Monsters win fight, then game

Nothing gets a hockey team and the hometown crowd going like a good fight. The Monsters have one of the best fighters in the entire American Hockey League in 6-foot, 192-pound bruiser Brett Gallant, so when Gallant pounded the sea salt out of Milwaukee Admirals winger Matieu Olivier in a lopsided thirdperiod brawl on Feb. 22, the crowd of 11,213 inside Quicken Loans Arena roared like it was watching Muhammad Ali in his prime. The players on the Monsters bench slapped their sticks against the boards in approval. The Monsters went on to win, 3-2, in overtime on a spinning, backhand goal from the slot by Zac Dalpe just 16 seconds into the extra session. The goal was the second of the game and 17th of the season for Dalpe, who missed the previous 14 games with a lower body injury. His teammates mobbed him. He was voted first star of the game. But that’s only because Dalpe didn’t have a vote. “The fans don’t really know what that fight meant to us,” Dalpe said. “I know it’s barbaric and people might not agree with fights, but that sparks us. I owe it to ‘Gally’ for the spark we had. That was a great fight.” Dalpe is one of the most likeable and modest players in the Monsters locker room. A shot of his hit the left post with about five minutes left in the second period. The score was 1-1 at the time. Milwaukee took advantage of the lucky break and scored going the other way less than a minute later. Dalpe was rewarded before the period ended, though, when from behind the Admirals net, a pass intended for Cleveland right wing Nikita Korostelev at the left post bounced off the skate of Milwaukee defenseman Jarred Tinordi into the Admirals’ net. After a scoreless third period, Dalpe registered the only shot on goal in the very short overtime. “I don’t know why I decided to turn and go to my backhand,” Dalpe said about his game-winner. “While I was doing it, I’m like, ‘What am I doing?’ and it went in. So it worked out.’ Kole Sherwood scored the Monsters’ first goal. His goal and Dalpe’s second-period goal were both scored on the power play. Jean-Francois Berube stopped 23 Milwaukee shots. Every game is crucial for the Monsters in their uphill battle to grab a playoff spot. They are sixth in the AHL North with 57 points. The top four in the division make the playoffs. The Toronto Marlies and Utica Comets are tied for third with 65 points. All three teams have played 55 games and have 21 remaining. The Monsters and Admirals meet again at 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at Quicken Loans Arena.