Rockford Takes 4-1 Win over Griffins
Published on November 6, 2015 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids Griffins vs. Rockford IceHogs
(Grand Rapids Griffins)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Another significant shot advantage failed to pay dividends for the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday, as they fell 4-1 to the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena.
Despite outshooting their guests by a hefty 41-22 margin, the Griffins were unable to halt a frustrating early-season trend. Through eight games, Grand Rapids' offense ranks first in the AHL by averaging 35.63 shots per game but stands 29th - or next-to-last - in the league by scoring just 1.38 goals per game, a head-scratching dichotomy that has contributed largely to the team's 1-7-0-0 record.
Rockford, meanwhile, exacted a measure of revenge in the teams' first meeting since the Griffins' four-games-to-one triumph in the 2015 Western Conference Semifinals, improving to 6-0-0-1 in its last seven outings and 7-3-0-1 overall.
Grand Rapids, which has played only two games in the last 14 days, will finally enter a stretch of three consecutive three-game weeks, beginning with Wednesday's visit by the Iowa Wild. Game time is 7 p.m.
The Griffins' offense found a spark just 2:44 into the contest on Martin Frk's team-high third goal of the campaign. From behind the net, Tomas Nosek chipped the puck out front to a waiting Frk, who popped the bouncing biscuit past Michael Leighton at the left post. Grand Rapids became the last AHL team this season to score a first goal, as the Griffins had fallen behind 1-0 in each of their previous seven outings.
Rockford answered exactly four minutes later off a rush into the Griffins' zone, when Ryan Hartman gathered a loose puck at the right point and skated into the circle before snapping a shot behind Tom McCollum, giving him goals in four consecutive games.
A giveaway by the Griffins during a second-period power play led to a 2-1 lead for the IceHogs. Pierre-Cedric Labrie picked up the forfeited puck in front of Grand Rapids' bench, carried it into the Griffins' zone and angled down the slot through three defenders before putting a backhand home for a shorthanded goal at the 7:44 mark.
Despite holding shot advantages of 16-3 during the second and 27-13 through 40 minutes, the Griffins still found themselves trailing by a goal entering the third period. Early chances by Anthony Mantha and Mark Zengerle managed to stay out of the net, and the IceHogs eventually pulled away on a power play goal by longtime Chicago Blackhawk Bryan Bickell at 8:31 and a nightcap by Nolan Valleau - his first professional goal - with 5:17 remaining.
Leighton, who posted just a 0.887 save percentage during last spring's playoff series loss to the Griffins, made 40 stops on the night, while McCollum finished with 18 saves.
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 Grand Rapids Griffins vs. Rockford IceHogs |
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