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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

7-0 Loss Caps Forgettable Week for Griffins

January 3, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


MILWAUKEE - The Grand Rapids Griffins (20-12-4-0) tied their franchise record for the most lopsided defeat, a 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals (17-9-4-2), on Saturday night at the Bradley Center. Grand Rapids' lead atop the West Division has narrowed to three points over the Chicago Wolves and four points over Milwaukee. The Griffins previously lost by seven goals when they lost 8-1 to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the International Hockey League on March 22, 1998.

The Griffins were unable to solve Brian Finley, as the Admirals netminder stopped all 32 shots fired at him. Joey MacDonald suffered his first road loss this season, and just his third in enemy territory as a Griffin.

The Admirals got two goals from Darren Haydar, a goal and two assists from Mathieu Darche, a goal and an assist from Timofei Shishkanov, Greg Classen and Bryan Lundbohm. Curtis Murphy and Brad Tiley each chipped in with two helpers. Tony Hrkac also scored for Milwaukee.

Hrkac opened the scoring with a shorthanded tally 3:58 into the game from Darche and Finley. Hrkac's centering pass was deflected back to him. He tapped the puck past MacDonald for a 1-0 lead.

At 12:47 of the first period, Shishkanov gathered a rebound of Murphy's point blast and slid the puck past MacDonald for a power play goal. Tiley picked up his first assist on the goal.

Haydar tallied his first of the game 2:07 later from Murphy and Classen.

The Griffins best scoring opportunity came because an Admiral defender closed his hand on the puck while it was in the crease. Nathan Robinson was unable to convert the resulting penalty shot at the 17:44 mark of the first period.

Haydar notched his second goal of the game 5:12 into the second period when he redirected a pass from Wyatt Smith. Tiley earned his second assist on the goal.

Darche dished his second assist when he corralled an errant pass and found Lundbohm in front of the cage. Lundbohm scored the fifth and final goal against MacDonald. Marc Lamothe replaced MacDonald at the 7:32 mark of the second period. MacDonald stopped 11 of 16 shots. Lamothe stopped 18 of 20 shots in relief.

Lundbohm returned the favor when he and Darche converted a two-on-one breakaway with Darche scoring the sixth goal of the game for Milwaukee at 13:28 of the third period.

Milwaukee tallied its seventh goal when Classen scored on the power play with 2:05 remaining in the game from Shishkanov and Andrew Hutchinson.

The Griffins host the Utah Grizzlies on Friday in a West Division battle at 7:30 p.m.

View this game's official box score on-line at griffinshockey.com.

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

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