Recap: Monsters Score Five Goals in Win Over Wolves

Cleveland Monsters (5) at Chicago Wolves (2)

Attendance: 8,612

Starters

Monsters

Wolves

Goal Recap

The Wolves struck first 8:47 into the first period. Andrew Agozzino found Wade Megan in the right faceoff circle. Megan found the back of the net.

The Monsters would battle hard but wouldn’t get on the board until there were 27 seconds left to play in the first period.  Alex Broadhurst and Dean Kukan were able to set up Sam Vigneault who was able to bang the puck in past Jordan Binnington.

The Monsters scored two unanswered goals in the second period.

Justin Scott banged home a Ryan Craig rebound eight minutes into the second to give the Monsters the 2-1 lead.

Almost two minutes later, the Monsters would extend their lead to two. Ryan Craig stood on the doorstep and brushed a pass from T.J. Tynan into the net.

A minute and a half into the third period, Zac Dalpe extended the lead to three after launching a rocket of a shot from the left circle.

Tage Thompson fired back three minutes later with a one-timer to put the Wolves within two of the Monsters.

With a minute left to play, Markus Hannikainen rebounded Vigneault’s shot into the back of the net to give the Monsters the 5-2 lead over the Wolves.

But Wait! There’s More

Quick Thoughts

• After missing 22 games, Alex Broadhurst was finally back in the fold for the Monsters. He had one assist and two shots on goal. Broadhurst played a rough and tough game which reminded everyone what they have been missing.
• Things started a little slow for the Monsters. Once they got their momentum going, they couldn’t turn it off. This will prove very helpful coming down the stretch towards the playoffs.
• The power play that struggled on Thursday was nowhere in sight tonight. They went 2 for 2 on the power play. Yes, the Monsters had a 100% success rate on the power play in tonight’s game.
• Sonny Milano plays his best hockey in games that matter the most. He notched three assists in tonight’s  game and tried to set up multiple other plays.    /

3 Stars

1^st  – Ryan Craig (1g, 1a)

2^nd – Sonny Milano (0g, 3a)

3^rd – Anton Forsberg (28 saves, 30 shots faced)

Milestones

Gabriel Carlsson donned the number 11 in his North American debut tonight. He also notched one assist and had three shots on goal.

Sam Vigneault scored his first professional goal in the first period tonight. He would then assist Markus Hannikainen’s third-period goal. This would be Vigneault’s first professional multi-point game.

Jaime Sifers’ fight in the first period put him on a three-game fight streak.

Tage Thompson’s third-period goal for the Wolves was his AHL/professional goal.

Jake Walman made his professional debut with the Wolves tonight.

What’s Next

The Monsters play the Iowa Wild in an early evening tilt on Sunday.