WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Sheldon Dries scored both goals for Grand Rapids, including a power-play goal in the final minute of regulation, as the Griffins secured the two-game series sweep over the Manitoba Moose with a 2-1 win on Saturday at the Canada Life Centre. 

The win propelled the Griffins to 6-1-1-0 in their past eight road outings and marked their fifth straight game with a point. Dries now leads the team with 17 goals this season and he extended his point streak to five (5-1—6) behind his fourth straight game with a goal. Dominik Shine also increased his point streak to five (1-6—7), earning assists on both Griffins’ goals. Goaltender Sebastian Cossa went between the pipes for Grand Rapids and turned away 33 shots, improving to a .920 save percentage alongside a 2.25 goals-against average. Cossa has collected a win in his last three appearances, bringing his season record to 13-7-3. 

The first period finished scoreless on both sides. The Griffins got called for the lone penalty of the frame at 17:39, but they killed it off. Despite the even zeros, Manitoba outshot Grand Rapids 13-3. 

The Griffins earned their first power-play chance just 3:56 into the second period and Shine generated a great scoring chance for Grand Rapids with 15:53 left in the frame. A pass from Ondrej Becher found Shine wide open in the right circle. Shine faked out the netminder and swam through the low slot for a backhand shot but goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen dove across the crease to save the puck. With seven minutes left in the second, C.J. Suess had a breakaway chance for the Moose, but Cossa made a diving stop of his own to keep the game tied at zero through 40 minutes. 

A Manitoba penalty allowed Grand Rapids to go back on the power play with 16:37 left to play. The Griffins generated plenty of scoring chances but failed to cash in and committed a penalty at 6:19 to put the Moose on the advantage. Just eight seconds into the Manitoba power play, Parker Ford scored, giving the Moose a 1-0 lead. Yet, at 8:01, Shine sent a wraparound pass out in front of the crease past Kahkonen and Dries buried the chance on an empty net, tying the score with his first goal of the contest. The tally by Dries snapped Kahkonen’s streak of 108:01 minutes of shutout hockey against Grand Rapids, dating back to his shutout performance on Jan. 11. 

With 2:54 left, the Griffins earned their third power play of the outing. As the clock ticked down on the advantage, Joe Snively fired a pass past the outstretched leg of Kahkonen and Dries tapped in the game-winner from just outside the crease with one minute left to play. The Moose gained possession and pulled Kahkonen with 38 seconds remaining, but the Griffins kept Manitoba off the board and skated away with a 2-1 victory. 

Notes

• In the two-game series against Manitoba, six of the Griffins’ seven goals occurred in the third period. 
• 11 of the last 14 matchups between Grand Rapids and Manitoba have been decided by one goal, including all six this year. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 0 2 - 2
Manitoba 0 0 1 - 1

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Viro Gr (holding), 17:39.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Shaw Mb (slashing), 3:56.

3rd Period-1, Manitoba, Ford 11 (Anderson-Dolan, Coghlan), 6:27 (PP). 2, Grand Rapids, Dries 16 (Shine), 8:01. 3, Grand Rapids, Dries 17 (Snively, Shine), 19:00 (PP). Penalties-Anhorn Mb (hooking), 3:23; Hanas Gr (interference), 6:19; Lucius Mb (hooking), 17:06.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 3-12-11-26. Manitoba 13-12-9-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 1 / 3; Manitoba 1 / 2.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 13-7-3 (34 shots-33 saves). Manitoba, Kähkönen 5-12-0 (26 shots-24 saves).
A-4,060

Three Stars 

1. GR Dries (two goals); 2. MB Kahkonen (L, 24 saves); 3. MB Ford (goal)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 24-12-3-1 (52 pts.) / Wed., Jan. 29 vs. Rockford 7 p.m. 

Manitoba: 11-23-1-1 (24 pts.) / Wed., Jan. 29 at Chicago 7 p.m.

Photo by Manitoba Moose