Griffins Drop 4-3 Decision In Peoria

March 4, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release

PEORIA, Ill. - The Grand Rapids Griffins concluded an eight-game regular season series with Peoria on Thursday by falling 4-3 to the Rivermen at the Carver Arena.

Grand Rapids (25-34-2-2) posted a 3-4-0-1 mark against the Rivermen (28-26-1-6) this season.

The Griffins will return to Van Andel Arena on Friday night when they host the Manitoba Moose for a 7:00 p.m. face off.

In the second period, Peoria broke a scoreless tie when Barry Tallackson fought off the Griffins' defense and single-handedly chipped a shot over Thomas McCollum just 1:46 into the frame.

The Griffins answered when Justin Abdelkader broke into Peoria's zone, cut to the middle of the rink and jammed a shot through Ben Bishop at the 4:44 mark. Then, after Jan Mursak was whistled off for tripping at 6:05, Mattias Ritola scored the Griffins' fifth power play goal of the season to put Grand Rapids ahead 2-1. Ritola picked up the puck at center ice for a clear-cut breakaway, faked to his forehand and flipped a backhand shot into the right side of the net at 6:16.

Peoria managed two more goals before the second intermission, as Matt McIlvane scored his first of the year at 15:58 and rookie standout Lars Eller buried a wrist shot from the left circle at the 19:41 mark.

Grand Rapids evened things up again at 8:49 of the third period when Jeremy Williams took a pass from Brad May and rifled a shot from the bottom of the left circle for a power play tally.

Deadlocked at 3-3 in a the waning minutes of regulation, Pascal Pelletier ripped a sharp-angle slap shot from the left circle for the eventual game-winner.

McCollum and Bishop turned aside 32 shots apiece.

Three Stars: 1. PEO Eller (1 goal, 1 assist) 2. GR Ritola (1 goal, 1 assist); 3. PEO Junland (2 assists).

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

American Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2010

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