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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins' rallies result in 3-2 shootout win

October 15, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. – A sellout crowd of 10,834 at Van Andel Arena got its money's worth on Friday night, as the Grand Rapids Griffins opened the 2004-05 AHL season with a 3-2 shootout win over the Cleveland Barons.

Down 2-0 after one period, then 2-0 after a round and a half of the shootout, the Griffins tallied shootout goals from Eric Himelfarb, Eric Manlow and Nathan Robinson, while Joey MacDonald denied the final three Cleveland attempts. As a result, Grand Rapids improved its all-time records to 7-2 in season openers and 6-3 in home debuts.

The Barons used their second power play of the opening period to take a 1-0 lead, as a Tomas Plihal blast from the top of the right circle snuck past Joey MacDonald's right pad at 13:19. Soon after, Ryane Clowe skated alone out of the right corner and found a streaking Scott Dobben, whose one-timer from the slot flew inside the left post at the 15:14 mark.

Grand Rapids got on the board during its own advantage just 18 seconds into the middle period, thanks to newly anointed captain Blake Sloan. Niklas Kronwall unleashed a shot from the point that Barons goalie Dimitri Patzold denied, but Sloan pounced on the rebound in the slot and slid the puck beneath the sprawled netminder.

Kory Karlander netted the equalizer for the Griffins 4:54 into the frame. Seconds after a Grand Rapids power play expired, Karlander, from the bottom of the right circle, flung a shot at the net that found its way between Patzold and the near post.

Late in the third period, moments after a terrific effort by Nathan Robinson resulted in a near-miss for the Griffins, an elbowing penalty on Cleveland's Greg Labenski gave Grand Rapids its sixth power play of the night. Patzold was up to the task, however, stopping a tip by Kronwall and a rocket from the right circle by Jiri Hudler to force overtime.

Kronwall was sent off on an interference call only 13 seconds into the extra period, forcing the Griffins into a 3-on-4 shorthanded situation. Cleveland had several chances to win it, most notably a point-blank attempt by Plihal as the penalty expired. But MacDonald made a diving stick save to keep the Griffins alive and send the game to a shootout, the first for the Griffins since a 2-1 home decision over Utah on March 28, 2001. MacDonald stopped 30 of 32 for the win, while Patzold suffered the shootout loss despite 24 saves.

The capacity crowd marked the ninth opening night sellout for the Griffins in as many seasons, as well as the franchise's 99th sellout all-time.

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