GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Defenseman Brian Lashoff’s shot from the right circle slipped through Matt Climie 2:49 into overtime on Saturday and sent the Grand Rapids Griffins into their Christmas break with a thrilling 2-1 victory over the rival Chicago Wolves. Tomas Tatar carried the puck into the Wolves’ zone and drew several defenders before finding a wide-open Adam Almquist at the point. Almquist patiently skated down the slot then slid a pass across to Lashoff, who tallied the second overtime goal of his career. The Griffins (16-9-1-1), who trailed 1-0 with less than eight minutes to play, rallied to make it three wins in as many tries on their season-high seven-game home stand. Atop the Midwest Division with a two-point lead over Rockford, they enter their yuletide break in first place for the first time since the 2005-06 season, when they eventually captured the AHL’s regular season championship. Grand Rapids will enjoy four days off before returning to practice Thursday in preparation for a Friday-Saturday set against the Toronto Marlies at Van Andel Arena. Both games start at 7 p.m. Each team had ample opportunities to light the lamp during the first period, but Tom McCollum denied all 14 Chicago shots while his teammates returned 11 fruitless tries on Climie, who thwarted three shorthanded breakaways by the Griffins. Chicago again had the upper hand in shots during the middle period, by a 10-8 margin, but still neither team was able to get on the board. The Wolves (13-9-3-1) finally broke the ice on their 25th shot and the game’s 44th during a power play early in the third period, as Darren Archibald set up in the slot and tipped Kevin Connauton’s blast from the point past McCollum at 2:43. Minutes later, it appeared that Chicago may have taken a 2-0 lead when Michael Davies broke in alone and sent a shot to the top right corner, but a review by referee Shaun Davis indicated that the puck hit near the top of the post and bounced harmlessly away. Grand Rapids used its own power play to pull even at the 12:26 mark. From the top of the right circle, Landon Ferraro unleashed a cannon that hit a screened Climie under his right arm and caromed into the net. The Griffins then had their own close call disallowed with 1:21 remaining in regulation. Joakim Andersson drove through two defenders down the slot before trying to stuff the puck inside the right post. Climie stuck his left pad out to stop the initial try, but when the puck slid beneath him and sat loose on the goal line, Davis lost track of it and blew his whistle just as several Griffins crashed the crease and forced the puck across the goal line. Just over a minute into overtime, Mark Matheson almost ended matters with a snap shot from the left circle, but it clanged off McCollum’s far post to keep the Griffins alive and set the stage for Lashoff’s heroics. Grand Rapids improved to 4-0 this season against Chicago, with two of its victories coming in overtime. McCollum, who was brilliant with 31 saves, now shows a 3-0 record, a 0.98 goals against average and a 0.964 save percentage versus the Wolves this season. Climie made 26 saves in the loss. Three Stars: 1. GR Lashoff (OT goal); 2. GR Ferraro (power play goal); 3. GR McCollum (W, 31 saves)
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Peoria Rivermen broke open a scoreless game by notching three goals in the final 9:01 on Friday at Van Andel Arena, handing the Grand Rapids Griffins their first shutout loss of the season. Jake Allen made 33 saves to blank the Griffins for the second time in his career, following a 30-save effort in his 2-0 win in Grand Rapids on Jan. 1, 2011. Petr Mrazek was nearly as strong on the other end, denying 29 of 31 shots. For the Griffins (13-8-1-1), tonight marked the first time in 38 games – exactly a half season’s worth – that they failed to score a goal, dating to a 2-0 home loss to Toronto on March 16. Midway through the third period, the Rivermen (10-11-2-2) received a fortunate bounce to finally break the ice. After a turnover at the Griffins’ blue line during a line change, Mrazek made the initial stop on Derek Nesbitt, but the rebound caromed off the leg of a crease-crashing Adam Cracknell and into the goal. Referee Graham Skilliter went to the scorer’s table for a video review – the first in a Griffins game under the AHL’s new system this season – before ruling a good goal. Peoria then made it a 2-0 game with 6:33 left, when Tyler Shattock potted a rebound into a gaping cage from the right side. Griffins coach Jeff Blashill pulled Mrazek in favor of an extra attacker with just over three minutes remaining, but Jaden Schwartz increased the Peoria margin to three by scoring into the vacated net from center ice at 18:11. Left with little more than a chance to spoil Allen’s shutout bid, Mrazek again went to the bench as Peoria’s Mark Cundari was called for a hooking penalty with 1:21 remaining, creating a 6-on-4 advantage in skaters for Grand Rapids. But the Griffins still could not solve Allen as the final seconds ticked away. Grand Rapids killed off all five Peoria power plays, including a chance midway through the second period when the puck was in the Griffins’ zone for two full minutes without a stoppage or line change. However, the Griffins’ own power play was likewise unable to capitalize on its five opportunities. The Griffins, who’ve won six straight road games, will look to tie the franchise-record streak of seven that was set more than eight years ago when they travel to Toronto to face the Marlies at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Three Stars: 1. PEO Allen (W, 33 saves); 2. PEO Cracknell (game-winning goal); 3. GR Mrazek (L, 29 saves)
 
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Francis Pare notched a goal and an assist to spark the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 3-2 win over the Texas Stars on Saturday at Van Andel Arena, in the process becoming the third-leading scorer in the franchise’s 17-year history. Pare, whose 209 career points now place him ahead of Kip Miller (208) and behind only Travis Richards (238) and Michel Picard (380), registered his name on the scoresheet for the eighth time in the last nine games. Meanwhile, Riley Sheahan matched Pare’s multi-point night with two assists, helping the Griffins earn their ninth win in their last 11 tries. Grand Rapids also received another solid performance by rookie netminder Petr Mrazek , who made 26 saves to improve to 7-1 on the season. The Griffins (11-6-1-1), who remain alone atop the Midwest Division, needed only 3:37 to record the game’s first goal. As Sheahan jostled for position at the top of the Texas crease, Pare took advantage of the chaos by lifting a shot over a sprawled Jack Campbell from the right side. Midway through the period, the Stars (9-8-1-1) scored twice in a span of 3:26 to go ahead 2-1. From the top of the right circle, Maxime Fortunus sent a hard pass to the left of the net to Matt Fraser, who tapped the puck behind Mrazek into a wide-open cage at 10:20. Fraser then set up Texas’ second tally on the rush by centering a pass to Colton Sceviour, who potted a shot from the doorstep that Mrazek had little chance to stop. Grand Rapids scored twice in the second period to take its eventual 3-2 margin. Brian Lashoff’s blast from the point deflected off a defender and past Campbell 2:27 into the frame, before Nathan Paetsch fired a shot wide left of the net, resulting in a hard carom off the end boards that an opportunistic Triston Grant managed to knock home at 12:20. Grant’s third tally of the season proved to be the game-winner, as the Griffins avenged Friday’s lackluster 3-1 loss to the Stars. Grand Rapids will conclude its four-game home stand on Wednesday, Dec. 5 when the Peoria Rivermen visit Van Andel Arena at 7 p.m. Three Stars: 1. GR Pare (goal, assist); 2. GR Sheahan (two assists); 3. TEX Fraser (goal, assist)
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CLEVELAND – The Grand Rapids Griffins tied the fifth-longest winning streak in franchise history on Friday with a 6-5 overtime decision over the Lake Erie Monsters at Quicken Loans Arena.  
After trailing 3-0 in the second period, Tomas Jurco scored two goals within nine seconds in the third to give the Griffins their first lead of the game. The Monsters scored with an extra attacker to send the game into overtime, but Gustav Nyquist netted his second goal of the night to give Grand Rapids (8-4-1-1) the victory.   
Jurco’s goals were two seconds off of the franchise record for the fastest two goals scored. The record is held by Darin Smith and Ben Hankinson, who scored two goals in seven seconds against Orlando on Oct. 19, 1996.  
After failing to score in their previous two games, David van der Gulik put the Monsters on the scoreboard midway through the opening period. Karl Stollery lifted the puck towards the goal and van der Gulik was waiting on the doorstep, slipping his shot past Petr Mrazek at 10:11 of the first period. The goal was the veteran’s first of the season.  
Lake Erie (9-6-1-0) opened up a high scoring second period when Andrew Agozzino found a lane on the right side and buried a wrist shot inside the right goal post. The shot from the right circle gave the Monsters a 2-0 lead at 4:02 of the second.  
Just over six minutes later, Mitchell Heard gave the Monsters a three-goal lead when he tallied his first professional goal. Heard caused a turnover in front of the Griffins net and placed the puck in the top left corner at 10:29.  
But the three-goal hole didn’t deter the Griffins. Max Nicastro put Grand Rapids on the scoreboard at 11:32 of the second period, bouncing his shot off of a Lake Erie defenseman’s stick and into the back of the net. The goal marked Nicastro’s first professional point.  
Less than two minutes later, the Griffins pulled within one goal of the Monsters when Mitch Callahan took the puck off of a faceoff and made a great pass in front of the goal to Triston Grant . The pass set up Grant on the back side of the goal, and the left wing quickly buried the puck at 13:10 of the second period.  
Van der Gulik restored Lake Erie’s two-goal lead when he grabbed the puck off of a faceoff and fired it past Mrazek in a split second. The goal at 14:03 of the second period was van der Gulik’s second of the night.   
Nyquist scored the sixth and final goal of the second period, scoring seven seconds into a power play at 15:59. Brendan Smith sailed a shot wide of the goal, but Nyquist was waiting on the left circle for the rebound. He quickly scooped the rebound and popped it by Calvin Pickard, cutting Lake Erie’s lead to 4-3 heading into the third period.
  Jurco scored two goals nine seconds apart in the third period to erase the Griffins three-goal deficit and give them their first lead of the night. Francis Pare made a play down the slot and even though he couldn’t get a shot off, Jurco was following close behind and jammed the puck home at 6:21 of the third.  
Nine seconds later, Pare and Jurco worked their magic again as Pare found Jurco streaking down the slot. Jurco moved the puck from right to left in front of the goal and snuck it around Pickard, giving the Griffins their first lead of the night.  
But the Monsters were ready for a comeback of their own. Lake Erie scored the tying goal with 1:09 left in the game when Tyson Barrie went wide left down the length of the ice and found Bryan Lerg in front of the goal. Lerg slipped his shot past Mrazek, sending the game into overtime.  
Midway through the overtime period, Joakim Andersson passed to Tomas Tatar on the right side, who hit Nyquist with a backdoor pass on the left side of the goal. Nyquist netted the overtime power play goal, extending the Griffins winning streak to six games.   
Pickard recorded 22 saves while Mrazek earned his fifth win behind 29 saves. Mrazek’s 5-0 start ties the best start by any Griffins goaltender.  
The Griffins return to Grand Rapids for their next contest, hosting the Chicago Wolves next Friday at 7:00 p.m.  
Three Stars: 1. GR Nyquist (two goals) 2. GR Jurco (two goals) 3. LE Van der Gulik (two goals)  
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PEORIA, Ill. – In a dramatic comeback win, the Grand Rapids Griffins moved into first place in the Midwest Division with a 5-3 victory over the Peoria Rivermen Saturday at Carver Arena. After trailing 2-0 early in the contest, the Griffins took their first lead of the game they wouldn’t lose with two and a half minutes left in the game, extending their win streak to five games. The Rivermen jumped on the scoreboard early as T.J. Hensick scored his second power play goal of the season at 1:56 of the first period. Ian Cole fired a shot wide of the goal and it bounced to Hensick at just the right angle for a quick shot passed Tom McCollum . Exactly one minute after Peoria’s first goal, Derek Nesbitt gave the Rivermen a two-goal lead. The puck bounced from Brent Regner to the left side of the goal where Nesbitt was waiting. Nesbitt snuck the puck past McCollum at 2:56 of the first period, scoring his third goal in the last three games. Landon Ferraro cut Peoria’s lead in half on a power play goal at 18:16 of the first period. Brendan Smith set up Ferraro with a low pass eight feet in front of the net, and Ferraro snuck his shot underneath Jake Allen’s left arm. The goal was Ferraro’s fourth of the season. Seconds after Peoria’s power play expired halfway through the second period, the Rivermen restored their two-goal lead. Phil McRae found Mark Cundari on a pass from the right corner, and Cundari fired a 40-foot shot past McCollum’s glove at 9:40 of the second period. Tomas Tatar cut Peoria’s lead to one with a power play goal at 17:55 of the second period. After a mad scramble at the net, Tatar deflected his shot off Allen and the puck rolled just over the goal line, cutting the Rivermen’s lead to one goal heading into the third period. The Griffins tied the game at 3-3 with 10:39 left in the third period. Adam Almquist found Gustav Nyquist on the right side of the goal, who passed up a short shot, instead finding Joakim Andersson wide open on the back side of the goal. The Griffins took their first lead of the night at 17:34 of the third period. Almquist took the initial shot and Allen made two glove saves before Francis Pare lifted his rebound shot over the goaltender. Ferraro sealed the Griffins victory with an empty net goal at 19:58 of the final period, giving Grand Rapids a 5-3 lead. The goal was Ferraro’s second of the night. Allen recorded 32 saves while McCollum earned the win behind 22 saves. The Griffins improve to 7-4-1-1 and move into first place in the Midwest Division with the victory as Peoria falls to 2-7-2-1. The Griffins are on the road again for their next contest, playing against the Lake Erie Monsters Friday at 7:30 p.m. EDT. Three Stars: GR Jeff Hoggan (assist); PEO T.J. Hensick (goal); GR Landon Ferraro (two goals)
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . – The Grand Rapids Griffins extended their winning streak to three games and climbed above the 0.500 mark for the first time this season on Wednesday, claiming a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals in their 12th annual matinee game at Van Andel Arena. Rookie netminder Petr Mrazek made 24 saves to backstop the Griffins (5-4-1-1) to their first home win and improve his personal record to 3-0, marking the third-best debut ever for a Grand Rapids goalie. Only Ty Conklin (2011-12) and Mathieu Chouinard (2000-01) enjoyed better starts (5-0) in a Griffins uniform than Mrazek, who currently ranks third in the AHL in both goals against average (1.30) and save percentage (0.954). Grand Rapids, which last won three straight during a five-game streak from Feb. 22-March 3, will try to maintain its hot hand on Friday when the Rockford IceHogs pay a 7 p.m. visit to Van Andel Arena. The Griffins jumped ahead 13:54 into the game on one of just three shots they launched during the opening period, as Riley Sheahan tallied his first goal of the season in shorthanded fashion on a wrister from the slot that beat Jeremy Smith. Mrazek, meanwhile, was a busy man during the first 20 minutes of his home debut, facing 12 shots and allowing only a 5-on-3 power play goal to Jonathon Blum, who blistered a shot over Mrazek’s right shoulder from the top of the left circle at 15:56. Early in the middle frame, just seconds after Brendan Smith was denied on a breakaway chance, the home team took a 2-1 lead. Chad Billins teed-up a slap shot from the right point that stayed low to the ice, allowing Francis Pare to redirect it home from the doorstep at the 6:15 mark.   The Admirals (4-6-0-0) once again answered to knot the score before the second intermission. Jack MacLellan brought the puck out of the right corner and threw it out front, where it caromed off the shaft of Juuso Puustinen’s stick and past Mrazek at 12:38. Joakim Andersson gave the Griffins their third lead during a power play 11:18 into the final period. Billins skated toward the net in the right circle and slipped the puck to the top of the crease, where Andersson was positioned to redirect it inside the left post. The assist marked the third of the afternoon for Billins, tying him for the AHL lead with 11 and giving him a pair of three-point games and four multi-point outings in his first 11 professional contests. Gustav Nyquist tacked on an empty-netter with 30 seconds left, pushing him into a tie for second in the AHL scoring race with 13 points (6-7—13). Notes: Grand Rapids improved to 8-3-0-1 in its annual matinee game, whose 11 a.m. start time today was the earliest ever for a Griffins home contest…The Griffins debuted their new Wednesday game sweaters with an alternate Griffins logo, the first primarily-red jerseys that they will wear regularly since the 2004-05 season. Three Stars: 1. GR Andersson (GWG, assist); 2. GR Billins (three assists); 3. GR Mrazek (W, 24 saves)
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