Feb. 17, 2023

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Griffins concluded their four-game homestand with a 2-2-0-0 record after losing 6-2 to the Cleveland Monsters at Van Andel Arena on Friday.

Alex Chiasson had his second consecutive two-point outing, posting a goal and an assist on the scoresheet. The veteran forward has 17 points in 24 contests this season (8-9–17) and five points in his last four games. Adam Erne crossed the 50-assist milestone in the AHL. In just his fourth outing in a Grand Rapids uniform, the New Haven, Conn., native has three assists for the Griffins this season.

Tyler Angle buried the first goal in the opening frame, capitalizing on a turnover in the slot at 2:04. Chiasson responded 39 seconds later with his own tally from between the circles, as his shot deflected off the goal post and in to tie it up. Joona Luoto tallied back-to-back scores after Chiasson lit the lamp, with Luoto scoring at 3:07 off of a rebound and at 8:27 on an odd-man rush. Capping off the stanza, David Jiricek lasered the puck off of the crossbar and in the cage from the top of the right circle to take a 4-1 lead on a power play with 1:21 remaining.

Cleveland recorded goal number five at 4:48 in the second after Robbie Payne tapped the puck in off of Alex Nedeljkovic’s left-pad save. The Griffins’ penalty kill fended off 1:17 of 5-on-3 play beginning at 8:52 to remain within four. After Jake Christiansen was ejected due to a game-misconduct penalty with 5:24 to go in the second for boarding Jasper Weatherby, Danny O’Regan took advantage by firing the disc over the catching glove of Jet Greaves to cut the deficit to three with 1:07 left.

The Griffins killed another 1:42 of 5-on-3 play beginning at 9:44 in the third, but Josh Dunne was able to add on another power-play goal with 5:38 remaining to conclude a 6-2 win.

Notes
- The Griffins dropped to 15-5-1-0 against Cleveland in the past two seasons.
- In 14 games with Grand Rapids, O’Regan has four goals and three apples.

Box Score
Cleveland 4 1 1 - 6
Grand Rapids 1 1 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Cleveland, Angle 7 (Payne), 2:04. 2, Grand Rapids, Chiasson 8 (Czarnik, McIsaac), 2:43. 3, Cleveland, Luoto 9 (Knazko, Fonstad), 3:07. 4, Cleveland, Luoto 10 (Sillinger, Fix-Wolansky), 8:27. 5, Cleveland, Jiricek 6 (Fix-Wolansky, Fonstad), 18:39 (PP). Penalties-Luoto Cle (slashing), 6:14; McIsaac Gr (interference), 16:46.

2nd Period-6, Cleveland, Payne 5 (Sillinger, Fix-Wolansky), 4:48. 7, Grand Rapids, O’Regan 7 (Chiasson, Erne), 18:53 (PP). Penalties-Ahcan Cle (tripping), 1:42; Shine Gr (tripping), 8:09; Weatherby Gr (holding), 8:52; Christiansen Cle (major - boarding, game misconduct - boarding), 14:36; Jiricek Cle (double minor - high-sticking), 16:50; Soderblom Gr (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:50.

3rd Period-8, Cleveland, Dunne 13 (Jiricek, Fix-Wolansky), 14:22 (PP). Penalties-Kampfer Gr (tripping), 9:26; Weatherby Gr (slashing), 9:44; Edvinsson Gr (boarding), 14:06; Luoto Cle (hooking), 15:32.

Shots on Goal-Cleveland 14-16-8-38. Grand Rapids 8-9-2-19.
Power Play Opportunities-Cleveland 2 / 6; Grand Rapids 1 / 5.
Goalies-Cleveland, Greaves 11-9-3 (19 shots-17 saves). Grand Rapids, Nedeljkovic 8-5-2 (38 shots-32 saves).
A-8,395

Three Stars
1. CLE Luoto (two goals); 2. CLE Tre Fix-Wolansky (four assists); 3. CLE Payne (goal, assist).

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 20-23-2-2 (44 pts.) / Fri., Feb. 19 at Manitoba 7 p.m. EST
Cleveland: 21-20-3-2 (47 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 18 at Chicago 7 p.m. CST

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins