CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A trio of goals in the final 8:59 of regulation, including a pair from Martin Frk, helped the Grand Rapids Griffins defeat the Charlotte Checkers 5-3 on Tuesday at Bojangles’ Coliseum.
The Griffins (22-11-0-1) won for the 20th time over their last 23 games, snapping Charlotte’s 12-game point streak in the process. Grand Rapids wraps up its series with the Checkers at Bojangles’ Coliseum on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Anthony Mantha opened the scoring for the Griffins 24 seconds into the opening period. Mark Zengerle’s initial sharp-angle shot from near the goalline forced a shoulder save from Daniel Altshuller. However, the rebound fell perfectly for Mantha in the high slot, who fired a shot past the Charlotte netminder’s glove side.
Ethan Werek put Charlotte (21-12-1-1) on the scoresheet with 2:42 remaining in the first. After stealing the puck from Ryan Sproul in the neutral zone, Werek went on a breakaway, moving from backhand to forehand and lifting the puck over the pad and underneath the blocker of Jared Coreau. The Griffins outshot the Checkers 17-8 after 20 minutes.
Kyle Hagel gave Charlotte their first lead of the game 2:41 into the middle frame. In a scramble behind the Griffins’ net, Werek stabbed the puck in the direction of Hagel in the slot, who shot high to the glove side.
The Griffins trailed for just 18 seconds thanks to some aggressive forechecking from A.J. Jenks and Louis-Marc Aubry. After winning a dump-in, Jenks found Aubry in the right corner, who made his way to the top of the right circle, sending a wrist shot under Altshuller’s glove.
Jakub Kindl scored on the power play to give the Griffins a 3-2 advantage with 8:59 to go in regulation. Kindl, assigned to Grand Rapids by the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, sent a wrist shot from the right point that went wide off the end boards only for Altshuller to kick the puck into his own net with his left skate.
Charlotte thought they had tied the score on a Zach Boychuk wraparound with 8:01 remaining, but the goal was immediately waved off by referee Mark Lemelin due to incidental contact with Coreau in the crease.
Frk scored what proved to be the game-winner with 7:27 left. Tyler Bertuzzi sent a backhanded pass from below the goalline towards Frk, who was racing in towards the bottom of the right circle for a one-timer, placing a shot just inside the far post.
The Checkers would not go away quietly, making it a 4-3 contest with 2:28 on the clock. David Wohlberg’s shot from the left circle forced a right pad save from Coreau, but Werek scored on the rebound from the bottom of the right circle for his second of the night. Frk added an empty-netter for his 13th of the campaign, restoring the Griffins’ two-goal cushion with 54.1 seconds remaining.
Grand Rapids finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Checkers failed to score on three opportunities. Coreau turned aside 33 of 36 shots in his 15th consecutive start, while Altshuller stopped 30 of 34 shots in a losing effort.
Three Stars: 1. GR Frk (two goals); 2. CHA Werek (two goals, assist); 3. GR Miele (two assists)
Notes: Jenks, signed to a professional tryout by the Griffins on Sunday, played parts of four seasons in Charlotte (2011-15), recording 23 points (9-14-23) in 90 games.
With Griffins game report
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