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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Earn 13th Straight Home Win in Shootout

January 9, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Andy Miele's goal in the second round of the shootout on Saturday gave the Grand Rapids Griffins their 13th consecutive home win, a 4-3 decision over the Lake Erie Monsters at Van Andel Arena.

After having scored a late second-period goal that forced the eventual overtime, Miele skated in slowly on Lake Erie goalie Brad Thiessen, stick-handling all the way, before finally lifting a fluttering forehand shot that proved to be the only goal scored during the shootout.

The Griffins (21-11-0-1) won for the 19th time in their last 22 games and avenged their Dec. 27 loss at Lake Erie (18-12-2-3) that snapped their franchise-record 15-game winning streak. They'll take their torrid run on the road for a pair against the Charlotte Checkers, with the first game set for Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Eric Tangradi's team-leading 16th goal of the season staked Grand Rapids to the lead at 7:37 of the opening period. After Thiessen stopped Zach Nastasiuk's try from the right circle, Louis-Marc Aubry beat the diving netminder to the loose puck at the right of the net and slid it to Tangradi at the top of the crease for an easy tap-in.

The Monsters got on the board at the 14:03 mark. Shortly after a three-save flurry by Jared Coreau, a rebound kicked out to Ryan Craig in the left circle, and he managed to slip a shot beneath Coreau's left pad.

Grand Rapids answered only 1:14 later to reassert its advantage, as Robbie Russo put a wrister on net from the left wall that Anthony Mantha deflected past Thiessen for his ninth of the campaign.

The Griffins thought they had grabbed a 3-1 lead with 1:07 left in the period when a shot from the point by Nick Jensen appeared to have deflected into the top right corner of the net. Referee Stephen Reneau initially gave an emphatic goal signal, but after a lengthy review the goal was nullified, keeping it a one-goal margin at intermission.

Lake Erie tied the score with a power play goal at 6:47 of the second, when a wide-open T.J. Tynan took a centering pass from Daniel Zaar between the circles and slammed a shot through Coreau's pads. Just over three minutes later, Nick Moutrey received a pass at the Grand Rapids line, split two defenders and chipped a backhand past Coreau at 10:03 to give the Monsters their first lead of the game at 3-2.

Following a four-minute high-sticking penalty to Michael Chaput, the Griffins capitalized on the second power play to knot the score once again. Standing at the left post, Tangradi redirected Mantha's feed from the left side into the right circle to Miele, who one-timed a blast past Thiessen with 2:54 remaining in the frame.

A scoreless third period led to overtime, and the Griffins received an early power play thanks to a high-sticking call on Jamie Sifers, but Grand Rapids could not cash in despite two prime opportunities by Tangradi at the back door. The Monsters then got their own chance off a tripping penalty on Tomas Nosek with less than two minutes left in the extra frame, but the Griffins' penalty kill returned the favor to usher in just the second shootout of the season for Grand Rapids and the first at Van Andel Arena.

Martin Frk's first-round attempt was stifled before Miele's goal in round two, while Coreau stopped all three Monsters attempts for a successful conclusion to his 14th consecutive start. He finished with 34 saves to Thiessen's 25 stops.

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