Monsters transform to Pierogies and top Penguins 7-1

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Roman Ahcan had a hat trick as the Cleveland Monsters beat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 7-1.

The Monsters transformed to the Pierogies for the weekend for, “Pucks and Pierogies,” and gave the home crowd a show.

Ahcan scored the only goal of the opening frame at 4:09 off feeds from Cole Clayton and Hunter McKown putting Cleveland ahead 1-0 after 20 minutes. 

The Pierogies scored three-straight in the middle frame, starting with a power play goal from Mikael Pyyhtia at 6:38.

Then Ahcan recorded his second marker of the night at 8:00 assisted by Joseph LaBate, followed by Guillaume Richard’s first professional goal at 10:28 off a feed from Rocco Grimaldi, giving Cleveland a 4-0 lead heading into the final intermission.

Cleveland would put up three more in the third, James Malatesta scored at 5:58 in the third with helpers from Fix-Wolansky and Del Bel Belluz, followed by a power-play goal from Luca Del Bel Belluz and Ahcan’s third goal of the night, for his first professional hat trick.

Cleveland’s Jet Greaves made 30 saves in the win, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Filip Larsson stopped 29 shots in defeat.

The Monsters host their final game rebranded as the Cleveland Pierogies Hockey Club against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at Rocket Arena and broadcast on Rock Entertainment Sports Network.