WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Behind a shootout-winner and a regulation strike from Cross Hanas, the Grand Rapids Griffins secured a 3-2 shootout victory over the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday at the Canada Life Centre. 

Hanas’ goal marked his ninth of the year and his third in the last five games. Joe Snively scored the other regulation tally, earning him his first career 20-goal season and the team-high in tallies. Snively has collected five points in the last five games (2-3—5). Amadeus Lombardi skated in his 100th game as a Griffin. Goaltender Sebastian Cossa saved 32 shots, alongside three more in the shootout. Cossa improved to 17-10-5 on the year with a .914 save percentage and a 2.36 goals-against average. 

The Griffins fell behind 8-2 in shots but came alive in the waning minutes of the first period, tying the shots at eight and earning the game’s first power-play chance with 1:54 left in the first frame. However, Grand Rapids came up empty-handed and the outing remained scoreless through the first stanza.

Just 1:21 into the second period, Manitoba took the lead when Fabian Wagner fired the puck past the outstretched leg of Cossa. At 11:32, the Griffins killed off a penalty and followed it up with a goal of their own to tie the game at one with 4:48 left in the frame. Antti Tuomisto flicked a shot toward the goalmouth and Hanas tucked the rebound into the back of the net. 

The Griffins drew a penalty 1:46 into the third period and seemingly scored on the man-advantage at 3:19 when Hanas netted his second goal, but the officials called it off, saying Hanas kicked the disc. However, with 13:51 left, Grand Rapids took the lead. Nate Danielson controlled the puck behind the Manitoba net and passed it out in front for Austin Watson who powered through a defender, sending the disc into the crease behind netminder Kaapo Kahkonen. Snively was waiting right on the doorstep and he shoveled it home.

With 5:06 remaining, the Griffins were whistled for a penalty and followed it up with a double-minor high sticking call against Dominik Shine at 15:50, granting the Moose 1:04 of a 5-on-3. Just 10 seconds later, Elias Salomonsson scored on the man-advantage, tying the game at two with four minutes left. Manitoba had 3:50 of the power play remaining, but the Griffins penalty kill held strong to keep the Moose off the board, extending the game to overtime. 

Grand Rapids registered just one shot in the extra period when William Wallinder skated into the Manitoba zone alone on a breakaway but was turned away by Kahkonen at 1:10. However, Cossa stopped all three Manitoba tries on the other end, launching the game into a shootout.

The Moose deferred to Grand Rapids but both first-round attempts were stopped. Danielson shot second and buried the chance. Yet, Brad Lambert lit the lamp for Manitoba, tying the skills competition heading into the third round. Snively and Dominic Toninato failed to give their team the lead, but Hanas snapped the puck past the netminder in the fourth round. Manitoba had one more attempt to tie the shootout but Cossa poked it away from C.J. Suess and the Griffins won 3-2. 

Notes

• Grand Rapids improved to 6-2 in the shootout this season.
• The Griffins finished 5-3-0-0 against the Moose in their eight-game season series.
• 12 of the last 16 meetings between Grand Rapids and Manitoba have been decided by one goal, including seven out of eight this year. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 1 1 0 - 3
Manitoba 0 1 1 0 - 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Shaw Mb (slashing), 18:06.

2nd Period-1, Manitoba, Wagner 1 (Anhorn), 1:21. 2, Grand Rapids, Hanas 9 (Doucet, Tuomisto), 15:12. Penalties-Toninato Mb (delay of game - faceoff violation (batting puck with hand)), 5:57; Dello Gr (tripping), 11:32.

3rd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Snively 20 (Watson, Danielson), 6:09. 4, Manitoba, Salomonsson 4 (Anderson-Dolan, Lambert), 16:00 (PP). Penalties-Toninato Mb (high-sticking), 1:46; Rafferty Gr (tripping), 7:31; Buium Gr (hooking), 14:54; Shine Gr (double minor - high-sticking), 15:50.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout - Grand Rapids 2 (Lombardi NG, Danielson G, Snively NG, Hanas G), Manitoba 1 (Anderson-Dolan NG, Lambert G, Toninato NG, Suess NG).
Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 8-8-6-1-1-24. Manitoba 8-11-12-3-0-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 3; Manitoba 1 / 5.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 17-10-5 (34 shots-32 saves). Manitoba, Kähkönen 6-16-1 (23 shots-21 saves).
A-1,659

Three Stars 

1. GR Hanas (shootout-winner, goal); 2. MB Wagner (goal); 3. GR Cossa (SOW, 32 saves)

Record/Next Game 

Grand Rapids: 29-21-4-2 (64 pts.) / Sat., March 8 at Chicago 8 p.m. EST

Manitoba: 19-30-1-3 (42 pts.) / Sat., March 8 vs. Calgary 2 p.m.

Photo by Manitoba Moose