AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Beat Bulldogs 3-2 in Hamilton

March 12, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


HAMILTON, Ontario - In a contest that saw the tempers of a North Division rivalry flaring early and often, the Grand Rapids Griffins earned a 3-2 win over the division-leading and second-overall ranked Hamilton Bulldogs Friday night at Copps Coliseum.

The win gives Grand Rapids points in three straight games (2-0-1-0) for the first time since a four-game run from Feb. 9-15, as well as points in four of its last five contests (2-1-1-1).

The Griffins (27-34-3-2) and Bulldogs' (43-15-3-5) rivalry will quickly be renewed with a rematch tomorrow night at 7 p.m., which will cap off a six-game season series in which Grand Rapids now owns a 2-3 record.

Grand Rapids drew first blood early at 5:51, scoring the lone goal of the opening frame. Francis Pare skated around the Bulldogs' net and sent a pass out front to Jamie Tardif, whose shot bounced off Cedrick Desjardins and to the stick of Cory Emmerton, who tucked the rebound under the cross bar over the sprawled-out goaltender.

The physical play quickly picked up for remainder of the period, as several scrums erupted after the whistle and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen delivered a bone-crushing center-ice hit on Chad Anderson, before fighting Ryan White at 17:23.

Hamilton notched the equalizer with a shorthanded tally at 8:05 of the second period. Mike Glumac picked up a loose puck and sped out of his own zone on a break away and was denied by Daniel Larsson, but Grant Stevenson followed up by batting an air-born rebound into the cage. The goal marked just the third shorthanded tally against the Griffins this season and the first on the road.

The tie lasted a mere 1:40, as the Griffins' trade deadline acquisitions connected when Jordan Owens from the right corner found Riley Armstrong breaking towards the net to snap a shot past Desjardins, giving each of them their first points with Grand Rapids.

Patrick Rissmiller put the Griffins up 3-1 just 1:17 into the third, after being left alone in the slot and backhanding the puck into the mesh off a pass from Sergei Kolosov at the point.

Hamilton answered at 9:15 as Aaron Palushaj found Ryan Russell streaking untouched through the goal mouth, where Russell roofed a backhand shot over the glove of Larsson to get his team within one. But Grand Rapids continued to outmatch Hamilton physically and held on for the 3-2 win.

Justin Abdelkader was held off the score sheet for the first time since Feb. 20, snapping his team- and career-high point streak at eight games (5-6-11). Meanwhile, Doug Janik's career-high assist and point streak ended at five games.

Larsson gave a solid 32-save performance in the crease for the Griffins, while Desjardins made 17 saves for the Bulldogs.

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from March 12, 2010


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