Dec. 12, 2010 – Texas Stars 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three times in the final 9:09 on Sunday to rally for a 4-2 victory over the Texas Stars at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins never led until Tomas Tatar scored on a redirection with 5:57 remaining, and Jamie Johnson added an empty-netter in the final minute to secure the team’s second home-ice win in its last three tries.

After playing three games in the last three days and four in the last five, the Griffins (12-12-1-4) will be idle until Wednesday when they host the Houston Aeros at 7 p.m.

Texas (16-10-1-1) jumped on top with a shorthanded goal 4:46 into the contest. Off a 2-on-1 into the Grand Rapids zone, Greg Rallo centered a pass to Travis Morin, who lifted a shot in the right corner of Joey MacDonald’s net.

The Griffins benefited from a fortunate bounce that evened matters early in the second period. Francis Pare worked his way down the left side and put a shot on goal from the bottom of the circle that hit the leg of the crease-crashing Brandon Straub and caromed past Tyler Beskorowany at the 2:57 mark.

The score remained 1-1 until midway through the third period. Less than 30 seconds after the Griffins failed to capitalize on their fourth power play chance of the evening, Raymond Sawada beat MacDonald on a breakaway at 9:21. But it took Grand Rapids only 1:30 to respond, as Doug Janik drove the net to tap Jan Mursak’s feed from the left side just inside the right post.

The Griffins grabbed the lead at the 14:03 mark, when Tatar set up shop at the goalmouth and tipped Derek Meech’s blast past Beskorowany, putting the home team ahead 3-2. Grand Rapids, which outshot the Stars 14-7 for the period and 41-24 for the game, iced it with Johnson’s goal at 19:29 while Beskorowany was pulled for an extra attacker.

MacDonald made 22 saves in the win, while Beskorowany turned aside 37 shots in defeat.

Three Stars: 1. GR Tatar (game-winning goal); 2. TEX Sawada (goal); 3. GR Pare (assist)