Cleveland, Ohio – After being shutout for the first time this season in their home barn on Friday, the Monsters were looking for redemption in front of their biggest crowd of the season. Unfortunately, for the Monsters, they were unable to find that redemption and fell to the Wilkes-Barre Penguins, 5-2. There wasn’t just one area where the Monsters fell on the job. Special teams production was all of the place, defense wasn’t the best, goals were hard to find, and the Wilkes-Barre Penguins were able to find the back of the net in magical ways. On top of all that, the Michael Chaput and Brett Gallant telenovela spilled over from Friday night causing an overly aggressive game to take shape.
However, there were a few bright spots on Saturday night.
Good Goaltending
After playing three games on the road, Goaltender Cam Johnson got his first home start in Cleveland on Saturday. Despite the Monsters losing 5-2, Johnson reached into his bag of tricks and showed the fans what they had been missing.
The scoreboard was no where near indicative of the effort and skill Johnson put forth. “I thought he was good. I thought he was really good,” said Assistant Coach Trent Vogelhuber. “Second, third goals that went in there’s not a whole lot you can do when they are firing pretty good shots. But he made pretty big saves when we needed them.”
Bussin’ Brendan Gaunce
On Saturday night, Monsters forward Brendan Gaunce was, as the kids these days say, bussin. During the the first period, Gaunce teamed up with defenseman Cole Clayton to double team any member of the Penguins who managed to get anywhere the slot or faceoff dots. Gaunce also spent the game pick pocketing the Penguins in the neutral zone. One of those steals led to a shorthanded breakaway goal in the first period.
In a season full of inconsistency, Gaunce has been a consistent bright spot for the Monsters. “He brings the same thing every time,” said Coach Vogelhuber. “He does it the right way. Works as hard as anybody.” Vogelhuber went on to explain that Gaunce plays a well-rounded game and is “really, really good” for the Monsters.
Assistant Coach Mark Letestu touched on what Gaunce brings to the team back on November 19th, 2021 and it still rings true today. “He’s been driving the bus for us here lately, whether it’s practice or games.”
Earlier in the season, I asked Gaunce about his family’s legacy in Cleveland and what it means to be able to expand upon what his brother, Cam Gaunce, started. “It’s special. Obviously Cam and I are very close and I know what the city meant to him,” explained Gaunce. “He has nothing but great things to say about the city. So, for me to have the chance to play here as well and kind of absorb what he was felling for the five years he was here is pretty special.”
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