The Cleveland Monsters are moving on to the North Division Semifinals after pulling off a breathless double-overtime win against the Toronto Marlies. In what became a nail-biter of a game, James Malatesta found the back of the net with 55 seconds left in the second OT, setting the final score at 4-3. It was a punishing match-up that wrapped up Saturday, propelling the Monsters into the next round of the AHL’s Calder Cup playoffs.
Victory did not come easily for Cleveland, who had to claw back from a 2-0 deficit after the Marlies' Zach Solow managed to net two goals, the first arriving 14:35 into the game, as reported by News 5 Cleveland. The Monsters found their footing in the second period thanks to Hunter McKown's goal, followed by Rocco Grimaldi's tie-maker, and an unassisted goal from Denton Mateychuk that claimed a temporary lead for Cleveland.
As the battle waged on into its protracted conclusion, Toronto was able to even out the numbers once more with a penalty shot scored by Robert Mastrosimone. Yet, despite the effort, Malatesta’s late-game heroics ensured the Monsters' place in the next round, where they will contend with the top-seeded Laval Rockets, in a series beginning April 30 or May 1, which falls on the NBA playoff schedule between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. This detail was confirmed by Cleveland 19.
In goal, Monsters' Jet Greaves turned away an impressive 39 shots, which earned him the first star of the game, while Marlies' goaltender, the seasoned Matt Murray, made 46 saves despite the loss. The Marlies' decision to bring in Murray, a Stanley Cup-winning goalie, made for a more formidable challenge, but in the end, it was Malatesta's puck that eluded his guard, as mentioned by Cleveland.com. The Monsters now look ahead to facing the Rockets, against whom they have a split season record. Notably, their two victories over the Rockets came via overtime, which could foreshadow another series of suspenseful games.
The Monster's next engagement in the Semifinals is a best-of-five affair, with the second game confirmed for Friday, May 2, at 7:00 p.m. in Cleveland. Fans and players alike are undoubtedly gearing up for what promises to be a fiercely competitive continuation of the Calder Cup playoffs.
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