An auspicious start to the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs saw a sputtering Cleveland Monsters fall to the Belleville Senators. While the 2-1 final score was close, there were many lessons and takeaways from game one of the North Division Semifinals.
Who shined the brightest? What takeaway does each team have? What’s the biggest question heading into game two? Let’s take a look.
Three Stars
Belleville’s Jiri Smejkal stood out on the penalty kill last night. I’m not convinced that Cleveland could have scored on him even if he was the only Senator skater on the ice. If there’s ever been a one-man penalty-killing unit, Skejkal was it Wednesday night. For a winger, you’d expect more offense out of him, but he gets major points for his defensive performance. Described as “a Czech Hulk,” Smejkal used every bit of his 6’4″ and 223-pound frame to stifle a potent Cleveland power play. They went one for three on the night.
Sticking with Belleville, we have to give a tip of the cap to goaltender Mads Sogaard. In my series preview, he was a player to watch– especially if Cleveland started wracking up the shot totals. The Monsters poured on the shots in the third period to end with a 32-26 advantage. Facing 16 shots in the third, Sogaard was scrambly at times but was a force in net. In fact, the only goal let in by Sogaard was in the second period on the power play. His tracking of the puck was on point. Whenever he gave up a rebound, his defense bailed him out. For Senators fans, this was a very promising performance to kick off the series.
Similar to their score on Wednesday, we will give Cleveland one of the three stars. Forward Josh Dunne stood out where the rest of his team struggled. From well-placed sticks on the penalty kill to keep the game from getting away during a 5-on-3 kill for Cleveland to pure leadership, Dunne did it. He also scored the only Monsters goal on Wednesday- a tip-in down low from a Trey Fix-Wolansky shot.
Two Takeaways
Aggressive Play = Success
The theme of game one against the Cleveland Monsters and Belleville Senators was aggressive play. From clogging up the offensive’s shooting lanes to crashing in low on the opposing goalie- this game featured it all.
It’s no surprise that the team that was aggressive early and often came out victorious. As the seconds ticked off the clock, Belleville closed down on the Monsters. The moment a Cleveland skater entered their offensive zone, a Senators player gained control of the puck and lofted it down to the other side of the ice.
Needless to say, Belleville’s checking and physical strategies led to plenty of Cleveland turnovers, especially in the second period. However, this is only game one, with the Monsters coming off a 10-day break. Will Belleville be able to maintain this once the Monsters get their legs back underneath them?
Rust Can Be Knocked Off
The big question heading into game one was how earning a first-round bye would impact the Monsters. Would it give them an advantage with rest, or would it cause issues facing a team who just finished a three-game victory in the play-in round?
Unfortunately for fans of “The ‘Land,” it was the latter. Pucks bounced off and over sticks, the timing was off, and lots of extra communication and missed assignments ruled the night. However, once period three arrived, Cleveland started to look more like themselves. For one, the highly productive line of Owen Sillinger, Mikael Pyyhtia, and Fix-Wolansky were reunited. This started to produce issues for the Senators defense.
Since the Senators only won by one goal (with the tying goal seemingly close in the last two minutes), can they defend against a non-rusty Monsters lineup?
Game two will be a fascinating watch.
One Question
Was it Really a Goal?
Angus Crookshank‘s second-period tally at 10:13 of the second served as the game-winning goal. However, it came in highly controversial fashion. Originally, most of the players carried on with play, assuming the puck pinged off the crossbar. Some of the Sens were celebrating before the referee Mathieu Menniti signaled a good goal.
Almost immediately, the same referee also called for a review of the call. After a decently long look at the video, he upheld his original call of a good goal.
Unfortunately, AHL fans and media don’t get the benefit of multiple angles after the review is over. Take a look- do you agree or disagree with the ruling?
Nothing will ever top the overhead view and any cameras from inside the net. We can only hope those angles were available to the referees upon that review.
What’s Next?
The Cleveland Monsters and Belleville Senators return to action in Belleville on Friday, May 03, for game two of their best-of-five series. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm Eastern. The Senators are up 1-0 in the series.
