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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Extend Win Streak to 15, Defeat Lake Erie Monsters 7-3

December 26, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


CLEVELAND - A hat trick from Colin Campbell helped extend the Grand Rapids Griffins' winning streak to 15 consecutive games, defeating the Lake Erie Monsters 7-3 on Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Andy Miele opened the scoring for the Griffins (17-8-0-1) on a 2-on-1 just 21 seconds into the game. Miele passed to Eric Tangradi from the high slot down below the right circle. Tangradi then fed Miele with a pass across the goal mouth for a tap-in into an open net. The assist meant Tangradi, playing in his first game since serving a three-game suspension, extended his point streak to a team-high eight.

Oliver Bjorkstrand responded for Lake Erie (15-9-2-2) 1:58 later. Ryan Craig received the puck below the left circle, driving towards the net and made a couple backhanded attempts, forcing two pad saves from Jared Coreau. Bjorkstrand then won the race to the puck, sending a rebound from below the right circle that pinballed off the post, Nathan Patesch's right skate, and finally Coreau's left skate and in.

The Griffins retook the lead with 11:40 remaining. Paetsch's wrist shot from the left point was deflected in front by Campbell's stick, sending the puck past the glove side of a screened Forsberg.

Campbell added to the Griffins' lead with 1:55 to go. Mark Zengerle's pass from the top of the right circle found Campbell at the far post, lifting the puck over a sprawling Forsberg. Grand Rapids took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 12-8.

Jeff Hoggan made it a three-goal advantage for the Griffins 33 seconds into the middle frame. Shortly after exiting the penalty box, Hoggan gained the zone and sent a wrist shot from the right circle past the blocker side. Hoggan's goal proved to be the end of the line for Forsberg, who was replaced by Brad Thiessen after allowing 4 goals on 9 shots.

Lake Erie was awarded a penalty shot at the 2:41 mark after Hoggan was judged to have covered the puck in Coreau's goal crease. Joe Devin, in his second AHL game on loan from the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, made it a 4-2 contest after beating Coreau low to the glove side.

Tempers boiled with 11:33 left in the second when Miele was hit in the head by John Ramage's shoulder.Tyler Bertuzzi took exception to the hit and received a fighting major as well as a minor and misconduct for instigating. Ramage received a match penalty in addition to a fighting major. Miele remained in the game.

Tangradi restored the Griffins' three-goal cushion with 1:48 remaining. A slap pass by Louis-Marc Aubry from the right circle found Tangradi in the slot, who redirected the pass past Thiessen's blocker side for his team-leading 13th of the season.

Kerby Rychel responded for the Monsters 36 seconds later. Michael Chaput's pass from the left point eventually found Rychel at the right circle. Rychel drove towards the net going from backhand to forehand, shooting the puck through traffic and past Coreau's right pad.

The Griffins added two insurance goals in the final frame. Miele's clearing attempt from behind his own goal line ended up on the stick of Martin Frk, who gained the zone and scored from the right circle on a partial breakaway with 10:50 left.

Campbell completed his first professional hat trick with 9:05 on the clock. Bertuzzi's clearance off the boards reached Campbell in the neutral zone for a 2-on-1. Using Zengerle as a decoy, Campbell gained the zone and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Thiessen's glove side.

Grand Rapids finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while Lake Erie failed to score on four opportunities. Coreau stopped 26 of 29 shots for his 11th straight victory, while Thiessen stopped 8 of 11 shots in relief of Forsberg.

Three Stars: 1. GR Campbell (hat trick); 2. LE Daniel Zaar (two shots); 3. GR Bertuzzi (two assists)

Notes: Tomas Nosek became the 152nd Griffins' alumni to play in the NHL, making his debut Saturday in the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators...The Griffins seven-goal performance matched a season high set on Nov. 20 in a 7-4 victory over the San Diego Gulls...The current 15-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest in the AHL since 1992, matching runs set by the 1995-96 Albany River Rats and the 2007-08 Syracuse Crunch.

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