Manitoba Moose 1 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4

Feb. 8, 2017

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – On the strength of two power play goals by Martin Frk, the Grand Rapids Griffins rode four unanswered tallies to a 4-1 win over the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena.

Jimmy Howard made 16 saves to notch his first victory in a Griffins uniform since April 26, 2009, but he left the game midway through the third period for precautionary reasons and did not return. Eddie Pasquale entered in relief and stopped the six shots that came his way.

After improving their conference-leading record to 30-13-1-2 (0.685), the Griffins will travel to Des Moines for a pair of games this weekend against the red-hot Iowa Wild, who have rocketed up to fourth place in the Central Division thanks to a 6-0-3-0 streak. Game time on both Friday and Saturday is set for 8 p.m. EST.

The Moose (18-23-3-2) struck before the game was four minutes old, as Scott Kosmachuk took a centering pass from Brandon Tanev at the top of the circles and ripped a low shot inside the left post at 3:46.

Manitoba’s Scott Glennie was whistled off for four minutes early in the second for high-sticking Joe Hicketts, and the AHL’s top power play took advantage to knot the score. Matt Lorito sent a pass up the right boards to Frk, who unleashed a cannon from the point that snuck through the five-hole of a screened Eric Comrie at the 2:26 mark.

Eric Tangradi gave Grand Rapids the lead with 4:16 left in the frame when he spun in the slot and shoveled a backhand past Comrie.

Frk’s second of the night came courtesy of another booming slapshot, this one from the top of the left circle, giving the Griffins a 3-1 cushion 2:39 into the third. His 16th goal of the campaign moved him past Ben Street for team leadership, and his 11th power play marker – second in the league behind the 14 by Lehigh Valley’s Greg Carey – ties his career high set last season and matches the 10th-highest single-season total in franchise history.

After sprawling to make a save eight minutes into the period, Howard headed to the locker room at the 9:07 mark, ushering Pasquale into the contest. Just over two minutes later, Tyler Bertuzzi increased the margin to three by potting his own rebound from the slot with 8:47 remaining. Comrie would finish with 33 saves.

Street and Lorito each logged a pair of assists, pushing their team-leading point totals to 38 and 37, respectively.

Notes: Drew Miller made his Grand Rapids debut after being assigned last week by the Detroit Red Wings, marking his first AHL contest since March 17, 2009 when he played for the Iowa Chops. Three of his cousins -- brothers Kelly, Kevin and Kip Miller -- played various stints as Griffins from the late '90s to the mid-2000s…Howard made the second start of his conditioning loan from the Wings, facing the Moose for the first time since the Griffins were swept in the 2009 North Division Finals. He earned his first win for Grand Rapids since dispatching the Hamilton Bulldogs in Game 6 of the team’s preceding playoff series.

Three Stars: 1. GR Frk (two power play goals); 2. GR Tangradi (goal); 3. GR Bertuzzi (goal)