GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins' point streak extended to 18 games despite a chaotic third period, which led to a 5-4 overtime loss at the hands of the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena on Saturday. 

The Griffins are one game away from tying their franchise record of 19 straight games, a feat that last came from Feb. 4-March 20, 2015. Grand Rapids exited its season-high six-game homestand with a 5-0-1-0 record. Jonatan Berggren's point streak carried on to five games (2-5--7) with his two helpers tonight, which put the Swede at 27 points (11-16--27) in his last 23 contests. Carter Mazur's two points (1-1--2) extended his point streak to three games. Matt Luff's first goal of the season came as part of a two-point night (1-1--2) for the veteran. Sebastian Cossa stretched his point streak to 10 games (7-0-3). 

The Griffins’ power play came through for the first goal of the game late in the opening frame when Austin Czarnik wired a pass to Mazur, who then released a one-timer past Jaxson Stauber from the bottom of the left circle at 15:17. Luff doubled the Griffins’ lead after he chopped the puck down at the blue line, skated in on Stauber and found twine from the slot with 1:06 remaining in the first period.

An on-the-money pass from Berggren deflected off of Marco Kasper's stick on the doorstep and into the back of the net, which made it a 3-0 game for Grand Rapids at 5:50 in the middle frame.

Rockford got on the board during a 4-on-3 man-advantage in the second period, as Cole Guttman deflected a pass behind Cossa from the crease that hit the crossbar and bounced in with 8:03 remaining in the stanza.

At the end of the second period, the Griffins were given three straight penalties, two of which overlapped for two 5-on-3 power plays for the IceHogs. However, Grand Rapids killed off both 5-on-3 opportunities and the 5-on-4 man-advantage.

Rockford scored a trio of quick goals in the final frame to take the lead over the Griffins. The IceHogs’ first tally came when Brett Seney received a pass from behind the goal line and fired the puck into the net from the slot at 11:35. Jackson Cates matched Grand Rapids’ goal total after he buried a rebound while in the crease with 7:43 remaining. Guttman then potted the go-ahead goal from the doorstep with his second tally of the night at 13:03.

Grand Rapids stopped the bleeding with an equalizer, as Joel L’Esperance finished off a puck that dribbled behind Stauber from the crease for a 4-4 contest with 2:41 remaining.

With the game tied up at four, the Griffins and IceHogs entered an overtime period. Ethan Del Mastro capped off Rockford's comeback win when he ripped the overtime-winning goal into the net from the low slot at 3:46 in the extra frame, which left the Griffins with a 5-4 overtime loss to the IceHogs.

Notes  
-  Antti Tuomisto skated in his 100th professional game while Simon Edvinsson played in his 100th game as a Griffin. 
- Zach Aston-Reese stretched his point streak (3-1--4) to four games and Tuomisto propelled his assist streak (0-4--4) to three.
- The Griffins' home point streak extended to 13 games, which was last accomplished during a 15-game run from Nov. 11, 2015-Jan. 17, 2016.

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

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Mazur 14 (Czarnik, Berggren), 15:17 (PP). 2, Grand Rapids, Luff 1 (Aston-Reese, Tuomisto), 18:54. Penalties-Edvinsson Gr (holding the stick), 11:29; Del Mastro Rfd (roughing), 14:25; Seney Rfd (hooking), 15:49.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Kasper 10 (Berggren, Mazur), 5:50. 4, Rockford, Guttman 6 (Seney, Pitlick), 11:57 (PP). Penalties-Kaiser Rfd (roughing), 10:06; Johansson Gr (roughing), 10:06; Gettinger Gr (cross-checking), 10:52; Rolston Rfd (high-sticking), 13:12; Kaiser Rfd (roughing), 14:00; Berggren Gr (hooking, roughing, misconduct - abuse of officials), 14:00; Luff Gr (interference), 17:49; Shine Gr (cross-checking), 18:08; Didier Gr (cross-checking), 19:57.

3rd Period-5, Rockford, Seney 17 (Guttman, Pitlick), 11:35. 6, Rockford, Cates 8 (Teply, Reichel), 12:17. 7, Rockford, Guttman 7 (Allan, Del Mastro), 13:03. 8, Grand Rapids, L’Esperance 13 (Gettinger, Luff), 17:19. Penalties-Shine Gr (cross-checking), 2:07; Reichel Rfd (hooking), 4:20; Seney Rfd (delay of game), 15:18.

OT Period-9, Rockford, Del Mastro 7 (Reichel), 3:46. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Rockford 4-9-9-4-26. Grand Rapids 12-5-6-1-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Rockford 1 / 6; Grand Rapids 1 / 5.
Goalies-Rockford, Stauber 10-7-3 (24 shots-20 saves). Grand Rapids, Cossa 13-7-6 (26 shots-21 saves).
A-8,344

Three Stars
1. RFD Del Mastro (goal, assist); 2. RFD Guttman (two goals, assist); 3. GR Mazur (goal, assist)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 27-15-6-3 (63 pts.) / Mon., March 4 at Cleveland 7 p.m.
Rockford: 24-21-5-2 (55 pts.) / Sat., March 9 at Chicago 7 p.m. CST

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins