Affiliates IX: Cleveland Monsters and more (All Affiliate Talk Here)

[tunnelvision]

This Marchenko guy is good.

How about that TFW dude. Another impressive shift, beautiful set up for Bemstrom's go-ahead goal

If I lived in Cleveland I'd be purchasing season tickets. This team is fun to watch

 

[Monstershockey]

Smith on Syracuse really going after Jiricek. Went at him again after the penalies expired.

How about that TFW dude. Another impressive shift, beautiful set up for Bemstrom's go-ahead goal

TFW has looked good today. Took a hard spill into the boards earlier, thought he may have got hurt, but got up ok. Smith going at Jiricek again.

 

[tunnelvision]

Man, they were so close to winning in regulation. Hopefully TFW will get a chance in OT to make up for the missed open net.

 

[Monstershockey]

Jirick with a nice rush, couldn't pull the trigger.

 

[ColumbusTrill]

Jiricek just walked a dude one on one - wasn't the prettiest - then went with a between the legs shot but got stopped

 

[Monstershockey]

Bemstrom in the shootout. Monsters win.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Not sure what day I'll be at practice next week. I was at both games and will post some thoughts tomorrow night or Monday.

 

[SavesEmNot]

I looked up Marchenko's stats today.

I already knew what they were, but I just like looking at them.

 

[FromChaos22]

I looked up Marchenko's stats today.

I already knew what they were, but I just like looking at them.

Two games no biggie, and I know he's not a pure goalscorer, but most players "too good" for the A would be putting up more shots, right? Dominating play a bit more?

 

[SavesEmNot]

Two games no biggie, and I know he's not a pure goalscorer, but most players "too good" for the A would be putting up more shots, right? Dominating play a bit more?

I absolutely agree with leaving him there until there's a need for him and he is damn well ready. But it's fun to see.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

I absolutely agree with leaving him there until there's a need for him and he is damn well ready. But it's fun to see.

That said, I think it;s a matter of when, not if, he;s playing at NWA. He's going to force his way onto that roster sometime this season.

For Any Guardians/Clippers fans on here, Will Brennan is an apt comparison.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Some other thoughts:

I'm hoping the high goal totals allowed this weekend are either Syracuse being THAT good or something that will improve once Tarasov finally gets here. Otherwise, the defense being this bad with so many blueline prospects on the Cleveland toster is not a good sign.

Goals are not an issue, obviously. The forwards are mostly AHL contract guys, but the prospects we have here are ELITE (especially Marchenko and Fix-Wolansky).

Getting back to the goaltending, going with Greaves in both ends of a day game after a night game back-to-back doesn't scream vote of confidence in Cajan. When/if Tarasov gets here, expect Pavel to go to Kalamazoo.

Player Notes

Gallant, Gaudet, and Payne are in fact injured. Gavin Bayreuther missed both games this weekend serving a two-game suspension from last season. Only 18 skaters participated in warmups on Opening Night. Tyler Irvine skated as a 19th man yesterday. Clayton replacing Berni on Sunday was the only change in who dressed (full lines in the next post). Bjorgvik-Holm was the only NHL contract guy to be a healthy scratch both games.

One more thing...

Good crowds both games: 9.425 for the opener and 5,890 yesterday.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Weekend Game Lines (stated order of lines and order of first entry into the game identical):

Marchenko/Gaunce/Meyer
Bemstrom/Richards/Fix-Wolansky
Angle/Dunne/Fonstad
Simpson/O. Sillinger/Ahcan

Christiansen/Jiricek
Berni or Clayton/Sweezey
Knazko/Bjork

Greaves
Cajan

 

[tunnelvision]

I'm hoping the high goal totals allowed this weekend are either Syracuse being THAT good or something that will improve once Tarasov finally gets here. Otherwise, the defense being this bad with so many blueline prospects on the Cleveland toster is not a good sign.

Maybe the struggles in implementing same new defensive system as the Jackets had an effect too?

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Maybe the struggles in implementing same new defensive system as the Jackets had an effect too?

I'm not sure how you can teach something new to every player AND take all of the thinking out of it from them.

Learning new behaviors and or processes requires building muscle memory and mental reactions. You learn that because you have to think about it to change it. It doesn't become instinct until you've done it with enough repetition.

It's the whole concept that you don't truly master a skill until you've spent 10,000 hours doing it.

It almost sounds like every player in the system is being asked to learn something totally different than they are used to with how many goals both teams gave up in the past week. That is what I find concerning.

 

[tunnelvision]

I'm not sure how you can teach something new to every player AND take all of the thinking out of it from them.

Maybe he's referring to the guys who will be travelling between Cleveland and Columbus during the season, that the goal is to remove all uncertainty from their minds in terms of what the game plan is as they're about to join another team? Just my guess though, I don't know the whole context of the quote.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Maybe he's referring to the guys who will be travelling between Cleveland and Columbus during the season, that the goal is to remove all uncertainty from their minds in terms of what the game plan is as they're about to join another team? Just my guess though, I don't know the whole context of the quote.

That's probably true but the guys in columbus can't play the system well either so everyone across the organization seems to be in the same boat.

its a good thing to align systems beween NHL and AHL and if this is the first time they've thought about it, it explains quite a bit of why we've struggled for years. It should be common sense.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

The issues with putting in a new system all make sense. Both teams' bluelines are playing well below their talent level.

By the way, Elaine is a good friend of mine and about as good as you're going to find on the Monsters beat. FPHMonsters and TonyBrownPxP on Twitter are also good follows for Monsters content.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

was at practice today, lines and my thoughts on them (click for full thread including some semi-blurry phone camera photos):



By the way, I use slashes instead of the more traditional dashes between players on the lines to avoid confiusuon re: Fix-Wolansky and Bjorgvik-Holm.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Angle confirmed injured (scroll down to "Keys to Success"), but no word on Dunne (or Bjorgvik-Holm, for that matter).

Game Preview: Monsters at Comets 10/21 | Cleveland Monsters

The Monsters faceoff against the Utica Comets on Friday at Adirondack Bank Center with coverage live on FOX Sports 1350 AM 'The Gambler' and AHLTV.

www.clevelandmonsters.com

 

[Doggy]

Angle confirmed injured (scroll down to "Keys to Success"), but no word on Dunne (or Bjorgvik-Holm, for that matter).

Game Preview: Monsters at Comets 10/21 | Cleveland Monsters

The Monsters faceoff against the Utica Comets on Friday at Adirondack Bank Center with coverage live on FOX Sports 1350 AM 'The Gambler' and AHLTV.

www.clevelandmonsters.com

 

[Monstershockey]

Marchenko on a nice pass from Jiricek. 1-1. Monsters penalty kill blows.

 

[Monstershockey]

Gaunce from Bemstrom and Jiricek. First PP goal of the year. Its not an assist, but Marchenko got it to Jiricek, so no point to show for it, but he was involved also. 2-1 Monsters.

 

[Monstershockey]

Second PK better. 2-1 after one.

 

[Bone Density]

Jiricek looks great. That stretch pass was filthy.