Cleveland Rolls Through Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. –  It was a mid-week, nighttime romp on Wednesday for the Cleveland Monsters and Rochester Americans. Matchups between the Lake Erie rivals tend to be intense with the Americans usually ending up on top.

Just like last weekend, the Monsters took a commanding 2-0 lead over their opponent in the first period. 

Monsters defender Jake Christiansen kicked things off with his first professional goal 3:47 into the game. Forward Nathan Gerbe set him up with the puck near the top of the slot. Christiansen then went wide left while dragging the puck before lifting it into the air from the left dot for the goal. 

Eight minutes into the game, Cleveland defenseman Gavin Bayreuther extended the Monsters lead over the Americans to 2-0. Forwards Justin Scott and Carson Meyer helped set up his goal on the rush towards the net featuring a few no look backhand passes. 

Gavin Bayreuther with his 100th career AHL point to give the Cleveland Monsters the 2-0 lead over the Rochester Americans 8:00 into the game.

Look at this beautiful passing by Justin Scott and Carson Meyer that lead to Bayreuther's goal.#CLEvsROC #CLeMonsters @FPC_AHL pic.twitter.com/yicSApeKIN

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) March 31, 2021

Cleveland spent the rest of the first period rushing Rochester’s net trying to find more chinks in the armor of Americans goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In an attempt to squelch the Monsters fire, Luukkonen pulled out all the stops in the back half of the first period. 

Rochester kicked off the second with a high danger shot on net from winger Andrew Oglevie 28 seconds into the period. Cleveland netminder Brad Thiessen was able to quickly stop it from crossing the goal line. Oglevie’s shot attempt was meant to amp up the Americans. However, it had the opposite effect and got the Monsters going at top speed. 

The only thing that could slow the Monsters down a bit were the refs. They played what felt like an epic April Fools’ Day prank on Monsters forward Adam Helewka 4:07 into the second period. Standing in front of the crease, Helewka was able to chip a shot into the net through Luukkonen’s five-hole. The goal judge immediately waved it off and the ref on the ice. I’m not quite sure why it was called a “no goal”, as the whistle didn’t blow early and there was clearly no goaltender interference. It was a smooth, crisp, beautifully timed play.

Riddle me this Batman

If the whistle wasn't blown and there was no goaltender interference, why was Adam Helewka's goal waived off? #CLEvsROC #CLeMonsters @FPC_AHL pic.twitter.com/Ui7wF2nicp

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) March 31, 2021

The “no goal” call put the Monsters in a bad mood. Not the kind of bad mood where the wheels fall off the bus and they let the other team light the lamp multiple times. It was the kind of bad mood that made Cleveland focus even more at the task at hand. They honed in on trying to finish the game strong and didn’t have time for anyone’s shenanigans. And trust me, the Americans tried to start some shenanigans. Luckily for the Monsters, guys like forward Evan Polei took the right place and time to shut down any unneeded extra whacks and cross-checks from the Americans in the second.

A little over four minutes into the final stanza of play, forward Tyler Sikura gave the Monsters the 3-0 lead over the Americans. Sikura found an errant puck in the crease and was able to push it across the goal line before he was pushed into the crossbar, knocking the net off the moorings. 

Immediately after Sikura’s goal, Monsters center Josh Dunne made a huge play behind the Americans’ net and tried to score a wraparound goal. Luukkonen quickly closed up his five-hole in time to prevent the puck from entering the net. 

As the game neared the final 10 minutes of play, the Americans picked up aggression and speed. They constantly buzzed through Thiessen’s crease and took extra pokes at the netminder. Monsters forward Kole Sherwood finally took matters into his own hands, dropping Rochester forward Ryan Scarfo to the ground to send the message that they need to stay away from the goalie. 

Never take an extra whack at Kole Sherwood's goalie….. Never#CLEvsROC #CLeMonsters @FPC_AHL pic.twitter.com/CC4IpE4tS9

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) April 1, 2021

Not long after Sherwood’s message, Helewka had another shot to score a goal with a beautiful shot from the faceoff dot on the power play. Somehow, Luukkonen stopped the puck with the area near his armpit. The drive Helewka had to try and score a goal during this game should be revered. He never gave up once. Unfortunately, he was unable to get one past Luukkonen during the game. Well, one that the refs counted anyways. 

With 9:55 left in the game, Dunne scored his first professional goal after redirecting Monsters forward Tyler Angle’s shot into the net. The Monsters now led the Americans, 4-0. 

As time wound down, the Americans searched for their time to shine in the third. Rochester found their bright, shining moment with 3:53 left in the game when Dunne went to the box for interfering on Americans winger Michael Mersch. This gave Mersch the drive to ruin Thiessen’s shutout with a point blank shot through the five-hole to finally put the Americans on the board.

Josh Dunne goes to the box for interference on Michael Mersch.

Mersch took that personally and scored on the power play to ruin Brad Thiessen's shut out.

Cleveland Monsters still lead the Rochester Americans, 4-1.#CLEMonsters #CLEvsROC @FPC_AHL pic.twitter.com/jgeLnco3Qh

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) April 1, 2021

The Americans felt they had control of the game when Matthew Struthers took a slashing penalty with 3:08 to play in the game. So they pulled their best player of the night — Luukkonen — in favor of the extra attacker. Their plan didn’t work out so well, since Monsters winger Zach Jordan was able to find the back of the net 30 seconds before the Monsters penalty kill ran out. Cleveland’s fifth goal of the night was the final blow to Rochester. There was no way they were going to recover in the final few minutes of the game. 

After years of being stepped on by the Americans, the Monsters finally had a leg up, winning 5-1.