The AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets is 11-5-1-0 in its last 17 games after a weekend split at Hershey.
Cleveland dropped a tight 3-2 final in the series opener Saturday, as the Bears scored with 6:21 left to earn the win. Tate Singleton and Luca Del Bel Belluz scored, while Max McCue and Jordan Dumais each notched assists after recent returns to the lineup. The Monsters rebounded Sunday with a 3-2 overtime win, as Singleton and Del Bel Belluz scored again and Jack Williams netted the winner with his seventh goal.
The Monsters are now 17-12-4-1, and Cleveland is fifth in the AHL North but just two points behind second place. Del Bel Belluz leads the team in goals (10) and points (24), while Luca Pinelli (9-14-23) follows and Williams is up to 18 points on the year. Ivan Fedotov has a 2.49 GAA and .901 SV%.
Cleveland now heads to New England to take on Providence on Saturday and Sunday, and the next home game is Jan. 21 vs. Chicago.