Hamilton Bulldogs Game Thread: Bulldogs vs Monsters

Tonight, the Lake Erie Monsters (12-10-1-1) are in town to take on the Bulldogs at 7:30 pm. This will be the second meeting this season for the two clubs, with the Monsters taking the previous game 4-1. The Bulldogs (8-10-1-1) are coming into tonight's tilt after defeating the Hershey Bears 3-2 on Saturday night. Nathan Beaulieu, our player of the week, is currently riding a 3 game points streak, with 4 assists during that span.

The Monsters come into tonight's game after losing 5-1 to the Charlotte Checkers last Friday night. Mike Sgarbossa leads the team with 9 goals, 11 assists in 24 games. He holds an impressive 24.3% shooting percentage. Tyson Barrie, a top Colorado Avalanche defensive prospect, has 5 goals, 13 assists in 24 games this season, which is second best on the team.

The key to tonight's game will definitely be scoring first, not only because they've done it only once in their past 18 games, but because when the Bulldogs score their first goal tonight, fans get to litter the ice with toys, which are all donated to the United Way for needy Hamilton area children.

After tonight's game, the Bulldogs travel to the Midwest to take on the Chicago Wolves on Thursday night, and then continue to Rockford and Milwaukee over the weekend.

In other Bulldogs news, forward Alain Berger has chosen not to report to Wheeling, and has returned to Switzerland to play for his club SC Bern of the Swiss National League A.

Projected Bulldogs Lineup

Forwards

Michael Blunden - Michael Bournival - Brendan Gallagher
Aaron Palushaj - Steven Quailer - Louis Leblanc
Patrick Holland - Gabriel Dumont - Darryl Boyce
Kyle Hagel - Joonas Nattinen - Zack Stortini

Defenseman

Frederic St-Denis - Morgan Ellis

Jarred Tinordi - Mike Commodore

Nathan Beaulieu - Brendon Nash

Goaltenders

Cedrick Desjardins

Robert Mayer

Notes:

• The Bulldogs have not scored more than three goals in a game since a 6-3 win over the visiting Toronto Marlies on November 16th and have not recorded more than three on the road since a 4-3 win via shootout over the Grand Rapids Griffins in their season opener on October 13th.
• The Bulldogs are 8-for-86 on the power play (9.3 percent), 29th in the AHL and have allowed 18 goals in 101 shorthanded situations (82.2 percent), 20th overall in the AHL.

Tonight's game starts at 7:30PM EST and you can watch it live on AHLLive ($), or listen to it here.