Monsters advance to North Division Semifinals with double OT win over Marlies

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cleveland Monsters survived a 4-3 double overtime thriller against the Marlies to advance to the North Division Semifinals.

The Monsters had a 1-0 series lead headed into Game 2 in Toronto on Saturday.

The Marlies opened up scoring with a goal from Zach Solow at 14:35 of the opening frame leaving the Monsters trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes.

Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the second period off another goal from Solow, but Hunter McKown got the Monsters on the board at 7:47 assisted by Madison Bowey to cut the score to 2-1.

Rocco Grimaldi tied the game at 14:58 off feeds from Denton Mateychuk and McKown.

Mateychuk kept it rolling for Cleveland with an unassisted goal at 17:16, giving Cleveland their first lead of the night headed into the third period.

In the final frame the Marlies were awarded a penalty shot that Robert Mastrosimone converted to tie the game and force overtime.

Following a scoreless 20 extra minutes, James Malatesta scored the game-winning goal at 19:05 of the second overtime securing the 4-3 win and the Monsters advancement to the North Division Semifinals against the Laval Rocket.

Cleveland’s Jet Greaves stopped 39 shots for the win while Toronto’s Matt Murray made 46 saves in defeat.

The Monsters will face the Laval Rocket in the best-of-five series that will begin with Game 1 in Cleveland on either Wednesday, April 30 or Thursday, May 1. The exact date will be finalized Monday evening based on the outcome of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat series in which a potential Game 5 may be played at Rocket Arena on April 30. Game 2 is confirmed for Friday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. in Cleveland.