Game Preview, 10/31: Monroe Moccasins vs Athens Rock Lobsters

by Joseph Furtado

WHEN: 6:35pm (CDT)

WHERE: Monroe Civic Center - Monroe, Louisiana.

HOW TO WATCH: Monroe Moccasins YouTube Page (@MonroeMoccasins)

The Monroe Moccasins (0-3-1-0-1) head back home for a Halloween night showdown with the Athens Rock Lobsters (4-1-0-1-0). Monroe has averaged 2.2 goals per game through their first five games of the season. They are coming off their best offensive performance of the season after netting six goals against the Baton Rouge Zydeco.

TOP SHELF TAKEAWAYS:

  • Thursday’s contest will be the third meeting between Monroe and Athens (2-0 ATH).

  • Monroe is the only team in the Continental Division without a regulation win.

  • Athens has netted 10 goals in two games against Monroe.

  • Monroe has yet to surpass two goals in any game against Athens this season.

  • Out of seven teams, Monroe has been the second most penalized team in the continental division with 106 penalty minutes.

  • Newly acquired Moccasins forward Declan Conway joins the team with 104G-84A-188pts in 195 games played.

  • Noah Robinson leads Monroe in points with 3G-1A-4pts.

THE MATCHUP:

Athens has won five of their last six games after suffering their first loss to the Danville Dashers over the weekend. Offensively, there has been no shortage of scoring for the Rock Lobsters, who lead the league with 31 goals. The offense has been led by Garrett Milan, who has put together 6G-7A-13pts across six games. Pair that with a defense that has only surrendered 13 goals on the year and you have a recipe for success.

The Moccasins are fresh after having the week off and will look to continue their winning streak after their 6-5 SO win in Baton Rouge against the Zydeco on October 20th. With a subpar offense that has only netted 11 goals in five games (six of the 11 goals were scored against Baton Rouge), Monroe brought in some help to boost their offensive production. They claimed Declan Conway off waivers from the Zydeco last Friday, who is no stranger to the FPHL. Entering his sixth season, Conway has recorded 108G-84A-188pts in 195 games. Currently, he has 3G-2A-5pts in three games this season, with 1G-1A coming against the Moccasins. His offensive capabilities could be what the Moccasins have been searching for this season.

WHO TO WATCH:

MONROE: #17 NOAH ROBINSON - Robinson, who recently signed with the Moccasins on October 19th, has already added four points to his name (3G-1A-4pts). The Ontario native is still in his rookie season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Last season, he bagged 22G-18A-40pts in 52 games with the Zydeco. The 6’0”, 205-pound forward will suit up for his first game against the Rock Lobsters on Thursday night.

ATHENS: #10 GARRETT MILAN - In his first season in the FPHL, Milan leads the league with 13 points (6G-7A) over six games. The 33-year-old from North Vancouver, BC has spent most of his professional career in the SPHL & ECHL. Milan has netted five points (2G-3A) in two games against the Moccasins this season. Standing at 5' 7", 165-pounds, Milan has proven that his speed has been a problem for teams to handle.

THE LAST TIME:

Monroe has lost the last two consecutive meetings against Athens in regulation, including a 7-2 loss in their home opener on October 11th. The Rock Lobsters scored 46 seconds into the game and did not look back, cruising to their first win of the season. The following night (October 12th), Athens secured their second victor against Monroe in a tightly contested 3-2 game. Carter Shinkaruk netted the game-winner with a minute left in the third period to help secure all six points over the weekend.

ONE-GOAL GAMES: 

Despite their less-than-ideal record of 0-3-1-0-1, the Moccasins have kept it competitive in four of their last five games. Following their 7-2 loss, they have played in four consecutive one-goal games, suffering a 1-0 overtime and a 3-2 regulation loss to the Columbus River Dragons, who were the highest-scoring team in the FPHL last season. The Moccasins are 0-2-1-0-1 in one-goal games this season.