AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Finish Road Trip with 5-2 Win

Published on March 13, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


CEDAR PARK, Texas - Ty Conklin made a season-high 38 saves while Chris Conner and Fabian Brunnstrom each scored a pair of goals to pace the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 5-2 win over the Texas Stars on Tuesday night at the Cedar Park Center.

Grand Rapids (27-23-6-4) ended its season-high five-game road trip with consecutive wins, taking five of eight points during their four-game stretch in the state of Texas. The team will return home to welcome the North Division-leading Toronto Marlies on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Hamilton Bulldogs on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Griffins came out firing and found themselves with a 2-0 lead just minutes into the game. Brunnstrom opened the scoring at 3:43 with his ninth goal of the season. He collected a pass from Joakim Andersson and waited patiently before snapping a shot past Stars goaltender Tyler Beskorowany.

The teams exchanged goals over the next sixty-one seconds. Jamie Johnson kept a Texas clearing attempt in at the blue line and threw the puck back on the net, where Conner was left open to chip it past Beskorowany at 4:11. Thirty-three seconds later, Brenden Dillon rifled home a rebound from the high slot to cut the Griffins' lead to 2-1.

Grand Rapids restored its two-goal lead before the first intermission. Garnet Exelby let a shot go from the point that banked off Landon Ferraro and Tomas Tatar before finding its way to the back of the net at 12:51.

Matt Fraser brought the Stars within one when he knocked a rebound past Conklin 10:12 into the second period, but the Griffins didn't allow the home team to come any closer. Brunnstrom put the Griffins up 4-2 when he capitalized on a nice passing play by one-timing his second goal of the night under the glove of Beskorowany at 16:13.

Francis Pare had a chance to put the game out of reach at 12:50 of the third period when he was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped on a breakaway by Brad Lukowich. Pare tested Beskorowany's glove with a quick shot on his attempt, but the Texas goaltender was up to the task.

The Griffins were able to ice the game at 16:15 when Conner added his second of the night, converting an easy tap-in off a pass from Chris Minard on a five-on-three man advantage.

Beskorowany made 22 saves for the Stars, who fell to 27-30-2-2.

Notes: Curt Fraser became the first head coach in franchise history to log 300 games. Fraser, in his fourth season as the Griffins' coach, owns a cumulative 140-121-17-22 record since taking over prior to the 2008-09 season.

Three Stars: 1. GR Brunnstrom (two goals) 2. GR Tatar (goal, assist); 3. TEX Fraser (goal) Griffins Game Rewind

WOOD Radio Highlights: Brunnstrom Goal Brunnstrom GWG

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2012


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