Cleveland Monsters 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3

Oct. 22, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins are off to their best start in eight years, thanks to a 3-2 win over the defending Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters on Saturday that pushed their record to 4-1.

The Griffins built a 3-0 lead at Van Andel Arena on the strength of Tyler Bertuzzi’s three-point night and another strong effort by Jared Coreau, before the Monsters showed their mettle by logging two late goals by Alex Broadhurst to make things interesting.

The game marked the first meeting of the teams since the 2016 Central Division Finals, which the Monsters claimed 4-2 – including overtime wins in Games 1 and 6 – en route to an otherwise perfect 15-2 run to the AHL title.

By handing Cleveland (2-1-0-0) its first loss of the season, the Griffins improved to 3-4 over their last seven regular season and playoff meetings with the Monsters, who have gone 15-0 versus the rest of the AHL during that time span.

Coreau made his fifth consecutive start in net for the Griffins, the second-most in franchise history to start a season, and he earned his pay during a scoreless opening period in which the Monsters amassed a commanding 16-7 advantage in shots.

A string of penalties early in the second period yielded little 5-on-5 time but still no goals, until Ben Street tallied at even strength at the 13:02 mark. Just 12 seconds after Anton Forsberg smothered his breakaway chance, Street banged home his own rebound at the right post for his first goal as a Griffin.

Grand Rapids struck again in the final minute of the frame to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Street stole a pass as the Monsters tried to exit their zone and quickly sent the puck into the left circle to Eric Tangradi, whose wrist shot was fought off by Forsberg. But Bertuzzi swooped in alone down the right side and popped the rebound into the net with 24 seconds showing on the clock.

The Griffins carried that momentum into the third period and needed only 29 seconds to increase their lead to three, as Robbie Russo connected on a blast from atop the right circle off a feed from Bertuzzi.

Coreau’s shutout bid was spoiled on Cleveland’s 32nd shot with 7:09 remaining, when Broadhurst potted Aaron Palushaj’s pass from behind the net into a gaping cage. Trailing by two, the visitors then pulled Forsberg in favor of an extra attacker with 2:30 remaining, and the move paid dividends with Broadhurst scoring from the bottom of the right circle at 19:15 for the game’s final goal.

In the end, Coreau’s 37 saves bested the 29 stops by Forsberg, who went 9-0 during the Monsters’ playoff run before earning Cleveland’s first two victories this season. Going back further, Forsberg had won 16 consecutive decisions since suffering a loss against Toronto on March 20.

The Griffins will try to continue their hot start when they visit Charlotte next Friday and Saturday for a set against the Checkers.

Notes: Grand Rapids had not won four of its first five games since starting 4-0-1-0 in 2008-09…Thirteen players on the Griffins’ current roster and 10 on the Monsters’ participated in last spring’s playoff series…Including that series, Bertuzzi has recorded eight points (5-3—8) in his last seven games against the Monsters.

Three Stars: 1. GR Bertuzzi (goal, two assists); 2. CLE Broadhurst (two goals); 3. GR Street (goal, assist)