On Tuesday, the Monsters host the Rochester Americans for the first time this season in the third of eight games between the clubs this year. So far, the Monsters are 1-1-0-0 against the Americans, winning a 3-2 overtime game on October 3rd in Rochester and dropping a 5-2 game a week later at Blue Cross Arena at War Memorial October 9th. Lake Erie holds an all-time mark of 7-5-1-1 against the Americans.

Tuesday’s contest will be a measuring stick of sorts for the Monsters, as they go up against one of the West’s best. The Americans – with a 20-9-2-0 record and 42 points – are third in the Western Conference and can leap Hamilton and Texas and take first place in the Western Conference and the North Division with a win Tuesday. Clicking at a 21.3 percent pace, Rochester has the league’s second-best power play and is averaging 3.29 goals per game. Rochester has the AHL’s third-best offense.

Individually, Rochester has a few players that rank near the top of the league in a variety of statistical categories.
 
Some notes to consider for Tuesday’s game:

• Rochester has two players – Jamie Johnson and Chris Taylor – who are in the top 20 in scoring in the AHL. Johnson’s 30 points (13G, 17A) rank ninth in the league while Taylor’s 27 points (8G, 19A) are 18th best in the AHL.
• Americans defenseman Clay Wilson is second in the league with 12 power play assists and Wilson’s 13 power play points are third-most among AHL defensemen.
• Rochester left wing Jimmy Bonneau is tied for first in the league with 16 major penalties and is fifth in the AHL with 116 penalty minutes.
• Americans center David Brine is second in the AHL with a 27.3 percent shooting percentage.
• The Monsters are 8-0-0-2 when leading after two periods of play while Rochester is 13-4-1-0 when scoring first and 15-0-1-0 when ahead after 40 minutes of regulation time.
• Rochester has the league’s longest winning streak this season, as the team posted 11 consecutive wins from October 12th – November 10th. The team also recorded a season best 10-game win streak at home from October 9th – November 27th. The Monsters eight-game road winless streak from October 23rd – December 18th is tied for the longest in the league this season.

Both  games this weekend and every game this season will be broadcast on the Monsters flagship radio station, ESPN 850 WKNR.  Listen Live on ESPN 850 WKNR | Watch here via AHL Live

The Monsters return to action on Saturday, December 26th, when they host the Toronto Marlies at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (216) 420-0000, by visiting LakeErieMonsters.com or by visiting any Northern Ohio Discount Drug Mart.