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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Fifty Shots Not Enough as Griffins Fall 2-1

March 15, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Griffins equaled a season high by throwing 50 shots at Mike Wall, but the netminder turned aside all but one to lead the Lake Erie Monsters to a 2-1 win at Van Andel Arena on Saturday.

A Griffins squad missing four of its top 10 scorers due to callup or injury still amassed a whopping 50-25 shot advantage. However, it was not enough to prevent its season-high four-game home ice winning streak from coming to an end.

Grand Rapids (27-32-2-5), which laid a 7-1 beating on North Division-leading Toronto on Wednesday, will have another shot at the Marlies in a 4 p.m. Sunday start at Ricoh Coliseum.

After Lake Erie's Jamie Lundmark and Dale Purinton initiated shenanigans during pre-game warmups, the Monsters (23-31-4-7) took the upper hand on a first-period power play goal. T.J. Hensick set up Eric Healey for an easy backdoor tap in from the right side at 15:26.

With just over three minutes remaining in the period, the Griffins were presented with a five-minute power play after Monsters miscreant Purinton kneed Jamie Tardif and was sent off for an early shower. But Grand Rapids was unable to capitalize on the advantage that carried over to the second period, a failure that proved more costly when Lake Erie tallied its second power play goal on Johnny Boychuk's one-timer from the high slot at 5:49.

After being stymied on their first 29 shots and first three power play chances, the Griffins finally solved Wall 5:40 before the second intermission. Ryan Oulahen converted a rebound with a sharp-angle shot through traffic from the right side, adding to his career high with his 13th goal of the season.

The Griffins out-shot Lake Erie 20-8 in the second period and 16-4 in the third but were unable to net the equalizer, despite receiving a late power play and pulling Adam Berkhoel for a 6-on-4 advantage over the final 68 seconds.

Berkhoel finished with 23 saves in another solid effort, while the Griffins' power play unit has now connected in eight of the last nine games.

After the game, the Griffins welcomed back goaltender Jimmy Howard on assignment from the Detroit Red Wings and announced that Dan Turple has been reassigned to ECHL Gwinnett by the Atlanta Thrashers.

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