Well-Rested Monsters Make Push For Playoffs

CLEVELAND –  A week off for the AHL All-Star break was what the Cleveland Monsters needed to put themselves in the right mindset and on the path towards playoffs.

“A mental break away from the grind of the season goes a long way for our group,” said Cleveland head coach Trent Vogelhuber. 

Defeating the Belleville Senators in back-to-back games this past weekend (6-2 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday) allowed the Monsters to breathe a little heading into the back half of the 2022-23 season. A weekend sweep of a divisional opponent was the first positive step towards meeting their playoff goal. 

Five Power Play Goals

Due to call-ups and injuries, the Monsters have struggled to convert power plays into goals for over a month. However, after scoring five power play goals this weekend, it appears Cleveland’s man advantage is starting to take a turn for the better.

According to Vogelhuber, the Senators’ penalty kill has hit a rough patch and the Monsters were able to capitalize on their mistakes. On top of that, Cleveland has a lot of offensive power to back up the power play. “It hard to kill penalties when everyone is a shooting threat,” said Vogelhuber. Another thing Vogelhuber noted was the fact the first power play unit was in “attack mode all weekend”.

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Five-Point Weekend from Jake Christiansen

Last weekend, Jake Christiansen played back-to-back games in Cleveland on Friday and Saturday night. After that, he hopped on a plane for Laval, QC to partake in the AHL All-Star Classic festivities on Sunday and Monday. After a whirlwind week, most people would feel depleted and worn out. It was quite the opposite for Christiansen, who still found time to relax before scoring five points in Cleveland’s weekend series against Belleville.

“I think the rest from the All-Star break really helped me just kind of refocus and be mentally rested,” explained Christiansen. “I was clear minded out there.”

Coach Vogelhuber also noticed the extra pep in Christiansen’s step this weekend. “He was excited to be able to get the opportunity to go to the All-Star Game. I think he had a blast and he came back and it provided a little boost for him as well,” said Vogelhuber of Christiansen’s energy and play. “So, he was great all weekend.”

Christiansen’s ability to balance offensive and defensive play made him a threat to Belleville this weekend.

“I thought the offense was great. It’s what you see on the box score and all that stuff. But, he was very physically engaging,” said Vogelhuber. “We’ve talked to him, that’s how he has to play, especially to succeed at the next level. And it’s directly connected to his offensive production.” 

So, how does Christiansen make his offensive and defensive game work hand-in-hand? He explained the importance of “staying on my toes, getting up ice, and shutting stuff down early in the o-zone” because it would help him stay out of the defensive zone. Christiansen then went on to explain that shutting plays down early in the defensive zone allows him to get into the offensive zone quicker to set up a play or finish a play. 

Players Are Healthy and Available

As the season rolls along, players continue to return to the Monsters roster, allowing for even playing time and normal line makeup.

“My top two centers are playing 17, 18 minutes instead of 22, 23,” said Vogelhuber. “The quality of minutes goes up for everybody because we can have more defense.” He then went on to say, “We have 12 forwards. We can roll 12 and 6, which we haven’t been able to do for about ⅔ of the season.” 

With everyone starting to come back healthy, the Monsters have been quick on getting the puck in and out of the zone. This has allowed them to defend less and focus on scoring more.

“Now you can spend energy on the offensive side of things,” said Vogelhuber. “It’s all connected, right? It starts with guys being healthy and available.”

A roster full of healthy Monsters will play again on Tuesday against the Rochester Americans with high hopes of keeping this positive momentum rolling.