CLEVELAND -- In his 250th AHL game, Joe Snively tallied a hat trick, earning the Grand Rapids Griffins a 5-1 win against the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Snively is the first Griffin to record a hat trick since Jonatan Berggren on April 3, 2024, against Chicago. 

Snively obtained his third career hat trick, with his last coming on Nov. 7, 2021, against Springfield. Rookie Nate Danielson posted three points in the outing (0-3—3), marking his first professional three-point game and Dominik Shine increased his point streak to three with a power-play goal (2-2—4). Austin Watson tallied a two-point campaign (0-2—2), while Gabriel Seger scored his fifth goal of the year. The Griffins secured two power-play goals in the game (2-for-3, 66.6%) and killed off all their penalties (3-for-3, 100%). Goaltender Ville Husso saved 32 shots in the crease, as he earned his fifth win this season (5-1-0) alongside a .924 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average. 

The Griffins threatened to take an early lead when a shot from Eemil Viro deflected off the goalpost 9:28 into the game. However, Grand Rapids struck first when Snively found the back of the net at 15:18. A shot from Danielson rebounded into the slot and Snively fired it home. The Monsters attempted to tie the score, as Hunter McKown found himself alone in front of the goal, but Husso extended across the crease to turn away the wraparound shot with 3:31 left in the period. Grand Rapids drew a penalty, earning its first power play of the contest at 18:08 and Shine quickly converted the power-play goal just 19 seconds later, increasing the Griffins’ lead to two. Following a pass into the slot from Danielson, Shine ripped the puck toward the goalmouth before it was tipped over the line.

The Griffins entered the second frame short handed, as a roughing penalty carried over from the first. Grand Rapids killed off the penalty but as the fifth Griffin skated back on, McKown put the Monsters on the board. Despite two additional penalties and being outshot 14-6 in the second, Grand Rapids carried a 2-1 lead into the final period. 

Just 1:51 into the third, Seger lit the lamp. Elmer Soderblom dropped the puck off to Shai Buium who found Seger in the slot and he cashed in. With 9:23 remaining, Grand Rapids extended its lead, courtesy of a power-play goal from Snively. Danielson stole the puck from the Monsters and swung it to Snively who buried the one-timer. Cleveland pulled Jet Greaves at 16:06 but Watson picked off a Monsters’ pass and dished the puck to Snively for the empty net goal, completing his hat trick. Cleveland drew another penalty with 1:17 remaining, but Grand Rapids’ defense held strong, as they killed it and skated off with a 5-1 win. 

Notes

• The Griffins are 15-0-0-0 when scoring three or more goals. 
• Grand Rapids’ win snapped a three-game skid (0-1-2-0).

Box Score

Grand Rapids 2 0 3 - 5
Cleveland 0 1 0 - 1

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Snively 11 (Danielson, Watson), 15:18. 2, Grand Rapids, Shine 8 (Danielson, Wallinder), 18:25 (PP). Penalties-Watson Gr (fighting), 2:44; Butler Cle (fighting), 2:44; Svozil Cle (holding), 18:08; Söderblom Gr (interference, roughing, fighting), 19:49; LaBate Cle (fighting), 19:49; Sillinger Cle (roughing), 19:49.

2nd Period-3, Cleveland, McKown 3 (Svozil, Ahcan), 1:54. Penalties-Gettinger Gr (roughing), 2:33; Snively Gr (interference), 5:47; Ahcan Cle (slashing), 5:47.

3rd Period-4, Grand Rapids, Seger 5 (Buium, Söderblom), 1:51. 5, Grand Rapids, Snively 12 (Danielson, Dries), 10:37 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Snively 13 (Watson), 16:29 (EN). Penalties-Malatesta Cle (kneeing), 8:34; Gambrell Cle (delay of game), 10:32; Rychlovsky Gr (boarding), 18:43.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 10-6-8-24. Cleveland 13-14-6-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 2 / 3; Cleveland 0 / 3.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Husso 5-1-0 (33 shots-32 saves). Cleveland, Greaves 8-5-2 (23 shots-19 saves).
A-16,151

Three Stars

1. GR Snively (hat trick); 2. GR Husso (W, 32 saves); 3. GR Danielson (three assists)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 18-9-3-0 (39 pts.) / Tue., Dec. 31 vs. Cleveland 6 p.m. 

Cleveland: 17-9-1-2 (37 pts.) / Mon., Dec. 30 at Milwaukee 8 p.m. EST 

Photo by Cleveland Monsters