Late penalty dooms Monsters in loss

The Monsters are at a point in the season with only 18 games remaining where they have little margin for error, like a tightrope walker that can’t afford a misstep.

The Monsters had one of those missteps on March 5 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse when a 4-2 second-period lead turned into a 6-4 loss to the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Penguins. The Monsters did not play poorly. They just didn’t make enough plays, block enough shots or stay out of the penalty box enough to win the game.

“We played with a ton of energy and I liked our pressure from the start,” Coach Trent Vogelhuber said. “I really liked our first and second periods. A couple untimely penalties and at the end there, just some small details like missing some shot blocks where they came up with a ton and just missing a stick or two in front when they’re funneling pucks.

“The margin for error is tight in these games when everybody is fighting to get in. I’d love just a touch more discipline, but overall really good effort and jump and push. We just have to clean up some of the little things.”

The Monsters (23-25-42) are stuck in last place in the AHL North. They would have climbed over sixthplace Belleville had they beaten the Penguins. The top five teams in the division qualify for the playoffs. They are four points behind the fifth-place Laval Rocket with a game in hand.

One night earlier, the Monsters beat the Penguins, 3-2 in overtime, in the Outdoor Classic at FirstEnergy Stadium. A crowd of 22,875, the largest in franchise history, witnessed that game. Another large crowd, 10,782, showed up for the matinee rematch at the FieldHouse.

The Monsters beat the Penguins on March 4 because they were the aggressors the final two periods. They started the March 5 game the same way.

Roman Alchan blistered a shot from the top of the left circle for a 1-0 Monsters lead at 9:01 of the first period, but then Ty Glover scored on penalty shot after being hooked by Dillon Simpson as Glover skated toward the Cleveland net moments after a penalty on Glover expired.

The Monsters scored again and then Glover scored his second goal of the game for a 2-2 tie 9:20 into the second.

Momentum quickly shifted back to the Monsters. Trey Fix-Wolansky buried his 24th goal of the season 61 seconds after Glover scored, and then 41 seconds later, Alex Whelan redirected a shot for a 4-2 Monsters lead.

The Penguins cut the lead to 4-3 and then scored two straight power-play goals by Drake Cagguila, one in the second period and one in the third. The sixth WilkesBarre Scranton goal was an empty netter.

Add it all up and the Penguins scored one goal on a penalty shot, two on the power play and one into an empty net. The Monsters won the five-on-five battles, but not the game.

“We just have to keep our heads in those key moments,” Vogelhuber said. “You can’t force the ref to call a penalty with six or seven minutes left.”

Junna Luoto was sent off for roughing with 6:35 remaining. Cagguila broke the 4-4 tie 34 seconds later.

Daniil Tarasov stopped 29 of 34 shots for the Monster