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AHL Cleveland Monsters

MONSTERS GAME RECAP: Monsters Top Utica 3-2 in Shootout

January 28, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


Colin Smith and Joey Hishon scored in the shootout, and Calvin Pickard stopped all four shooters to propel the Lake Erie Monsters (18-20-0-4) to a 3-2 road victory over the Utica Comets (15-20-2-4) Tuesday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Mark Olver and Guillume Desbiens scored for the Monsters, who snap an eight-game winless skid with the shootout win. The Monsters return home Friday to host Charlotte at 7:30 PM.

Utica opened the scoring on the power play when Benn Ferriero found Patrick Mullen on a pass across the front of the net at 10:40 of the first period. Shortly after the Comets took their first lead of the game, Olver carried the puck around the offensive zone and into the slot before sending a shot off the left post and into the net to tie the game at 1-1. Olver's goal was his 10th of the season, and was assisted by Andrew Agozzino.

Utica would take a 2-1 lead into the dressing room after one period, as Peter Andersson scored on a slap shot from the blue line through traffic at 14:44 of the first period.

Desbiens scored the only goal of the second period to tie the game at 2-2 for the Monsters at 16:21 of the frame. Desbiens' fifth goal of the season came on a shot from the right circle, and was assisted by Colin Smith and Stefan Elliott. The goal sent the two teams to the third period in a 2-2 tie.

After a scoreless third period and overtime, the two teams went to a shootout to determine the winner. Colin Smith and Joey Hishon scored in the shootout for the Monsters, while Pickard denied all four shooters he faced to secure a 3-2 victory for the Monsters.

Pickard is 10-11-3 with the win; he stopped 28 of 30 shots. Utica goalie Joacim Eriksson is 11-11-2 after the shootout loss; he stopped 33 of 35 Monsters shots in the game.

The Monsters are back on home ice Friday at 7:30 PM when they host the Charlotte Checkers at Quicken Loans Arena.

NOTES: The Monsters are 3-2-0-1 against Utica this season... The last four games between the Monsters and Comets have been decided by 3-2 final scores... The Monsters are 6-12-0-3 on the road this season... Olver has two goals and five points in six games against Utica this season... Karl Stollery's four-game assist streak, the longest for a Monster this season, comes to a close in the shootout win in Utica... The Monsters were 0-1 on the power play and Utica was 1-2.

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