Griffins roll over Rampage 5-3
Published on November 25, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
SAN ANTONIO - After falling in their previous three road contests, the Grand Rapids Griffins earned a 5-3 win against the San Antonio Rampage Saturday night at the AT&T Center. The victory marked the Griffins first road win since Oct. 13 (4-2 at Toronto) and notched the team's first two-game winning streak since the first weekend of November.
The Griffins jumped to an early two-goal lead scoring both within the opening four minutes. Matt Hussey scored just 1:33 into the contest when he found Jeff Campbell's rebound and fired a shot from the left side of the net past a sprawling Mike Morrison. Eric Himelfarb added his contribution at 3:28 after he skated to the top of the right circle and casually through a wrist shot at the net that bounced over the goal line.
The final lamp-lighter of the frame came at 14:06 during a power play at the fault of a bad clearing attempt by the Rampage. Danny Syvret blocked the errand clear up the middle and blasted a slap shot from the point that rebounded to Kip Miller on the right side who found the open mesh.
The three-goal opening period marked the Griffins' best start of the season and chased Morrison from between the pipes as Josh Tordjman took over in the crease during the middle frame for San Antonio.
The Rampage battled back during the second period, erasing the Griffins' three-goal advantage. Keith Yandle took a pass from former Griffin, Donald MacLean and ripped a shot from the top of the right circle during a power play at 3:47. All seemed calm until midway through when San Antonio scored two goals in 33 seconds.
Logan Stephenson scored from the blue line at 11:48 on a wrist shot Jimmy Howard never saw, soon to be followed by a tick-tack-toe play between Tyson Nash and Tyler Redenbach during a two-on-two break as Redenbach tapped in the final pass at 12:21.
No more than 35 ticks later, Darryl Bootland answered for the Griffins on a laser from the left-wing circle giving his team a 4-3 lead after forty minutes of play. Miller added an empty netter for his second goal of the game with 10 seconds remaining sealing the victory. Miller now stands just two goals shy of 400 as a pro and Howard finished the night with 29 saves.
The Griffins will conclude a three games in three nights set Sunday in Houston against the Aeros at 6:05 EST.
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