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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Bertuzzi Scores Twice as Griffins Take Game 1

April 23, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


MILWAUKEE - Tyler Bertuzzi picked up where he left off during last year's playoffs, popping home a pair of goals to pace the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Martin Frk factored into each Grand Rapids goal and Tom McCollum made 32 saves as the Griffins stole home-ice advantage away from the division champions. Milwaukee will host Game 2 of the best-of-five series on Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT before the action switches to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday and, if necessary, Game 4 on Wednesday.

The Griffins failed on a pair of early power play chances - thanks in part to Juuse Saros' right pad save on Frk's breakaway 2:13 into the contest - only to see the Admirals capitalize during a two-man advantage at the 13:30 mark. With Grand Rapids scrambling around its own net after a pair of saves by McCollum, Trevor Murphy drilled a one-timer inside the near post from the top of the right circle.

Bertuzzi answered for the Griffins 2:06 later. After Frk's blast from the high slot was blocked by a diving Stefan Elliott, Bertuzzi picked up the loose puck along the edge of the right circle and quickly whipped it past Saros' glove to make it a 1-1 game through 20 minutes.

Frk scored the first AHL playoff goal of his career to give the Griffins the lead 11:44 into the middle frame, as he hammered a Ryan Sproul feed into the back of the net from the left circle. Less than four minutes later, Sproul threw a pass from the end boards out front to Bertuzzi, who slammed it past Saros at 15:04 for his ninth goal in just 15 postseason games with the Griffins, putting the visitors ahead 3-1.

It was all McCollum from that point, as he stopped 12 shots during the third period to preserve the win and improve his all-time postseason mark to 10-6, tying Jani Hurme and Marc Lamothe for third on the franchise's playoff wins list. Saros finished with 19 saves in his first-ever Calder Cup contest.

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