AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Unbeaten streak reaches 10 with 4-2 win

Published on January 24, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. - Michel Picard recorded the 1,000th point of his 15-year professional career on Saturday, helping the Griffins extend their unbeaten streak to 10 games with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Barons at Van Andel Arena.

Picard's third assist of the game, coming on Nathan Robinson's second goal of the night and 20th of the season with 3:11 remaining, marked the milestone point for the Griffins' all-time leading scorer, who has registered 442 goals and 558 assists in 1,022 pro contests.

With seven wins and three ties in their last 10 outings, the Griffins (27-12-7-0) own the second-longest unbeaten streak in franchise history, trailing only a 14-game run last season. They'll travel to Milwaukee for a 3 p.m. faceoff on Sunday at the Bradley Center, looking to avenge a 7-0 loss to the Admirals on Jan. 3 that stands as their last defeat.

Grand Rapids, which leads the AHL in wins, points (61) and winning percentage (0.663), exploded for three power play goals in the opening period. With five seconds left in a 5-on-3, Derek King walked in from the blueline and ripped a slapshot past Nolan Schaefer at 4:19. Tomas Kopecky made it a 2-0 game 10:01 later, taking a pass from Kevin Miller just outside the crease, deking and slipping a patient attempt into the cage.

A brilliant backhand, no-look pass by Picard set up Robinson for an easy tap-in from the left side with four minutes left, but Cleveland (20-15-4-5) finally answered with its own power play goal before the first break, as Patrick Rissmiller scored off a back-door pass from Jon DiSalvatore at 17:06.

The Barons pulled to within 3-2 at 12:32 of the second period, when Robert Mulick sprung Craig Valette on a breakaway. Travis Richards caught the speeding Baron inside the Griffins blueline, but Valette still managed to slide a shot underneath Marc Lamothe.

Midway through the third, a high-sticking major on King gave Cleveland a five-minute advantage, but the Griffins' penalty killers were up to the task to keep it a one-goal margin. Shortly thereafter, Robinson added his insurance tally.

Lamothe made 30 saves to improve to 16-10-5, while Schaefer stopped just 12 shots in the loss.

The Griffins concluded their six-game home stand, the second-longest in franchise history, with a 4-0-2-0 record. View this game's official box score on-line at griffinshockey.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2004


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