GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Behind a game-winning goal in the final period from Austin Watson, the Grand Rapids Griffins secured a 4-2 victory over the Texas Stars on Friday at Van Andel Arena in their first game back from the all-star break. 

Grand Rapids improved its league-best record to 36-7-2-1 with 75 points through 46 games, while its home record stood at 18-5-1-0. Coming off of his first AHL all-star appearance, Dominik Shine tallied two goals, while Shai Buium bagged two helpers. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Antti Tumoisto earned assists on the game-winner, and Michal Postava tallied 24 saves to improve to 9-3-0. 

Texas opened the scoring on the power play in the first frame when Harrison Scott tipped in a wrister from Kole Lind to make it 1-0 at 3:22. On a delayed penalty call, Amadeus Lombardi powered down the near boards and centered a backhanded shot toward the net that deflected off a Stars’ skate to tie the contest with 11:50 on the clock. Just 1:29 later, Luke Krys popped in a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle to reclaim a one-goal lead for Texas. Grand Rapids knotted it at 2-2 when Buium snapped a long shot from the point and Shine deflected it in with 2:06 to go.

On a 2-on-1 chance in the second period, Lombardi centered the puck to Ian Mitchell at the net front and he tried to stuff it past the skate of Remi Poirier, but the netminder made the stop 9:35 in. Nate Danielson had another opportunity for the Griffins when he took one down on a partial break and tried to flick it past Poirier, but he smothered it at 14:40.

The Griffins took the lead while on the power play with 13:56 remaining in the game when Brandsegg-Nygard sniped one from the top of the zone and Watson tipped it in. Poirier headed to the bench to give the Stars an extra attacker with 2:19 on the clock, and Shine took the puck at center ice, skated it down and dumped it in with 68 seconds left to claim the 4-2 victory for Grand Rapids.

Notes

• Ondrej Becher skated in his 100th game as a Griffin.

Box Score

Texas 2 0 0 - 2

Grand Rapids 2 0 2 - 4

1st Period-1, Texas, Scott 10 (Lind, Taylor), 3:22 (PP). 2, Grand Rapids, Lombardi 6 (Mitchell, Buium), 8:10. 3, Texas, Krys 4 (Becker, Taylor), 9:39. 4, Grand Rapids, Shine 16 (Buium, Dries), 17:54. Penalties-Doucet Gr (high-sticking), 1:46.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Karow Tex (slashing), 14:40; Brandsegg-Nygård Gr (holding), 15:49; McKenzie Tex (tripping), 19:18.

3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Watson 11 (Brandsegg-Nygård, Tuomisto), 6:04 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Shine 17 (Holl), 18:52 (EN). Penalties-Krys Tex (holding), 5:32; Lombardi Gr (holding), 10:11; Wallinder Gr (high-sticking), 12:48.

Shots on Goal-Texas 6-9-11-26. Grand Rapids 7-10-6-23.

Power Play Opportunities-Texas 1 / 4; Grand Rapids 1 / 3.

Goalies-Texas, Poirier 15-13-4 (22 shots-19 saves). Grand Rapids, Postava 9-3-0 (26 shots-24 saves).

A-8,796

Three Stars

1. GR Shine (two goals) 2. GR Watson (game-winner) 3. TEX Krys (goal)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 36-7-2-1 (75 pts.) / Sun., Feb. 15 vs. Texas 4 p.m.

Texas: 22-20-3-1 (48 pts.) / Sun., Feb. 15 at Grand Rapids 3 p.m. CST

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo