GRIFFINS BAG MOOSE IN O.T., 3-2
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Blake Sloans bank shot 30 seconds into overtime and Eric Manlows two goals during regulation powered the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 3-2 win over the Manitoba Moose on Friday at Van Andel Arena.
Grand Rapids began the extra session with heavy pressure in the Manitoba zone, and after Matt Ellis drove the net and cleared out both a defender and goaltender Alex Auld, Sloan picked up the stray puck beneath the right goal line and purposely banked a shot off Auld into the net.
The Griffins (30-28-2-1), who moved within four points of idle Houston in the race for the final playoff spot in the West Division, will conclude their marathon stretch of six games in eight nights on Saturday by hosting the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Manitoba took the early lead when Ryan Kesler converted during a power play just 3:21 into the game, using a screen to beat Joey MacDonald with a wrist shot from above the left circle.
Manlow, who had missed the previous 18 games due to injury, announced his much-anticipated return by giving the Griffins a 2-1 lead on a pair of power play goals. At 6:11 of the opening period, with one second remaining in a brief 5-on-3 advantage, he took a pass from Niklas Kronwall in the left circle and lifted a shot over Auld.
With 3:18 remaining in the second period, Manlow and the power play unit struck again, as Bryan Helmer whipped a shot from the point that Manlow tipped past the Manitoba netminder from the goalmouth.
The Moose (35-17-3-6) tallied the equalizer midway through the final frame. Brandon Nolan shoveled a shot on net from the right side that MacDonald turned aside, but Alexandre Burrows beat two Griffins to the juicy rebound and swept it into the goal on his backhand at the 9:19 mark.
MacDonald finished with 26 saves to help Grand Rapids improve to 5-2 this season and 21-8 all time in games decided during overtime. Auld, who saw four shots during the extra session, made 30 stops.
One major outcome of the two-game set versus the Moose was the resurgence of the Griffins power play. After entering Wednesdays meeting on a 0-for-27 drought and having scored just three power play goals in 61 attempts over their previous 13 games, the Griffins converted three of their 11 chances against Manitoba.
Grand Rapids began the extra session with heavy pressure in the Manitoba zone, and after Matt Ellis drove the net and cleared out both a defender and goaltender Alex Auld, Sloan picked up the stray puck beneath the right goal line and purposely banked a shot off Auld into the net.
The Griffins (30-28-2-1), who moved within four points of idle Houston in the race for the final playoff spot in the West Division, will conclude their marathon stretch of six games in eight nights on Saturday by hosting the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Manitoba took the early lead when Ryan Kesler converted during a power play just 3:21 into the game, using a screen to beat Joey MacDonald with a wrist shot from above the left circle.
Manlow, who had missed the previous 18 games due to injury, announced his much-anticipated return by giving the Griffins a 2-1 lead on a pair of power play goals. At 6:11 of the opening period, with one second remaining in a brief 5-on-3 advantage, he took a pass from Niklas Kronwall in the left circle and lifted a shot over Auld.
With 3:18 remaining in the second period, Manlow and the power play unit struck again, as Bryan Helmer whipped a shot from the point that Manlow tipped past the Manitoba netminder from the goalmouth.
The Moose (35-17-3-6) tallied the equalizer midway through the final frame. Brandon Nolan shoveled a shot on net from the right side that MacDonald turned aside, but Alexandre Burrows beat two Griffins to the juicy rebound and swept it into the goal on his backhand at the 9:19 mark.
MacDonald finished with 26 saves to help Grand Rapids improve to 5-2 this season and 21-8 all time in games decided during overtime. Auld, who saw four shots during the extra session, made 30 stops.
One major outcome of the two-game set versus the Moose was the resurgence of the Griffins power play. After entering Wednesdays meeting on a 0-for-27 drought and having scored just three power play goals in 61 attempts over their previous 13 games, the Griffins converted three of their 11 chances against Manitoba.
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