WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Following a 4-1 deficit, the Grand Rapids Griffins rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Manitoba Moose at the Canada Life Centre on Friday. 

The Griffins set a season-high largest deficit overcome in the campaign at three goals with their comeback. Elmer Soderblom, Marco Kasper, Brogan Rafferty and Carter Mazur all recorded two points in the win. Since returning from his two-game stint in Detroit, Jonatan Berggren has collected eight points (2-6--8) in seven contests. The win snaps Grand Rapids' three-game losing streak while also extending their road winning streak to five games. 

The Griffins opened scoring roughly eight minutes into the opening stanza when Soderblom fired a rebound past Collin Delia from the low slot while on the power play to take a 1-0 lead at 7:35. Just a minute after the Griffins’ tally, a favorable bounce from a battle along the boards put the puck on the stick of Thomas Caron, who then fired the disc past the glove of Sebastian Cossa to tie the game at 1-1 with 11:25.

Shortly after their game-tying goal, the Moose capitalized on a man-advantage opportunity, as Nikita Chibrikov beat Cossa from the right circle for a 2-1 Manitoba lead at 12:21. While Cossa played the puck behind the goal, his pass went awry and ended with C.J. Suess burying the puck into an open net with 2:45 remaining in the first period.

While on a breakaway in the first half of the second frame, Jeff Mallot sank a shot into the back of the net from the left circle, which extended the Moose lead to 4-1 at 8:32. Grand Rapids cut Manitoba’s lead in half with a snipe from the bottom of the left circle, courtesy of Rafferty with 4:20 remaining in the second period.

A Manitoba turnover in the early stages of the final frame led to Dominik Shine ripping a blast past Delia and into the net from the point to make it a 4-3 game in favor of Manitoba at 1:49. While 6-on-4 in the waning minutes of the third period, Berggren tied the game at 4-4 with a bullet from the top of the left circle with 1:41 remaining.

Under a minute into overtime, a shot by Kasper from the bottom of the left circle was saved by Delia before a Moose defender collided with the goaltender and then the net, which led to the puck crossing the goal line and the goal being dislodged. The officials initially called no goal on the play. However, after a lengthy review, the officials called it a goal and the Griffins completed a 5-4 comeback win in overtime against the Moose. 

Notes
- Zach Aston-Reese skated in his 400th game as a pro. 
- Despite having played 60 games in Manitoba all time, Grand Rapids has never lost in overtime (32-24-0-0-3).
- With two man-advantage tallies tonight, the Griffins have scored a power-play goal in five of their last six contests. 

Box Score
Grand Rapids 1 1 2 1 - 5
Manitoba 3 1 0 0 - 4

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Soderblom 4 (Kasper, Tuomisto), 7:35 (PP). 2, Manitoba, Caron 1 (Torgersson, Capobianco), 8:35. 3, Manitoba, Chibrikov 11 (Ford, Capobianco), 12:21 (PP). 4, Manitoba, Suess 5 (Viel), 17:15. Penalties-Caron Mb (kneeing), 5:46; Edvinsson Gr (interference), 12:03; Reichel Mb (tripping), 12:37.

2nd Period-5, Manitoba, Malott 9 8:32. 6, Grand Rapids, Rafferty 2 (Czarnik, Spezia), 15:40. Penalties-Lundmark Mb (interference), 6:27; Mazur Gr (high-sticking), 18:47.

3rd Period-7, Grand Rapids, Shine 6 1:49. 8, Grand Rapids, Berggren 9 (Soderblom, Mazur), 18:19 (PP). Penalties-Ford Mb (delay of game), 10:48; Edvinsson Gr (tripping), 11:47; Aston-Reese Gr (tripping), 14:36; Malott Mb (high-sticking), 17:26.

OT Period-9, Grand Rapids, Kasper 4 (Rafferty, Mazur), 0:48. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 8-7-3-1-19. Manitoba 8-5-11-0-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 2 / 5; Manitoba 1 / 4.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 7-7-3 (24 shots-20 saves). Manitoba, Delia 7-13-1 (19 shots-14 saves).
A-2,302

Three Stars
1. GR Kasper (overtime-winner, assist); 2. MB Kyle Capobianco (two assists); 3. GR Soderblom (goal, assist)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 15-15-4-1 (35 pts.) / Fri., Jan. 20 at Manitoba 7 p.m. EST
Manitoba: 12-20-1-0 (25 pts.) / Fri., Jan. 20 vs. Grand Rapids 6 p.m. CST

Photo by Manitoba Moose