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Shootout In The Wild Midwest

Apr 17, 2024
Written By: Dylan Rider
1st 2nd 3rd OT Final
Grand Rapids Griffins 0 2 0 0 3
Iowa Wild 0 2 0 0 2

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 at Iowa Wild 2 (SO)

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Matt Luff's two-goal game and Jonatan Berggren's shootout-winning tally pushed the Grand Rapids Griffins past the Iowa Wild in a 3-2 shootout victory at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday. 

Sebastian Cossa owned a .931 save percentage (27-of-29), which helped him tie Jimmy Howard's record of 10 consecutive road contests with a point from the 2005-06 campaign. The victory restored a three-point gap between the Griffins and the Rockford IceHogs for second place in the Central Division. Alongside his shootout winner, Berggren picked up two helpers to put him at 32 points (16-16--32) in his last 27 outings. 

April 18, 2024  ·  3 Minutes

Iowa Wild (2) vs Grand Rapids Griffins (3) SO | 04.17.2024

Following a scoreless opening frame, the Wild got on the board first when Adam Beckman finished off a seemingly saved puck from in front of the goal mouth at 1:32.

Luff tied the game back up with a power-play goal, as he ripped a one-timer behind Jesper Wallstedt from the left point with 16:46 remaining in the middle frame. Luff picked up his second man-advantage tally, which came off of a backhanded shot from the left circle, to take a 2-1 lead at 16:43.

Shortly after the Griffins' second goal, Iowa matched Grand Rapids’ score when Caedan Bankier wired a shot into the upper left corner of the net with 1:57 remaining in the second period.

With no change on the scoreboard in the third period, the Griffins and the Wild entered overtime. Grand Rapids came close to picking up a victory in the extra frame twice but the two shot attempts rang off the post.

Neither team netted the overtime-winning goal, which progressed the game to a shootout. Cossa retired Sammy Walker and Bankier back-to-back, while Luff's attempt on Wallstedt was denied. In the bottom of the second round, Berggren buried a shot into the net to take a 1-0 lead. Cossa sealed the 3-2 shootout victory for the Griffins, as he shut down Beckman's chance in the top of the third round.

Notes
- Brogan Rafferty collected his 150th point as a pro with an assist on Luff's first goal. 
- Both Simon Edvinsson and Zach Aston-Reese were reassigned to Grand Rapids and will join the team for Friday's contest

Box Score
Grand Rapids 0 2 0 0 - 3
Iowa 0 2 0 0 - 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-1, Iowa, Beckman 17 (Elson, Conley), 1:32. 2, Grand Rapids, Luff 9 (Rafferty, Berggren), 3:14 (PP). 3, Grand Rapids, Luff 10 (L’Esperance, Berggren), 16:43 (PP). 4, Iowa, Bankier 13 18:03. Penalties-Bankier Ia (holding), 2:53; Johannes Gr (interference), 8:13; O’Rourke Ia (delay of game), 10:54; Johannes Gr (tripping), 13:44; O’Rourke Ia (roughing), 16:33.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Didier Gr (interference), 1:39; Firstov Ia (high-sticking), 9:26; Raska Ia (high-sticking), 9:26; Berggren Gr (hooking), 10:31; Mazur Gr (boarding), 18:35.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Milne Ia (hooking), 4:55.

Shootout - Grand Rapids 1 (Luff NG, Berggren G), Iowa 0 (Walker NG, Bankier NG, Beckman NG).
Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 11-8-13-0-1-33. Iowa 7-14-7-1-0-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 2 / 5; Iowa 0 / 5.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 21-8-9 (29 shots-27 saves). Iowa, Wallstedt 21-19-4 (32 shots-30 saves).
A-3,872

Three Stars
1. GR Luff (two goals); 2. GR Berggren (two assists); 3. IA Beckman (goal)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 35-22-8-4 (82 pts.) / Fri., April 19 at Iowa 8 p.m. EDT
Iowa: 25-37-4-4 (58 pts.) / Fri., April 19 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m. CDT

Photo by Iowa Wild