Grand Rapids Griffins @ Rockford IceHogs ... 1-17

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AHL/Game Stats -
http://stats.theahl.com/stats/text-game-report.php?game_id=1005383

Grand Rapids Griffins 3 at Rockford IceHogs 2 - Status: Final

Jan 17, 2009 - Rockford MetroCentre

1st Period:
Scoring - 1. Grand Rapids, J. Tardif (9) (V. Leino) 1:41
2. Grand Rapids, R. Oulahen (10) (J. Ericsson, A. Gagnon) 6:18
3. Rockford, P. MacArthur (5) (P. Kontiola) 17:00
Penalties - No Penalties

2nd Period:
Scoring - 4. Grand Rapids, D. Haydar (15) (R. Oulahen, A. Gagnon) 19:15
Penalties - V. Leino Gr (diving 64.2) 9:44, A. Archer Rfd (hooking) 9:44, J. Sharrow Rfd (hooking) 10:58, D. Haydar Gr (tripping) 16:51

3rd Period:
Scoring - 5. Rockford, T. Hambly (3) 5:23
Penalties - No Penalties

GR Shots: 10 6 3 TOTAL: 19
RFD Shots: 9 8 9 TOTAL: 26

Power Play Conversion:
Grand Rapids Griffins 0-1
Rockford IceHogs 0-1.

Goaltenders:
Grand Rapids Griffins -
Howard 11-10-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 24 GA: 2 [W]
Rockford IceHogs -
Crawford 12-7-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 58:47 SV: 16 GA: 3 [L]

Attendance: 5399

Referee I: Frederic L'Ecuyer (48)
Lineman I: Jim Scarpace (75)
Lineman II: Al Stensland (98)

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IceHogs Website -
http://www.icehogs.com/news/index.html?article_id=1017

HOGS CAN'T COMPLETE THE COMEBACK, FALL 3-2

01/17/2009

The IceHogs fall in the first of two straight against the Griffins

Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs have found themselves down 3-2 late in the third period three times in the last three games, and in none of them could the IceHogs find the evening goal.

On Saturday, the Grand Rapids Griffins handed the Hogs their third straight loss by a final score of 3-2 in front of 5,399 at the Rockford MetroCentre.

The Griffins took an early lead thanks to Jamie Tardif, who beat Corey Crawford five-hole at 1:41 in the first period on a breakaway. The breakaway was set up by Ville Leino.

Then Ryan Oulahen doubled the score with a tip-in at 6:18 off of a Jonathan Ericsson shot from the point.

"We had some great chances and they had some great chances," said defenseman Tim Hambly. "But it all comes down to the fact that we just can't put ourselves in a hole like that early."

Rockford's Pete MacArthur cut the lead in half at 17:00 in the first. Petri Kontiola earned the helper. It was the rookie's fifth goal of the season, the second highest among first-year skaters.

In the second period, Darren Haydar gave the Griffins a two-goal cushion again at 19:15 with assists from Oulahen and Aaron Gagnon. Haydar picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone after his penalty expired after beat Crawford on a 3-on-1 breakaway.

"They're a good team," said Hambly. "They have tons of offensive firepower, but we knew that coming into the last game. Tonight we did the same thing (as last week's 6-5 shootout loss). We'll make adjustments on Monday and try to score the first one at least."

The IceHogs and Griffins play the second of back-to-back games on Monday at 2:05 p.m. at the Rockford MetroCentre.

Rockford picked up the pace after a goal from Hambly at 5:23 in the third to get the IceHogs within one, but they couldn't complete the comeback.

Crawford had 16 saves in the losing effort, while Jimmy Howard backstopped the Griffins with 24 saves. Both teams were 0-for-1 on the power play in the lowest penalized game of the season for the IceHogs.

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Griffins Website -
http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/index.html?article_id=1203

ON THE REBOUND

01/17/2009

Rockford, Ill. - The Grand Rapids Griffins bounced back from a rare home loss with their first-ever win at the Rockford MetroCentre, defeating the Rockford IceHogs 3-2 on Saturday night. The Griffins scored two goals early in the first period and then Jimmy Howard made 24 saves to preserve the win.

Both Ryan Oulahen and Aaron Gagnon had multi-point games for the Griffins (25-9-5-3), who successfully killed off the only Rockford power play in the contest. That kill extended the team’s streak to a franchise-record 11 consecutive games without allowing a power-play goal.

Jamie Tardif put the Griffins up early with his goal 1:41 into the contest. After Tardif snuck behind the IceHogs’ defense, Ville Leino sent a pass through the neutral zone that Tardif corralled for a breakaway on Rockford goaltender Corey Crawford. Tardif went to his forehand and slid the puck between Crawford’s pad for his ninth goal of the season and a 1-0 Grand Rapids lead.

The Griffins went up 2-0 when Oulahen scored his 10th goal of the season 4:37 after the Tardif goal. After a faceoff win in the Rockford zone, Jonathan Ericsson took a long shot that Oulahen redirected into the top corner of the net.

The IceHogs made it a one-goal deficit with a goal by Pete MacArthur at the 17:00 mark of the first. Rockford gloved down a clearing attempt by the Griffins and MacArthur converted with a wrist shot from the left circle to cut the lead in half.

After the Griffins killed their 40th consecutive power play, Darren Haydar came out of the penalty box and broke in on a two-on-one with Gagnon. Haydar drove in on Crawford and drove a shot over his glove for a 3-1 Grand Rapids lead with just 45 seconds remaining in the second period.

At the 5:23 mark of the third period, Rockford climbed back to within one with a goal that looked eerily similar to its first. The IceHogs held in a clearing attempt inside the Grand Rapids zone and this time it was Tim Hambly that converted with a wrist shot from the left circle, making the score 3-2.

Crawford finished the game with 16 saves in the loss for the IceHogs. The two teams will play again on Monday afternoon, with a 3:05 p.m. EST opening faceoff.

Three Stars:
1. GR Oulahen (Goal, assist)
2. GR Gagnon (2 assists)
3. RFD MacArthur (Goal)

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IceHogs Website -
http://www.icehogs.com/news/index.html?article_id=1017

GRIFFINS' QUICK START TOO MUCH FOR ICEHOGS

Doug Goodman-RRSTAR.COM

Jan 17, 2009

ROCKFORD — Grand Rapids used early offense and strong play by goalie Jimmy Howard late in the game to edge the Rockford IceHogs 3-2 Saturday at the MetroCentre.

The Griffins stunned the IceHogs with two goals in the first 6:18 for a 2-0 advantage and never gave up the lead.

“I liked our final 50 minutes, but our start wasn’t very good,” said Rockford coach Bill Peters, whose team lost its third straight. “We played hard after the first six minutes.”

Grand Rapids scored at 1:41 of the opening period when Ville Leino stole the puck in the
Griffins’ end and fired a pass to a streaking Jamie Tardif, who had gotten behind the Rockford defense. Tardif then beat IceHogs goalie Corey Crawford with a point-blank shot.

“We had the puck in their end the whole shift and then all of a sudden we turn it over and they get a breakaway,” Peters said. “Not the way you want to end a pretty good shift.”

Five minutes later Grand Rapids went up 2-0 on Ryan Oulahen’s goal from the left circle.

Rockford had several scoring opportunities in the first period, but couldn’t convert until left wing
Pete MacArthur beat Howard on a shot from high in the left circle with 3:00 left.

After Grand Rapids went up 3-1 with 45 seconds left in the second period, Rockford defenseman Tim Hambly scored an unassisted goal at 5:23 of the final stanza.

“I thought we deserved a little bit better fate tonight,” MacArthur said.

“But when you put yourself in a hole like that and you get scored on in the last minute of a period, things usually don’t go in your favor.”

However, Hambly’s goal inspired the IceHogs and their 5,399 fans.

“We were pretty jacked up after that, pressing for the tying goal, but we just couldn’t get one by him,” MacArthur said of Howard.

Rockford’s Pascal Pelletier drilled a long potential-tying shot from between the circles with 27 seconds left, but Howard pulled it out of the air with his glove.

“I told him ‘nice save’ afterward. He’s a good goalie,” said MacArthur, who has played against Howard in lower levels of competition.

Grand Rapids (25-9-5-3) earned a shootout victory over Rockford (21-17-0-4) in their lone previous meeting Jan. 7. They play again Monday afternoon.

Rockford was without second-leading scorer Jack Skille, who was injured in Friday’s loss to Chicago.

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Griffins Website -
http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/index.html?article_id=1203

GRIFFINS REBOUND FOR ROAD WIN AGAINST ICEHOGS

by The Grand Rapids Press

January 18, 2009

ROCKFORD, Ill. - It didn't take long for the Grand Rapids Griffins to rebound.

One night after dropping a key American Hockey League showdown against the Manitoba Moose, the Griffins bounced back in fine form by beating the Rockford IceHogs, 3-2, on Saturday before 5,399 fans at the Metro Centre.

The win puts Grand Rapids (25-9-5-3) at 58 points, two points behind the Moose and in second place in the AHL North.

The Griffins took a 2-0 lead in the first period after Jamie Tardif scored his ninth goal of the season 1 minute, 41 seconds into the contest. Almost five minutes later, Ryan Oulahen added his 10th goal.

Rockford (21-17-0-4) scored to make it 2-1 at the end of one period, but Darren Haydar gave the Griffins a two-goal cushion when he slammed home his 15th goal with 45 seconds to play in the second period.

The IceHogs scored early in the third period but were stymied the rest of the way by Jimmy Howard, who turned back 24 of the 26 shots he faced. The Griffins won despite being outshot 26-16.