AHL Cleveland Monsters

Monsters Bounce Back with Offensive Onslaught in Last Road Game of the Season

Published on April 1, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


Less than 24 hours after getting shut out 4-0 by Texas, the Monsters bounced back with their biggest offensive production ever. Playing their last road game of the regular season, eight goals for the Lake Erie Monsters (34-28-3-7) set a new franchise record in an 8-4 win over the Texas Stars (30-36-2-2) Sunday evening at the Cedar Park Center. Peter MacArthur led the way for the Monsters with a goal and three assists, and Colorado Avalanche goaltending prospect Calvin Pickard earned a win in net in his first professional start.

The Monsters struck first and early when Mike Connolly redirected a Patrick Rissmiller point shot for his 13th goal of the season at 0:36 of the opening period. David van der Gulik also assisted on the goal.

Less than a minute later, Evan Brophey received a pass from Ryan Stoa in front of the Texas net and immediately fired the puck by Stars goalie Jack Campbell to give the Monsters a 2-0 lead. The goal was Brophey's team-leading 18th at 1:23 of the first period.

Cameron Gaunce found MacArthur open on an outlet pass to the neutral zone, and MacArthur spotted Justin Mercier as he crossed the Texas blue line. Mercier fired a snapshot top-shelf into the Texas net to give the Monsters a 3-0 lead with his 13th goal at 15:14 of the first period.

Gaunce extended the Monsters lead to 4-0 when he sent a wrist shot through traffic from the center of the Texas blue line at 17:44 of the first period for his sixth goal of the season. Eric Hunter and MacArthur assisted, sending the Monsters into the first intermission with a 4-0 lead.

Texas scored the first goal of the second period when Colton Sceviour found the back of the net at 1:31. But as the Sceviour goal was being announced over the arena's PA system, Hunter answered on a backhand from the front of the Texas net to regain the Monsters four-goal lead at the 2:00 mark. MacArthur assisted on Hunter's goal; his fifth of the season.

Sceviour scored again for Texas at the 5:35 mark on a wrist shot through traffic, and Travis Morin scored a power play tally for Texas to pull the Stars to within two at 18:40, but Stoa tapped in a Rissmiller shot with 40 seconds left in the second period to give the Monsters a three-goal lead after two periods. Barry Goers also assisted on Stoa's 12th goal of the season.

In the first 3:24 of the third period, the Monsters received goals from MacArthur and Stoa; Stoa's goal, which gave the Monsters an 8-3 lead, set a new all-time franchise record for goals in a game by the Monsters (8).

Mike Hedden added a late goal for Texas to cut their deficit to 8-4, which would be the final score.

Pickard earned the win in his first professional start; he is 1-0-0 after stopping 25 of 29 shots. Stars starter Jack Campbell was pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots in the first period. Tyler Beskorowany stopped 12 of 16 shots in two periods of relief, and suffers the loss; he is 10-19-0.

Sunday's game concluded Lake Erie's regular season road schedule. They will play the last four games at home, beginning Friday night against Rockford at Quicken Loans Arena.

NOTES: The Monsters are 13-2-2-1 when a defenseman scores a goal... The Monsters are 15-4-1-2 when Stoa scores a point... MacArthur's four points tie a season-high for a Monsters player; Evan Brophey had four points on 12/28/11... The Monsters were 1-3 on the penalty kill after a 5-5 performance on the PK in Saturday's 4-0 loss at Texas... The Monsters finish the season series against Texas with a 2-1-0-1 record, and are now 7-4-0-1 against the Stars all-time.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 1, 2012


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