NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Fall 5-2 in Rockford

January 23, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Grand Rapids Griffins were unable to emerge from a three-goal deficit on Saturday, as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Rockford IceHogs at the Rockford MetroCentre.

The loss drops Grand Rapids' record to 21-23-0-1 overall and 1-4-0-0 in their eight-game series against Rockford.

Rockford (26-18-2-3) has put together a 6-0-0-1 run and their 16 home wins ranks first in the Western Conference.

The Griffins will conclude their 3-in-3 weekend on Sunday when they travel to Chicago for a 4:00 p.m. EST face off with the Wolves.

The opening period featured a fight between Jamie Tardif and Jake Dowell at 3:26. After a bone-jarring hit delivered by Sergei Kolosov at the Griffins' blue line, the two captains squared off at center ice to ignite a sold-out crowd of 6,151.

Just 2:29 later, Rockford took a 1-0 lead with a goal by Bryan Bickel. The IceHogs won a face off in the left circle of their offensive zone, and Bickel gathered the puck to snap a wrist shot into the short side of the Griffins' net.

In the middle frame, Rockford used a failed Griffins' breakout attempt to build a two-goal lead. Jack Skille picked off a pass at the top of the right circle and connected with Bracken Kearns, who patiently coasted across the goal mouth to place a low shot into the right side of the net at 2:51. Then Jonathan Carlsson, who fanned on a shot from the left hash mark, fooled Tomas McCollum with his changeup at the 6:07 mark.

The Griffins were able to make it a one-goal game before the second intermission, scoring two goals in just 46 seconds.

In the neutral zone, Logan Pyett picked up a pass from Kris Newbury and drove hard to the IceHogs' net to score the Griffins' second short-handed tally of the season at 15:55. Rockford's lead was cut in half when Jon Vigilante's centering pass banked off Corey Crawford for a goal that make the score 3-2.

In the final stanza, former Griffin Mark Cullen lit the lamp with a one-timer from the left circle at 12:32.

Rockford held off the Griffins' offense for the rest of the game, and stabbed the final dagger at 18:51 when Kyle Greentree scored an empty-net goal to finalize the score at 5-2.

McCollum made 21 saves in the loss for Grand Rapids, while Crawford turned aside 28 shots in the IceHogs' net.

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central