CLEVELAND -- Despite jumping out to an early 2-0 lead, the Cleveland Monsters scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-3 on Wednesday at Rocket Arena. 

Sheldon Dries kicked off the scoring for Grand Rapids with his team-high 22nd goal of the season with helpers from Amadeus Lombardi and Dominik Shine. Lombardi’s assist extended his point streak to four (5-3—8) and Shine’s helper moved him into a tie for 10th place on the franchise’s all-time assist list alongside Landon Ferraro and Kip Miller (75). Cleveland native Tim Gettinger continued to light it up, scoring his third goal in the last four games and increasing his point streak to a season-high four (3-1—4). Ondrej Becher earned his ninth tally of the year late in the third with an assist from Emmitt Finnie who extended his point streak to three (1-2—3). 

The Griffins came out firing with their first tally courtesy of Dries at 5:10. Lombardi held onto the puck deep into the Monsters’ zone, as him and Dries skated on a 2-on-1 breakaway. When the defender committed toward Lombardi, he passed over to Dries who fired a strike past Jet Greaves. Grand Rapids quickly added to its lead with Gettinger’s goal at 7:28. Cleveland attempted to send a shot toward the goalmouth from the blue line but Gettinger blocked it and skated out in front of the Monsters. With a defender draped on his back, Gettinger went backhand to forehand and sniped the puck into the back of the net. The Griffins held Cleveland to just three shots in the opening period, posting nine of their own. 

Cleveland’s offense seemed to wake up in the second period, as Rocco Grimaldi put the Monsters on the board at 10:21 with a wide-open look in the slot. Then, with 3:29 left in the frame, Hunter McKown tied the game at two with a backhand through the five-hole of Sebastian Cossa. The Monsters threatened to take their first lead when they earned the game’s first power play with 2:16 remaining in the second, but the Griffins killed it off and held a 2-2 tie into the final 20 minutes. 

Just 1:23 into the final period, the Monsters took a 3-2 lead when the Griffins turned it over in their own end and Madison Bowey scored from the left circle. Grand Rapids earned two power-play chances but failed to convert on either one before committing a penalty with 7:39 remaining. Cleveland quickly made Grand Rapids pay, as Luca Del Bel Belluz scored on the man-advantage at 13:38 to put the Monsters ahead 4-2. However, the Griffins pulled back within one with 4:46 left when Finnie sent a pass toward the net-front and Becher snuck behind the Monsters’ defense to light the lamp through the five-hole. Grand Rapids pulled Cossa with 2:19 to play but failed to tie the game in the final minutes, falling 4-3. 

Notes

• The Griffins finished 5-2-0-1 in their regular-season series against the Monsters.
• Grand Rapids fell to 28-4-0-1 when scoring three or more goals. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 2 0 1 - 3
Cleveland 0 2 2 - 4

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Dries 22 (Lombardi, Shine), 5:10. 2, Grand Rapids, Gettinger 7   7:28. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-3, Cleveland, Grimaldi 16 (Dumais, McKown), 10:21. 4, Cleveland, McKown 12 (Grimaldi, Hunt), 16:31. Penalties-Viro Gr (closing hand on puck), 17:44.

3rd Period-5, Cleveland, Bowey 3 (Grimaldi), 1:23. 6, Cleveland, Del Bel Belluz 25 (Bavaro, Pyyhtiä), 13:38 (PP). 7, Grand Rapids, Becher 9 (Finnie, Doucet), 15:14. Penalties-LaBate Cle (hooking), 2:33; Brindley Cle (hooking), 8:54; Bantle Gr (goaltender interference), 12:21.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 9-6-7-22. Cleveland 3-9-5-17.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 2; Cleveland 1 / 2.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 20-13-5 (17 shots-13 saves). Cleveland, Greaves 21-11-6 (22 shots-19 saves).
A-8,154

Three Stars

1. CLE Grimaldi (goal, two assists); 2. CLE McKown (goal, assist); 3. CLE Bowey (goal)

Record/Next Game 

Grand Rapids: 34-27-4-2 (74 pts.) / Fri., April 11 vs. Texas 7 p.m. 

Cleveland: 34-22-5-6 (79 pts.) / Sat., April 12 vs. Toronto 12 p.m. EST

Photo by Cleveland Monsters