Griffins End Home Stand With 2-1 Loss to Milwaukee

Published on December 15, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Griffins completed an otherwise successful, season-high six-game home stand with a 2-1 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday.

Brett Engelhardt's tying goal early in the third period was trumped by Janne Niskala's game-winner just 90 seconds later, and Pekka Rinne denied the other 14 Griffins shots during the frame to preserve the visitors' triumph. Grand Rapids compiled a 4-2 mark at Van Andel Arena over the last 11 days, with each loss coming by a 2-1 margin.

The Griffins (12-14-1-2) will look for redemption on Tuesday in an 8 p.m. EST start against the Admirals (15-9-1-1) at the Bradley Center, the site of Grand Rapids' 1-0 victory on Dec. 2.

The lone goal of the opening 40 minutes came during a Milwaukee power play just 1:55 into the contest, when Cody Franson took a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that eluded Adam Berkhoel.

The Admirals had a chance to cushion their lead on a Rich Peverley breakaway with six minutes left in the second period, but Berkhoel made a fine save to keep it a 1-0 game.

That stop would prove big - at least momentarily - early in the third period. During a Griffins power play, Jakub Kindl fired a slap shot from the point that Engelhardt redirected past Rinne at 3:50. That deadlock would be short-lived, though, as Niskala circled behind the Grand Rapids cage and beat Berkhoel to the right post on a wraparound to give Milwaukee its winning margin.

Berkhoel made 19 stops in his first action in two weeks, while Rinne finished with 29 saves to help the Admirals withstand the Griffins' 30-21 advantage in shots.

American Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2007

• Rivermen Recall Soares - Peoria Rivermen
• Rockford stays hot, blanks Flames 3-0 - Rockford IceHogs
• Rivermen Hold Off Amerks 4-3 - Peoria Rivermen
• Moose slay Monsters 2-1 in shootout - Manitoba Moose
• Wolves Bite Stars on Dog Night - Iowa Chops
• Sound Tigers score two power-play goals to beat Binghamton - Bridgeport Islanders
• Aggressive Game Comes Up Short For Admirals - Norfolk Admirals
• Bulldogs dropped by Crunch in Syracuse - Hamilton Bulldogs
• Devils Trounced By Bruins, 6-1 - Albany Devils
• Sharks Flying High, Defeat Aeros 4-2 - Worcester Sharks
• Aeros point-streak ends in 4-2 regulation loss to Worcester Sharks - Houston Aeros
• Munroe Blanks Admirals, Phantoms Take 1-0 Win - Adirondack Phantoms
• Griffins End Home Stand With 2-1 Loss to Milwaukee - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Falcons Earn A Point In Portland - Springfield Falcons
• Overtime Sends Monarchs Packing - Manchester Monarchs
• P-Bruins Defeat Devils 6-1 - Providence Bruins
• Canadiens Assign Jaroslav Halak To Bulldogs - Hamilton Bulldogs
• Crunch Sign Goaltender Craig Kowalski, Darling Released - Syracuse Crunch
• Falcons In Portland For The Weekend - Springfield Falcons

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