The Cleveland Monsters could have very easily lost Game 3 of their series against the Belleville Senators on Wednesday night. They endured long stretches of play when the Senators dominated the puck. In the end, the Monsters found a way to win deep into the night.
Owen Sillinger scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to lift the Monsters to a dramatic 3-2 win in front of 12,659 fans at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. This was the largest crowd to see a game in the Calder Cup playoffs since the Monsters Game 4 win in the 2016 Finals.
The story of this game was multiple calming influences. Jet Greaves once again shined in net stopping 39 of 41 shots including several 10-bell saves to keep the game tied.
But it was the other calming influence that really shined on this night. While it’s his job as head coach to keep the bench running smoothly no matter what is going on, Trent Vogelhuber and his steady hand was a major factor in how Game 3 went.
Anyone who has watched the Monsters at length this season knows the calmness that Vogelhuber has brought. Whether it’s juggling a roster constantly in flux because of the Blue Jackets’ needs or finding ways to get the best out of his players, he’s showing how important his influence has been on this season.
Monsters Prepared
The Monsters had a unique challenge as they started their run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. They had to wait 10 days to play their first game due to having to wait for an opponent. The Senators knocked off the Toronto Marlies in overtime in Game 3 to advance to face the Monsters.
Vogelhuber and his staff had to be creative to find ways to keep the players fresh and ready while waiting out the string. Not only did they have to go through that once. They had to do it a second time after Game 2 because of the NBA playoffs.
Both Greaves and Sillinger spoke about the job of the coaching staff and how they’ve been able to help the players stay ready and prepared as these playoffs get into high gear.
“I think it’s a balance of kind of using that time to relax and rest and recover a little bit and then also finding times when you can be competitive with each other and push each other,” Greaves said. “So it was for us being attentive to that and making sure we had a balance of those things. But our practices were competitive, so we felt like we’re ready after that 10 days off and the same after this little break between the last few games.”
“That’s a big testament to our coaching staff,” Sillinger said. “They did a great job of getting us ready to play against Belleville. At the beginning, we didn’t know who we were playing. We took time a little bit slow with the practices. But as we figure out (who we’re playing) we start ramping it up. We did a great job in the gym and on the ice as well.”
Team Believes in Vogelhuber
Vogelhuber had his team prepared to play against the Senators despite some unusual circumstances. But it was his calming influence and steady hand in game that kept everything even keel even when the Senators were dominating puck possession in Game 3.
According to Greaves, the team believes in what Vogelhuber is doing behind the bench.
“He’s great,” Greaves said. “We have a lot of belief in him, a lot of trust in him as a coach. Everyone sits up straight whenever he’s talking. We have a lot of respect for him. I think where he does a good job is that he relates to us. He knows what we’re feeling in certain situations. So he can push the right buttons. When it needs to be loose, he’ll keep it loose. When he needs to be honest a little bit more, he’ll be honest. I think he does a great job of that.”
“Tonight was just keep going, keep competing, keep doing the right things. It feels like important moments but at the end of the day, the things that make us successful don’t change. That’s what he was harping on. Fortunately, it worked out.”
Vogelhuber & Adjustments
Game 3 marked the third different set of six defensemen on the Monsters’ blue line. Marcus Bjork returned to the lineup for the first time in 14 games while Jake Christiansen didn’t play. For Vogelhuber, he’s accustomed to what it takes to make some tough decisions. He’s confident no matter who’s in his lineup on any given night that his team can be successful.
“I think going through the 72-game season especially in this league, you’re accustomed to it by now,” Vogelhuber said. “You can’t plan for anything in this league because it’s always changing. One of the reasons we’ve been successful this year is having some depth for when people are called upon. There’s still good defensemen that are sitting out of the lineup. But to have a guy like Bjork come in when called upon here was huge just to be able to plug and play. I thought he did a great job tonight.”
As for keeping his team ready in unusual circumstances, Vogelhuber credits the way his team comes ready to work everyday no matter the situation.
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“One thing I like about our group, they come to the rink to work everyday. So you’re practicing three days in a row this time of year. You’d rather be playing the games. But they’re here. They enjoy being around each other and they enjoy getting to work. And we do as a coaching staff as well. It’s a pleasure to be there with them. It’s the last time this group’s gonna be together this season.”
Looking Ahead
The Monsters host Game 4 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse with a chance to eliminate the Senators. Game 5 if necessary will go Sunday in Cleveland. Meanwhile the winner of this series will play the winner of Rochester and Syracuse. They play a deciding Game 5 Friday night. Should the Monsters advance, they will hold home ice advantage in the next series.
