ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Ondrej Becher’s third-period game-winner propelled the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 4-2 victory over the Rockford IceHogs at the BMO Center on Friday.

John Leonard returned from recall and notched a shorthanded goal and an assist, while Carter Mazur potted his seventh tally of the season. Grand Rapids improved to 44-11-3-1 through 59 games (92 pts.), and boasted its road record to 21-4-1-1. The Griffins went 4-for-4 on their league-leading penalty kill and 0-for-3 on the power play, while Michal Postava notched 20 saves to move to 13-5-0 on the campaign.

Leonard put the Griffins up 1-0 while shorthanded 10:23 into the first period when he grabbed the puck in the neutral zone, slipped ahead of Derrick Pouliot on a breakaway, and put it between the pads of Drew Commesso. On a 2-on-1 chance, Rem Pitlick tucked one past Postava on the doorstep with 4:11 left, tying it at 1-1.

Grand Rapids reclaimed its one-goal lead at 10:04 in the second frame when Mazur powered down the near boards, cut across the right circle and popped it into the top-right corner. With 3:06 to go, Rockford knotted it at 2-2 when Joey Anderson snapped one between Postava’s pads from the left circle.

Becher put the Griffins back ahead by one with 14:22 on the clock in the final slate. Shai Buium fed him one up the middle, and the Czechia, native, walked in and flipped it in on his backhand. The IceHogs pulled Commeso with 2:13 left, and Jakub Rychlovsky bagged the empty-netter, giving the Griffins a 4-2 win. 

Notes

• With the victory, Grand Rapids clinched a bye in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
• Eddie Genborg made his AHL debut with the Griffins after signing to an amateur tryout on March 15. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 1 1 2 - 4

Rockford 1 1 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Leonard 28 (Angle), 10:23 (SH). 2, Rockford, Pitlick 18 (Engelbert, Pouliot), 15:49. Penalties-Doucet Gr (illegal check to the head), 9:14; Gagnier Rfd (high-sticking), 12:35.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Mazur 7 (Leonard, Kannok Leipert), 10:04. 4, Rockford, Anderson 12 (Seney, Savoie), 16:54. Penalties-Tuomisto Gr (hooking), 4:16; Mosley Rfd (holding), 17:46.

3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Becher 8 (Doucet, Buium), 5:38. 6, Grand Rapids, Rychlovský 6   19:01 (EN). Penalties-Mazur Gr (tripping), 0:33; Dufour Gr (slashing), 7:20; Savoie Rfd (interference), 9:40.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 13-9-10-32. Rockford 4-8-10-22.

Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 3; Rockford 0 / 4.

Goalies-Grand Rapids, Postava 13-5-0 (22 shots-20 saves). Rockford, Commesso 11-17-2 (31 shots-28 saves).

A-4,647

Three Stars

1. GR Becher (game-winner) 2. GR Mazur (goal) 3. GR Leonard (goal, assist)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 44-11-3-1 (92 pts.) / Sat., March 21 at Milwaukee 7 p.m. EDT

Rockford: 22-33-3-2 (49 pts.) / Sat., March 21 at Chicago 7 p.m. CDT

Photo by Rockford IceHogs/Kristin Ostrowski