-15-7-2 | Outshooting Opponent | 11-7-1-2 |
| 1-8-1-1 | Outshot by Opponent | 12-11-1-1 |
Season Series
10/14/2016 – Rockford (1) at Monsters (2) = W - recap
10/15/2016 – Rockford (1) at Monsters (3) = W - recap
10/23/2016 – Monsters (2) at Rockford (5) = L - recap
11/23/2016 – Monsters (5) at Rockford (4) = W -recap
01/18/2017 – Rockford(1) at Monsters (0) = L - recap
01/20/2017 – Rockford (0) at Monsters (2) = W - recap
02/15/2017
02/17/2017
Stats Matchup
| IceHogs | Monsters | |
| 2.35 | GPG | 2.47 |
| 3.31 | GAPG | 2.64 |
| 15.00% | PP% | 15.50% |
| 78.10% | PK% | 84.70% |
| Abbott, Carrick; 11 | G Leader | Oliver Bjorkstrand, 14 |
| Mark McNeill, 20 | A Leader | T.J. Tynan, 21 |
| Spencer Abbott, 29 | P Leader | Tynan, Bjorkstrand; 26 |
| Michael Latta, 92 | PIM Leader | Brett Gallant, 89 |
| 12-8-4-2 | Road/Home | 10-9-0-2 |
| 3-2-5-0 | Last 10 | 5-3-1-1 |
| 3-0-3-0 | Streaks | 3-0-1-1 |