Cleveland Monsters 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 SO

Nov. 30, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Mitch Callahan’s two power play goals on Wednesday enabled the Grand Rapids Griffins to earn a point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters at Van Andel Arena, as they finished three consecutive meetings against the Monsters with a 2-0-0-1 record.

Callahan’s second of the night with 10:37 remaining in regulation forced overtime but could not prevent the Monsters from snapping what had been a four-game losing streak to Grand Rapids this season, which included Griffins wins of 5-3 at home last Friday and 6-2 in Cleveland on Saturday.

The Griffins (11-6-0-1), who have played 11 of their last 24 games against the Monsters (7-10-1-1) dating to back to their six-game playoff series last spring, will face different foes for only the next two games. They’ll host Iowa on Friday and visit Rockford on Saturday before traveling to Cleveland for yet another tilt with the Monsters next Tuesday.

Following a scoreless opening period, Callahan tallied 3:14 into the second to extend the Griffins’ streak of scoring on the power play to nine games, their longest run since the 2005-06 season and tied for the third-longest string in franchise history. Tomas Nosek dug the puck out of the left corner to Ben Street, whose hard shot from the left point was deflected by Callahan on the doorstep.

Grand Rapids’ lead lasted a mere 40 seconds. On a rush into the Griffins’ zone, Nick Moutrey took a drop pass from Joe Pendenza above the right circle and launched a rising one-timer from 45 feet that sailed past Eddie Pasquale’s glove. The Monsters then went ahead 2-1 at 12:08, as Sonny Milano came out from behind the net and took advantage of a gap between Pasquale and the near post to score from the right goal line.

Pasquale kept the deficit at one with a brilliant blocker save as the clocked neared five minutes, sliding across to deny a power play try by Moutrey that was destined for the top left corner.

The Griffins trailed entering the third period despite having outshot Cleveland by a 29-17 count, and Anton Forsberg maintained the visitors’ cushion 30 seconds in by stopping a point-blank chance by Callahan. After an early power play chance for Grand Rapids was thwarted by Forsberg’s thievery and the courage of his defense to block several shots, the Griffins capitalized on another opportunity at the 9:23 mark, when Callahan finished off a goal-mouth scramble by slamming the puck home.

The Griffins survived a Cleveland power play late in regulation before receiving their own with 3:05 left in overtime. But Forsberg managed to withstand four cannon shots from Martin Frk alone while the Monsters were shorthanded, pushing the game to the shootout. The resulting skills competition couldn’t have been shorter, as Evgeny Svechnikov and Matt Lorito were unable to answer goals by Milano and Aaron Palushaj, giving Cleveland the win.

Forsberg finished with 42 stops on the night, thwarting the bid of Pasquale (24 saves) to earn his fourth win of the campaign.

Notes: The Griffins’ power play unit is 16-for-50 (32%) over the last nine games…With Jared Coreau on recall to the Detroit Red Wings, Pasquale made a third consecutive AHL start for the first time in nearly three years, since he started five in a row for St. John’s from Jan. 7-18, 2014.

Three Stars: 1. GR Callahan (two power play goals); 2. CLE Milano (goal, shootout winner); 3. GR Street (two assists)