The Cleveland Monsters fell to the Rochester Americans (30-27-5-4) 4-3 in a shootout on Monday evening at Rocket Arena. With the shootout loss, the Monsters are now 35-25-6-2 and are currently in third place in the AHL’s North Division standings.
Following a scoreless first period, Rochester put up two quick points in the second off goals from Trevor Kuntar at 1:44 and Matteo Constantini at 2:50 but Cleveland’s James Malatesta responded with one of his own at 8:50 assisted by Riley Bezeau and Corson Ceulemans to make it 2-1 Americans heading into the third. Kuntar put up another for the Americans at 3:40 in the third but the Monsters stormed back with a goal from Mikael Pyyhtiä at 15:43 off feeds from Jack Williams and Owen Sillinger followed by one from Sillinger with helpers from Pyyhtiä and Brendan Gaunce making it 3-3 and sending the game to overtime. After a scoreless extra frame, Rochester’s Carson Meyer scored the game-winner in the fourth round of the shootout to give the Americans the 4-3 win.
Cleveland’s Ivan Fedotov stopped 17 shots in defeat while Rochester’s Devon Levi made 35 saves for the win.