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AHL Cleveland Monsters

Monsters to Host Grand Rapids in Game Two of Central Division Finals on Saturday at Noon

May 6, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


The Lake Erie Monsters defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins in overtime late Thursday night by a final score of 3-2 in game one of the two teams' second-round Calder Cup Playoff series at Quicken Loans Arena. With the win, the Monsters claimed a 1-0 series lead over the Griffins in the best-of-seven game Central Division Finals.

Series schedule:

Central Division Finals - Series "K" (best-of-7)

C2-Lake Erie Monsters vs. C4-Grand Rapids Griffins

Game 1 - Thu., May 5 - LAKE ERIE 3, Grand Rapids 2 (OT)

Game 2 - Sat., May 7 - Grand Rapids at Lake Erie, 12:00

Game 3 - Sun., May 8 - Lake Erie at Grand Rapids, 4:00

Game 4 - Tue., May 10 - Lake Erie at Grand Rapids, 7:00

*Game 5 - Sat., May 14 - Grand Rapids at Lake Erie, 7:00

*Game 6 - Mon., May 16 - Lake Erie at Grand Rapids, 7:00

*Game 7 - Tue., May 17 - Grand Rapids at Lake Erie, 7:00

Last night, after a scoreless first period, Grand Rapids grabbed a 1-0 lead just 58 seconds into the second period when Eric Tangradi poked a rebound past Lake Erie net-minder Joonas Korpisalo. The Monsters tied the game at 4:29 when Lukas Sedlak posted his second score of the playoffs at even-strength on feeds from Jaime Sifers and Josh Anderson.

The Monsters claimed their first lead at 11:29, when a power-play net-front scramble yielded Alex Broadhurst's second of the postseason with Ryan Craig and Daniel Zaar notching assists on the play before a shorthanded Brian Lashoff score leveled things at two apiece for Grand Rapids at 16:11 of the middle period.

With most of the third period having slid by scoreless, the Monsters survived a final-minute penalty shot attempt by Griffins center Andy Miele and a video review in the opening minutes of overtime that saw a would-be Grand Rapids game-winning goal disallowed due to the puck being batted into the Lake Erie net by the hand of a Griffins player. Then, at 12:23 of the first extra session, Oliver Bjorkstrand pumped home a power-play feed from Broadhurst and Dean Kukan from the left faceoff dot to lift the Monsters to victory in Lake Erie's first second-round playoff game in franchise history.

Korpisalo improved to 4-0 in the playoffs by virtue of a 22-save performance.

Next up for the Monsters is game two of the Central Division Finals on Saturday vs. the Griffins at The Q with full coverage, underway at 12:00 pm, on 99X and the Monsters Hockey Network.

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