AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Fall, 3-2, in Second Consecutive Shootout

Published on December 10, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Grand Rapids Griffins could not cast off the specter of the BMO Harris Bank Center on Saturday night, falling in a shootout for the second consecutive night, this time 3-2 to the Rockford IceHogs.

Grand Rapids (10-11-1-2) has not defeated Rockford on the road since a 5-4 shootout win back on Jan. 2, 2010, a stretch that has now reached eight games. Regulations goals by Gustav Nyquist and Joakim Andersson served as bookends to a pair of tallies by Rostislav Olesz and Shawn Lalonde. Brandon Segal notched the game-clinching goal in the sixth round of the shootout for Rockford.

Carter Hutton stopped 41 of 43 shots for Rockford (10-13-1-0). At the opposite end, Jordan Pearce was steady between the pipes, making 29 saves for the Griffins.

The game was highlighted early on by physical play and penalties. The Griffins were first to take advantage by cashing in their second power-play opportunity of the game at 8:38. Brendan Smith's initial shot rebounded out front to an unmarked Nyquist, who snapped the puck into a wide-open cage for his ninth tally of his rookie season.

The IceHogs evened the score at 4:50 of the second period. Jimmy Hayes broke past the Griffins defense and fired a shot that Pearce was able to kick away, but Olesz capitalized on the rebound for his fifth goal in only his 10th game with Rockford.

With just 41 seconds remaining until the second intermission, Rockford struck again. Lalonde lit the lamp with a long drive from the point that found the upper-left corner for his first goal this season.

The Griffins sent the game to overtime in similar fashion, as Andersson tied the game at two apiece with only 47 seconds remaining in regulation. Francis Pare let a shot go from just inside the right circle that fell at the skates of Andersson, who blasted the puck home for his seventh on the year.

In overtime, the Griffins had a minute and 46 seconds of power play time to work with but were unable to solve Hutton, who then thwarted the final four Grand Rapids skaters in the shootout.

Grand Rapids will play its third and final away game of the weekend Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. EST against the Chicago Wolves.

Notes: The Red Wings reassigned Trevor Parkes to Grand Rapids from Toledo (ECHL) before the game.

Three Stars: 1. RFD Hutton (W, 41 saves); 2. GR Pearce (29 saves); 3. RFD Lalonde (goal)

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American Hockey League Stories from December 10, 2011


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