WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Long time adversaries lock horns in the first game of the AHL’s Central Division Semi-Final as the AHL defending champion Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit) take on the Manitoba Moose (Jets) in Game 1 in the best-of-five series. Games one and two will take place today and tomorrow in Winnipeg before shifting to Grand Rapids for the balance of the series. Finishing just one point apart in the final standings, this should prove to be an entertaining match up. Starting goaltenders Eric Comrie (18-13-3-2 for Moose) and Tom McCollum (20-14-3-1 for Griffins) both started 
more than 30 games in the regular season and look pretty evenly matched.
Grand Rapids strike first 12:42 into the first on a quick strike off an offensive zone face off with Ben Street potting the puck behind Eric Comrie after a setup from Joe Hicketts and Eric Tangradi. The Griffins carried the play for the bulk of the first period as these teams tried to get a feel for the style of play and outshot the Moose 20-8 in the opening frame.
Some pretty scrambled play throughout the second period with both teams looking for that opportunity that just never materialized. A couple of penalties either way but neither side is willing to take a “bad” call as those are typically the ones that come back to bite you. The Moose seemed to find their skating legs and outshot the Griffins 16-8, but the score remains 1-0 in favour of the Griffins.
The Moose finally solved the goaltending of Tom McCollum as Jan Kostalek sailed one past the Griffins tender from the blueline after a set up from Cam Schilling and Chase DeLeo. The equalizer coming at the 6:22 mark. The teams then traded goals 31 seconds apart as Grand Rapids’ Turner Elson skillfully picked the top corner over Eric Comrie’s shoulder at 12:41 with Brian Lashoff and Luke Esposito assisting. The Moose answered right back as Michael Scarbossa tipped home a Cam Schilling point shot to equal things at 2-2. After a tripping call on the Griffins’ Dylan McIlrath, the Moose power play went to work. Nic Petan showed some great patience on the half boards and then set up Michael Spacek for the one timer past McCollum to give the Moose a 3-2 lead. Mason Appleton also picked up an assist on the go-ahead goal at 18:51. The Griffins pulled McCollum for an extra attacker to no avail as Manitoba opens the series with a grind-it-out 3-2 win. Final shot favored the Griffins 36-31. These teams are back at it Sunday in Game 2 in Winnipeg.
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