AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Enter All-Star Break on a High Note

Published on January 28, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


PEORIA, Ill. - The Grand Rapids Griffins avenged a loss last night and jumped into third place in the North Division heading into the All-Star break with a 5-3 win over the Peoria Rivermen on Saturday night at Carver Arena.

The Griffins improved to 18-17-4-4, while the Rivermen fell to 22-20-2-1. The Griffins will return from the break to start a five-game homestand with games against Hamilton on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

After beating the Griffins 4-2 last night while firing 44 shots on goal, the Rivermen opened the scoring five minutes into the game when Derek Nesbitt knocked his 15th goal of the season past Griffins goaltender Joey MacDonald. Garnet Exelby evened the scoring with his career-best fourth goal of the year. Gustav Nyquist made a nifty play to settle down a puck that he left for Exelby to tee up and drive past Peoria netminder Jake Allen at 14:24.

Fabian Brunnstrom gave the Griffins a 2-1 lead 4:22 into the second frame. Brunnstrom gathered a pass from Joakim Andersson in the corner and threw a centering feed towards the Peoria goal that deflected off Allen's stick and into the net. The lead was extended to two when Exelby set up Chris Minard who blasted his fourth goal in six games past Allen to make it 3-1 at 5:53.

Peoria evened the score before the end of the period. Cade Fairchild skated the puck into the Griffins zone and feathered a perfect backdoor pass for T.J. Hensick to tap in to an open net at 9:40. The Rivermen drew even at 13:23 when Danny Syvret's slap shot was tipped between MacDonald's legs by Brett Sterling to end a four-goal second period.

The Griffins took the lead 4:52 into the third period. Nyquist picked up his second assist of the night when he slipped through the Rivermen defense and fed Brendan Smith, who put the Griffins up 4-3 and extend his point streak to five games (3-3 - 6).

Nyquist, who will depart for Atlantic City, N.J. for the AHL All-Star Classic tomorrow, iced the game with 18 seconds left, adding an empty netter for his third point of the night and 40th point of the season.

MacDonald made 27 saves in his second start in as many nights, while Allen made 33 of 37 stops in the loss.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2012


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