Dec. 2, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Texas Stars used three goals in the third frame to secure a 4-1 win against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday at Van Andel Arena.

Magnus Hellberg made his Griffins debut tonight, notching 34 saves in his first AHL game since April 12, 2017 with the Hartford Wolfpack. Kyle Criscuolo scored the lone goal for Grand Rapids, his third of the season and his second in the last three games.

At 3:50 in the first, Riley Tufte’s shot from the blue line snuck past Hellberg to give the Stars an early lead. As time came to a close in the opening frame, Criscuolo rifled a shot from the top of the right circle between the pads of Anton Khudobin to tie it with 44 seconds remaining in the stanza.

The teams went scoreless in the second despite 21 total shots. At 15:21, Brian Lashoff prevented a goal after turning over the puck by diving in front of the cage and deflecting Tufte’s shot on an open net with his stick to keep the game at 1-1.

The Stars piled on in the third, beginning with former Griffin Riley Barber scoring the game-winner in the goalmouth at 8:41. Alex Petrovic’s slap-shot tally at 14:57 and Tufte’s open-net goal at 17:47 ensured victory for Texas.

Notes
- Hellberg is the fifth Red Wings goalie to make his Griffins debut during a conditioning stint, joining Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Legace (2005-06) and Jonas Gustavsson (2012-13).
- Kirill Tyutyayev recorded his first assist since Oct. 23 2022, when he bagged two against the Toronto Marlies.

Box Score
Texas 1 0 3 - 4
Grand Rapids 1 0 0 - 1

1st Period-1, Texas, Tufte 5 (Gleason, Gardner), 3:50. 2, Grand Rapids, Criscuolo 3 (Tyutyayev, Newpower), 19:16. Penalties-Peterson Tex (tripping), 7:19; Edvinsson Gr (tripping), 12:02.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Kero Tex (hooking), 1:07; Tufte Tex (high-sticking), 9:54.

3rd Period-3, Texas, Barber 11 (Butcher, Harley), 8:41. 4, Texas, Petrovic 7 (Studenic, Back), 14:57. 5, Texas, Tufte 6 (Gardner, Shea), 17:47 (EN). Penalties-Bliss Gr (hooking), 1:57; Tufte Tex (hooking), 4:16; Gardner Tex (high-sticking), 6:10.

Shots on Goal-Texas 16-12-10-38. Grand Rapids 10-9-11-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Texas 0 / 2; Grand Rapids 0 / 5.
Goalies-Texas, Khudobin 7-3-2 (30 shots-29 saves). Grand Rapids, Hellberg 0-1-0 (37 shots-34 saves).
A-6,542

Three Stars
1. TEX Lufte (two goals); 2. TEX Barber (game-winning goal); 3. GR Criscuolo (goal).

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 8-10-1-0 (17 pts.) / Sat., Dec. 3 vs. Texas 7 p.m. EST
Texas: 10-7-2-2 (24 pts.) / Sat., Dec. 3 at Grand Rapids 6 p.m. CST

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins