Cleveland, OH-
The Monsters were looking to split the series with the Comets in their second and final matchup. Right off the bat it was obvious some adjustments were made from Game One of the series. The team is started a few different players.
First Period
To start the game Cleveland won the opening faceoff and started to push the pace. They scored their first goal of the night just 2 minutes into the game. Number 42 Cole Fonstad scored the goal. After winning the faceoff, Cleveland found themselves in a tough situation as Utica answered their goal just 2 minutes later.
After the Comets goal, Cleveland kept the puck inside Utica blue. Thus, getting set up and forcing their goalie to make consecutive stops. They continued to keep winning faceoffs. The first period was pretty quiet after the hot start. However there was a penalty that the Monsters did a great job of killing when they had a player sent to the box for a delay of game.
Following this both teams did an excellent job of moving the puck but neither have been able to really get set offensively. One of the Comets players fell and crashed into the Cleveland goalie (Cajan) and tempers started to flare on both sides. During the timeout following the collision, WWE Superstar and Cleveland native Dolph Ziggler was shown in the crowd of fans.
we spy some familiar faces in the crowd tonight đź‘‹
Welcome home, @HEELZiggler 🏡 pic.twitter.com/GbS3EVksa5
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) December 23, 2022
In the final seconds of the period Cleveland had a great 3-on-2 break but nothing came of it. At the end of the first period the score remained 1-1. Cleveland had 10 shots on goal to Utica’s 3.
Second Period
To start the second period the Monsters won the faceoff again. Progressing into the action, Utica’s Tyce Thompson was penalized for tripping. Thus, putting Cleveland on the power play. While not being able to score a power play goal, shortly after it ended, defensemen Cole Clayton scored off of a great slapshot from the blue.
Within just a minute Utica was able to collect themselves and score another comeback goal tying the game at 2. Out of nowhere Cleveland got another power play while Utica was penalized for slashing. 20 seconds in, David Jiricek scored from the left, ending the power play. This put the Monsters on top 3-2.
Utica was able to set up inside of the Cleveland blue where Cajan made a few saves with the pads. The Monsters were able to get the puck on a fastbreak 1-on-1 opportunity where they missed the shot just wide of the net. However, on the play there was a holding call putting Cleveland on another power play.
Following the hold Jirecek was called for Cleveland meaning Cleveland had a 4v4 for 1:09. Utica got their 6th player back and almost immediately scored against Cleveland. Ending the Utica power play and tallying another score to keep it a tie game at 3-3.
Cleveland won the faceoff and out of nowhere the physicality of the game skyrocketed with both sides laying huge hits on the other. After a few more hits against the boards, Cleveland scored their 4th goal of the night to take the lead again! Cole Fonstad scored his second of the night with 6:00 left in the second. Utica was able to get set in the Cleveland blue and scored their 4th goal to even the score with Cleveland. Almost an exact minute later Utica was able to score their 5th and hold their first lead of the night. 1:46 left on the clock in the second period as Cleveland pushed the pace and tried to tie it back up. Cleveland pushed it into the Utica blue and a dirty hit was made on Cleveland’s Owen Silinger that was called for charging. This causing yet another fight to break while Silinger left the ice for evaluation. At the end of the second Utica led 5-4.
Third period
Starting the third the Monsters were on a 5-minute power play due to the charging call. Cleveland won the faceoff but lost the puck in their own end as Utica was able to capitalize and score another goal extending their lead 6-4. Cleveland still has 3:10 left on their power play but they could only bring it within one score if they could capitalize.
The Monsters had done a good job at keeping the puck in Utica’s blue. However, there were a handful of miss ques in front of the net while there were a bunch of close shots that didn’t connect. Cleveland seemed to have changed their defensive strategy, every time a Utica player had the puck the common theme was to knock em down. This allowed for an opening as Utica scored again. Tallying the 7th goal on the night putting Cleveland down 3.
The Comets defense had been playing lights out, as the game progressed. Cajan however regressed as the night went on allowing 7 goals on just 16 shots halfway through the third period. Once again Cleveland kept the puck inside of the Utica blue most of the period. They weren’t able to do anything with it as they kept losing the puck and regathering it. Many more missed shots or bobbled passes prevented Cleveland from scoring starting in the middle of the second period.
With 3:46 left Cleveland pulled their goalie in hopes to cut the Utica lead. Cleveland won a faceoff in the Utica blue and scored instantaneously. Fonstad just picked up his third goal of the game giving him a hat trick! Cleveland opts to keep the goalie out of the game. However, with two minutes left it didn’t seem likely for them to score two more goals, but stranger things have happened. As the clock wound down the final score ended with Utica Comets 7 to Cleveland Monsters 5.
In tonight's @RocketMortgage Postgame Press Conference, Head Coach Trent Vogelhuber spoke about improving as a team, and Cole Fonstad reflected on his first professional hat trick pic.twitter.com/WD3TERHALc
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) December 23, 2022
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