Rockford IceHogs 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 SO

Dec. 31, 2014

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins didn’t score at will on Wednesday, but a monstrous effort from Jared Coreau prevented the Rockford IceHogs from doing the same and earned the Griffins a point against the Midwest Division leaders in a wildly entertaining 3-2 shootout loss at a sold-out Van Andel Arena.

After winning their last two home games by a combined 16-3 tally, the Griffins found scoring harder to come by in their 18th annual New Year’s Eve game, but Coreau’s 47 saves enabled Grand Rapids to move to 13-5-2-1 since Nov. 12, including a 6-1-1-1 record at home during that span.

The Griffins, who now sit two points behind second-place Chicago with two games in hand, will continue a season-high five-game home stand by hosting the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. on Friday.

AHL goal-scoring leader Teemu Pulkkinen needed just 34 seconds to put his mark on this game. On a rush into the IceHogs’ zone, Andy Miele sped down the left boards before threading a pass through the top of the crease to a crashing Pulkkinen, who redirected the puck past Michael Leighton for his 18th goal of the campaign.

Pulkkinen’s tally extended his AHL-high goal streak to six games, the longest by a Griffin since Donald MacLean’s franchise-record eight-game goal streak during his league MVP season in 2005-06. Pulkkinen’s current run ties Jiri Hudler, Kip Miller and Pavol Demitra for the second-longest goal streak in franchise history.

Grand Rapids (16-11-3-1) ended up fortunate to head to intermission with a 1-0 lead, though, as the IceHogs finished the frame with a whopping 25-6 advantage in shots. Coreau was more than up to the task, denying every try to establish a new franchise record for saves in a period, as the Griffins and IceHogs tied their respective franchise records for shots against and shots for in a period. The 25 shots were also the most ever surrendered by Grand Rapids during a home period.

The Griffins’ top two scorers teamed up again to light the lamp 4:23 into the second period during a 4-on-4, giving the home team a 2-0 lead despite a 26-9 deficit in shots. Breaking into the Rockford zone on a 2-on-1, Pulkkinen patiently waited until the left circle to slide a pass across to Miele, who roofed a shot just under the crossbar.

Rockford (20-11-3-1) finally solved Coreau with its 29th shot during a power play at the 8:15 mark, as Matt Carey slammed home Ryan Hartman’s feed after being left alone in the slot. The IceHogs then tied matters less than two minutes later when T.J. Brennan lasered a pass from the left point to a wide-open Hartman on the backdoor for an easy equalizer at 10:05.

Each team failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 power play late in the period, including a frantic sequence around the IceHogs’ net in the waning seconds during which two Griffins fanned on point-blank chances and Miele backhanded a shot off the post.

Following a scoreless third period, Leighton proved to be the hero of overtime, turning back Pulkkinen twice in the opening minute, robbing Miele with his glove five minutes in, then stoning a Nathan Paetsch breakaway with four seconds remaining.

In the shootout, Anthony Mantha, Miele and Pulkkinen were all thwarted by Leighton. Coreau in turn made saves on Carey and Teuvo Teravainen, but Peter Regin slipped a backhand past him in round three to give Rockford the extra point.

Leighton finished with 31 saves and helped keep the Griffins scoreless in six power play attempts. Rockford converted one of its six chances.

Notes: With 18 goals in his first 31 games, Pulkkinen is ahead of MacLean’s pace (18 goals in 33 games) from his AHL MVP season, when he scored a Griffins-record 56 goals…Joey MacDonald (2004-05) and Marc Lamothe (2002-03) co-held the previous Griffins record of 24 saves in a period…Rockford’s 25 first-period shots were three more than any other opponent has ever recorded in a single period at Van Andel Arena…The Griffins’ second straight New Year’s Eve sellout marked their third capacity crowd of the season and second in as many home games.

Three Stars: 1. GR Coreau (SOL, 47 saves); 2. RFD Leighton (SOW, 31 saves); 3. GR Pulkkinen (goal, assist)

Rockford IceHogs 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 SO

Dec. 31, 2014

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins didn’t score at will on Wednesday, but a monstrous effort from Jared Coreau prevented the Rockford IceHogs from doing the same and earned the Griffins a point against the Midwest Division leaders in a wildly entertaining 3-2 shootout loss at a sold-out Van Andel Arena.

After winning their last two home games by a combined 16-3 tally, the Griffins found scoring harder to come by in their 18th annual New Year’s Eve game, but Coreau’s 47 saves enabled Grand Rapids to move to 13-5-2-1 since Nov. 12, including a 6-1-1-1 record at home during that span.

The Griffins, who now sit two points behind second-place Chicago with two games in hand, will continue a season-high five-game home stand by hosting the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. on Friday.

AHL goal-scoring leader Teemu Pulkkinen needed just 34 seconds to put his mark on this game. On a rush into the IceHogs’ zone, Andy Miele sped down the left boards before threading a pass through the top of the crease to a crashing Pulkkinen, who redirected the puck past Michael Leighton for his 18th goal of the campaign.

Pulkkinen’s tally extended his AHL-high goal streak to six games, the longest by a Griffin since Donald MacLean’s franchise-record eight-game goal streak during his league MVP season in 2005-06. Pulkkinen’s current run ties Jiri Hudler, Kip Miller and Pavol Demitra for the second-longest goal streak in franchise history.

Grand Rapids (16-11-3-1) ended up fortunate to head to intermission with a 1-0 lead, though, as the IceHogs finished the frame with a whopping 25-6 advantage in shots. Coreau was more than up to the task, denying every try to establish a new franchise record for saves in a period, as the Griffins and IceHogs tied their respective franchise records for shots against and shots for in a period. The 25 shots were also the most ever surrendered by Grand Rapids during a home period.

The Griffins’ top two scorers teamed up again to light the lamp 4:23 into the second period during a 4-on-4, giving the home team a 2-0 lead despite a 26-9 deficit in shots. Breaking into the Rockford zone on a 2-on-1, Pulkkinen patiently waited until the left circle to slide a pass across to Miele, who roofed a shot just under the crossbar.

Rockford (20-11-3-1) finally solved Coreau with its 29th shot during a power play at the 8:15 mark, as Matt Carey slammed home Ryan Hartman’s feed after being left alone in the slot. The IceHogs then tied matters less than two minutes later when T.J. Brennan lasered a pass from the left point to a wide-open Hartman on the backdoor for an easy equalizer at 10:05.

Each team failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 power play late in the period, including a frantic sequence around the IceHogs’ net in the waning seconds during which two Griffins fanned on point-blank chances and Miele backhanded a shot off the post.

Following a scoreless third period, Leighton proved to be the hero of overtime, turning back Pulkkinen twice in the opening minute, robbing Miele with his glove five minutes in, then stoning a Nathan Paetsch breakaway with four seconds remaining.

In the shootout, Anthony Mantha, Miele and Pulkkinen were all thwarted by Leighton. Coreau in turn made saves on Carey and Teuvo Teravainen, but Peter Regin slipped a backhand past him in round three to give Rockford the extra point.

Leighton finished with 31 saves and helped keep the Griffins scoreless in six power play attempts. Rockford converted one of its six chances.

Notes: With 18 goals in his first 31 games, Pulkkinen is ahead of MacLean’s pace (18 goals in 33 games) from his AHL MVP season, when he scored a Griffins-record 56 goals…Joey MacDonald (2004-05) and Marc Lamothe (2002-03) co-held the previous Griffins record of 24 saves in a period…Rockford’s 25 first-period shots were three more than any other opponent has ever recorded in a single period at Van Andel Arena…The Griffins’ second straight New Year’s Eve sellout marked their third capacity crowd of the season and second in as many home games.

Three Stars: 1. GR Coreau (SOL, 47 saves); 2. RFD Leighton (SOW, 31 saves); 3. GR Pulkkinen (goal, assist)