Toronto Marlies 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 7

April 4, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins needed less than nine minutes to turn a tight game into a blowout on Saturday, scoring four times within that span during the third period to crush the Toronto Marlies 7-2 at Van Andel Arena.

Jared Coreau, making just his second Griffins appearance since Feb. 18, turned in a 36-save effort to guide Grand Rapids to its ninth win in the last 10 home games, while five of his teammates recorded two-point nights.

The Griffins (42-20-6-2), who maintain their three-point lead on Rockford atop the Midwest Division, will host Milwaukee on Wednesday before departing for a two-game set in San Antonio next weekend that could decide the Western Conference champion. The Griffins and Rampage both sit at 92 points, just once behind conference-leading Utica.

Tomas Nosek gave the Griffins the early lead, crashing the net to pop the rebound of Brian Lashoff’s shot over Christopher Gibson’s left shoulder 5:57 into the contest.

After surviving a penalty-heavy conclusion to the opening period, including 29 seconds of a 5-on-3 Toronto power play, Grand Rapids made it a 2-0 game during its own advantage 26 seconds into the middle period, with Anthony Mantha connecting on a wrister from the top of the right circle.

Toronto (33-27-9-0) answered at the 3:45 mark off a Griffins turnover in the left circle, as Brendan Leipsic quickly centered the puck to an unmarked Ryan Rupert for a goal into a gaping net.

The teams again traded goals later in the frame, putting the Griffins ahead 3-2 entering the final 20 minutes. Nick Jensen blistered a one-timer past Gibson from the right circle at 13:33, before Toronto’s William Nylander – the son of longtime NHLer Michael Nylander, who spent a 24-game stint with the Griffins in 2009-10 – jammed home a rebound at 16:54.

Marek Tvrdon renewed Grand Rapids’ two-goal cushion and sparked the late flurry 6:30 into the third period. His centering attempt from the left side deflected off a Marlies defender and past Gibson, before Jeff Hoggan finished off a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play with Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou from the doorstep at 12:13.

Mark Zengerle and Kevin Porter sealed the rout by scoring 25 seconds apart. Zengerle walked the puck out of the right corner before flipping a backhand into the top of the net at 14:41, and Porter tallied with a redirection from the slot to complete the carnage.

A melee erupted on the ice along the benches with 3:16 remaining, during which Chris Bruton flipped Sam Carrick into the photographer’s booth and a bout between Louis-Marc Aubry and Josh Leivo spilled into the Grand Rapids bench. Order was eventually restored, courtesy of 56 penalty minutes and game misconducts to the latter combatants.

Gibson went the distance in net and made 24 saves for the visitors, who out-shot Grand Rapids 38-31 for the game.

Notes: Including a 7-1 win in the Marlies’ prior visit on Dec. 19, the Griffins beat Toronto by a cumulative 14-3 count in their two meetings at Van Andel Arena this season…Grand Rapids is 23-4-3-1 since Jan. 23.

Three Stars: 1. GR Mantha (power play goal, assist); 2. GR Tvrdon (goal, assist); 3. GR Jensen (goal, assist)

Toronto Marlies 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 7

April 4, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins needed less than nine minutes to turn a tight game into a blowout on Saturday, scoring four times within that span during the third period to crush the Toronto Marlies 7-2 at Van Andel Arena.

Jared Coreau, making just his second Griffins appearance since Feb. 18, turned in a 36-save effort to guide Grand Rapids to its ninth win in the last 10 home games, while five of his teammates recorded two-point nights.

The Griffins (42-20-6-2), who maintain their three-point lead on Rockford atop the Midwest Division, will host Milwaukee on Wednesday before departing for a two-game set in San Antonio next weekend that could decide the Western Conference champion. The Griffins and Rampage both sit at 92 points, just once behind conference-leading Utica.

Tomas Nosek gave the Griffins the early lead, crashing the net to pop the rebound of Brian Lashoff’s shot over Christopher Gibson’s left shoulder 5:57 into the contest.

After surviving a penalty-heavy conclusion to the opening period, including 29 seconds of a 5-on-3 Toronto power play, Grand Rapids made it a 2-0 game during its own advantage 26 seconds into the middle period, with Anthony Mantha connecting on a wrister from the top of the right circle.

Toronto (33-27-9-0) answered at the 3:45 mark off a Griffins turnover in the left circle, as Brendan Leipsic quickly centered the puck to an unmarked Ryan Rupert for a goal into a gaping net.

The teams again traded goals later in the frame, putting the Griffins ahead 3-2 entering the final 20 minutes. Nick Jensen blistered a one-timer past Gibson from the right circle at 13:33, before Toronto’s William Nylander – the son of longtime NHLer Michael Nylander, who spent a 24-game stint with the Griffins in 2009-10 – jammed home a rebound at 16:54.

Marek Tvrdon renewed Grand Rapids’ two-goal cushion and sparked the late flurry 6:30 into the third period. His centering attempt from the left side deflected off a Marlies defender and past Gibson, before Jeff Hoggan finished off a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play with Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou from the doorstep at 12:13.

Mark Zengerle and Kevin Porter sealed the rout by scoring 25 seconds apart. Zengerle walked the puck out of the right corner before flipping a backhand into the top of the net at 14:41, and Porter tallied with a redirection from the slot to complete the carnage.

A melee erupted on the ice along the benches with 3:16 remaining, during which Chris Bruton flipped Sam Carrick into the photographer’s booth and a bout between Louis-Marc Aubry and Josh Leivo spilled into the Grand Rapids bench. Order was eventually restored, courtesy of 56 penalty minutes and game misconducts to the latter combatants.

Gibson went the distance in net and made 24 saves for the visitors, who out-shot Grand Rapids 38-31 for the game.

Notes: Including a 7-1 win in the Marlies’ prior visit on Dec. 19, the Griffins beat Toronto by a cumulative 14-3 count in their two meetings at Van Andel Arena this season…Grand Rapids is 23-4-3-1 since Jan. 23.

Three Stars: 1. GR Mantha (power play goal, assist); 2. GR Tvrdon (goal, assist); 3. GR Jensen (goal, assist)