AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Miller feud goes to Rochester's Ryan, 4-2

Published on February 6, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Kip Miller may have won the individual battle on Saturday, but it was Ryan Miller who won the war in the cousins' first professional meeting, backstopping the Rochester Americans to a 4-2 win at the Blue Cross Arena.

Kip opened the scoring for Grand Rapids and assisted on Nathan Robinson's goal late in the second period. However, Ryan finished with 20 saves to guide the Western Conference-leading Amerks to their seventh straight win overall and their 12th consecutive victory on home ice.

The Griffins (23-22-1-1), whose modest two-game winning streak came to an end, will finally return to Van Andel Arena after playing seven of eight games and spending 15 out of 16 days on the road. They'll play six of their next seven contests within friendly confines, beginning this Wednesday against the Houston Aeros.

For the third straight game Grand Rapids jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. During a flurry in the Rochester zone, Ryan Miller turned aside attempts by Peter Vandermeer and Ryan Barnes, only to see his cousin collect the puck in the left circle and whistle a high shot past him through traffic at 10:22.

The Amerks netted the equalizer 6:24 into the second period. After controlling play in the Griffins' end for the opening minutes of the stanza, Chris Thorburn sent a pass to the top of the crease that Michael Ryan tipped past Joey MacDonald.

With 3:17 remaining before the second intermission, Derek Roy crashed the net during a power play scramble, found the loose puck and popped it over a sprawled MacDonald to give the Americans a 2-1 lead. That advantage would not last long, however, as Vandermeer drew a crowd of Amerks while speeding across the Rochester line and feathered a pass to a wide-open Robinson, who redirected the puck past Rochester's netminder from the left side at 19:29.

It took only 23 seconds of the final period for the Americans (34-9-3-4) to reassert their lead, taking advantage of poor defensive coverage to pot a goal from Norm Milley. Thorburn scored into an empty net with one second remaining to seal the victory.

MacDonald deserved a better fate but suffered the loss despite 32 saves.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2005


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