Hello, hockey fans, and welcome to the first installment of “The View From The Booth." I look forward to doing this for our great fans throughout the course of the season while we are on the road. With this Texas trip being our first long venture this season, I figured it'd be a great time to start doing this.
 
On the first stop in our Texas three-step, we faced the Texas Stars Tuesday night in Austin. The game was scoreless after 20 minutes, but in the middle period the Monsters went on the attack. Just 21 seconds into the period Darren Haydar found the puck in the slot and buried his second goal in as many games to make it 1-0.

Minutes later on the power play, Phil Dupius got a piece of a shot and netted his third goal of the season to make it 2-0. Keep in mind, the Stars were a flawless 22-22 on the penalty kill coming into the game, but the Monsters found a way to snap that streak.

A few minutes later, Chris Durno continued his hot play with his fourth goal of the season. In the third period, Kevin Montgomery tallied his first goal of the season into an empty net to seal the deal.

Trevor Cann, who lost his first pro start on October 9th in Rochester, responded with great focus and calmness to pick up his first pro win. No better way to get that first one for Trevor! A win on the road AND a shutout on the road. Congrats, Trevor!

Tuesday’s game was a great effort by the players and coaching staff. The Monsters carried the play and when the game was 3-0 they kept their collective feet on the gas pedal through the final seconds of the game. 

Chris Stewart, who joined the club Tuesday night in Austin, played a huge chunk of the game. He was on a line with Ryan Stoa on the opposite wing and Marty Sertich in the middle. Stewart  played in four games with Colorado before being sent down.

Tonight, it's the second leg of the Texas road trip at the Toyota Center against the Houston Aeros, a team that is off to a 3-3-0-0 start.

The Monsters had a morning skate today and, as you would imagine, everyone was in high spirits and looking forward to tonight's tilt with the Aeros. I had a chance after the skate to chat with Cann. You can hear that interview during tonight’s broadcast of the game on ESPN 850 WKNR. We talked about his first pro win, among other things on the young pro's mind.

There were a couple of funny items that happened to me this morning at the skate. On my way down to the lower level of the arena, Houston Rockets head coach Rick Adelman got in the elevator with me and I said hi to him. We chatted for a few seconds and I said, “How's Shane Battier working out for you?” He said “why do you ask?” I responded “I covered him in high school when he was a star at Detroit Country Day High School.” Kind of a cool moment.

And then after that, while I was making my way around the arena, a golf cart with two people was driving toward me. One of the men, I believe to be a Rockets trainer, yelled out, “watch out, crazy driver coming through!!” As the cart got closer I realized that driving it was none other than Yao Ming, who had a huge wrap or soft cast on his leg. He smiled, laughed and kept driving by me. Another cool moment!

Game time is 8:05 p.m. Cleveland time tonight. I hope you can tune into ESPN 850 WKNR to hear the broadcast as the Monsters go for a third straight win and second straight win on the road.

Signing off from Houston, Texas, this is Ben Holden, and that is today's Monsters "The View From The Booth"

Sincerely,
Ben Holden.