AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Hudler and Miller Key 4-3 Win over Barons

Published on January 10, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. - Jiri Hudler's second goal of the game, on the power play 2:27 into overtime, lifted the Griffins to a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Barons on Saturday at Van Andel Arena.

Taking advantage of a tripping penalty to Cleveland's Miroslav Zalesak early in the extra frame, the AHL All-Star set up shop above the right circle and blistered a shot from 35 feet over the right shoulder of goalie Nolan Schaefer, ending the Griffins' four-game winless streak.

Kevin Miller scored a shorthanded goal and assisted on the other three, establishing a Griffins season-high with four points and reaching the 400-assist milestone for his pro career.

The Griffins (21-12-5-0), who extended their lead atop the West Division to four points over Chicago, will log their third game in as many nights on Sunday when they travel to San Antonio for a 6 p.m. start against the Rampage.

Hudler, who lit the lamp in Friday's 2-2 tie with Utah, scored the lone goal of the opening period. He charged down the slot, took a pass from Miller and snuck a shot past Cleveland's Nolan Schaefer just 1:42 before intermission.

In the second frame, the Griffins built a 2-0 advantage before seeing the Barons (16-13-4-5) roar back with three of their own to pull ahead. From the left corner, Kory Karlander feathered a pass out front to a wide-open Miller, who jammed the puck inside the left post for a shorthanded tally at 5:57.

The two-goal advantage lasted barely three minutes, as Grant Stevenson finished off a 3-on-2 break by tapping a backhander past Marc Lamothe from close range at 8:59. The Barons got the equalizer during a power play with 3:30 remaining in the period, with Doug Murray ripping a shot from the top of the circles, and took their first lead when Brad Boyes knocked home a rebound at the 19-minute mark.

The Griffins, who had not allowed three goals during a single home period since March 5, 2003, rallied in the third period to eventually post their first win this season when trailing after two (1-10-2-0). During a power play, Miller carried the puck over the Cleveland line and started a tic-tac-toe passing play with Hudler that finished with Hugo Boisvert tagging a shot for the upper right corner of the net, tying the game at the 10:35 mark.

Lamothe finished with 14 saves on the night, while Schaefer stopped 25 in just his fourth game for the Barons.

View this game's official box score on-line at griffinshockey.com.

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2004


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