AHL Cleveland Monsters

Monsters Give Up Third-period Lead In Eventual Loss

Published on February 4, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


The Lake Erie Monsters began their lone three-in-three home weekend of the season by dropping a 4-3 decision to the San Antonio Rampage at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night. Lake Erie had a 3-2 lead going into the third period but two goals in less than a minute span propelled the Rampage to a come-from-behind victory.

Despite the loss, the Monsters have won three of their last four and eight of their last 11 games. Lake Erie is now 24-22-3-4 overall and 14-8-2-2 at home this season.

The Monsters took a 1-0 lead just 6:59 into the opening period. From the top of the goal crease Harrison Reed took a pass from Zach Cohen and scored on a backhand shot for his second of the season. Travis Gawryletz also assisted, marking his third helper in four games.

The Rampage (30-18-2-0) answered with a power play goal at 13:43 of the period. From the top of the right circle, Jeff May took a wrist shot that was deflected in by Brett MacLean. Matt Watkins also assisted.

The Monsters quickly regained their one-goal lead with a power play tally at the 17:06 mark. From between the hash marks, Matt Ford snapped a shot between the pads of Al Montoya for his second point (1G, 1A) in as many games. Patrick Rissmiller assisted for his third point in his last two games (2G, 1A), as well as his team-leading 13th power play point (5G, 8A) of the season. Mark Olver also assisted, pushing his point streak to four games (3G, 1A).

The first period ended with Lake Erie leading 2-1, with each team recording five shots in the stanza.

Just 2:26 into the middle frame, San Antonio's J.D. Watt fired a wrist shot that made the score 2-2. Watt took assists from Ryan Hollweg and Watkins.

Lake Erie then went up 3-2 with Luke Walker's seventh goal of the season at 8:20 of the period. Cameron Gaunce assisted.

Walker's goal chased Montoya from the San Antonio cage, making way for Matt Climie.

The Monsters held their 3-2 lead for the remainder of the middle frame, while they outshot San Antonio by an 11-6 count in the period.

In the third, the Rampage battled back with two quick goals to make the score 4-3. At 12:14, Bracken Kearns lit the lamp, taking assists from Alexandre Picard and Mathieu Beaudoin. Just 53 seconds later, Picard scored the go-ahead goal off an assist from Beaudoin.

The Monsters were unable to climb out of their one-goal deficit in the final minutes of regulation, as the 4-3 score remained as the final.

John Grahame, who was named the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for January, stopped 15 of 19 shots faced. Grahame has started 10 of Lake Erie's last 11 games, posting an 8-2-0 record during that time.

Montoya stopped 13 of 16 shots faced, while Climie went 12-for-12 in relief.

The Monsters will continue a stretch of 12 of 13 home games by hosting the Rampage for a rematch at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2011


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