In his return to the lineup after missing the last 10 games due to injury, defenseman Jake Christiansen score 17:31 into overtime to give the Cleveland Monsters an unexpected 3-2 victory over Hershey in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night.
The Monsters are the fifth team in AHL history to send the series to a Game 7 after losing the first three games. The Eastern Conference championship will be decided Wednesday night at the Giant Center (7 ET, AHLTV, NHL Network).
For the third time in the series, Cleveland forced overtime with the tying goal after pulling the goalie for another attacker. Brendan Gaunce put a shot in front of the net with 32.9 seconds left, making it 2-2 just 17 seconds later Joe Snively appeared to score Hershey's series-winning goal at the 19:10 mark of the third period.
Both teams had grade-A chances to win in OT, but it was two-time AHL All-Star Christiansen who finished it off with a wrist shot from the left. Hunter Shepard with his first career postseason goal.
Owen Sillinger opened the scoring for the Monsters at 17:14 of the first period, too Henrik Rybinski the Bears answered at 10:37 of the second.
Jet Greaves stopped 29 shots in the win, while Shepard finished with 29 saves in his first OT game decision (6-1).
The loss was Hershey's first on home ice this postseason (6-1).
(Series tied, 3-3)
Game 1 – Thursday, May 30 – HERSHEY 5, Cleveland 4 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., June 1 – HERSHEY 3, Cleveland 2 (OT)
Game 3 – Tue., June 4 – Hershey 6, CLEVELAND 2
Game 4 – Thursday, June 6 – CLEVELAND 3, Hershey 2
Game 5 – Sat., June 8 – CLEVELAND 5, Hershey 1
Game 6 – Mon., June 10 – Cleveland 3, HERSHEY 2 (OT)
Game 7 – Wed., June 12 – Cleveland at Hershey, 7:00
*if necessary… All times in Mpumalanga
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