MILWAUKEE -- The Grand Rapids Griffins earned their fifth consecutive win, 4-2, behind two power-play goals and a short-handed score against the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday at Panther Arena in a match-up between the two top teams in the Central Division. 

Joe Snively and Jakub Rychlovsky both tallied the Griffins’ power-play scores, and Alex Doucet extended his point streak to three (2-1—3) with a short-handed goal. Grand Rapids has scored four short-handed tallies in their last five outings. Cross Hanas cashed in his third goal in the last five games and rookie Ondrej Becher got his first AHL point with an assist. William Lagesson (1-3—4) and Snively (3-1—4) both increased their point streaks to three. Ville Husso returned to the crease and saved 30 shots in the win, improving to a 3-0-0 record with a .952 save percentage and a 1.46 goals-against average. The 11-3-1-0 record is good for the Griffins’ second-best start in franchise history through 15 games, tying an 11-3-0-1 start in 2005-06. 

Two slashing calls against the Admirals gave the Griffins 20 seconds of 5-on-3 play at 12:34 in the first period and Snively took advantage, snapping the puck past Magnus Chrona from the bottom of the right circle at 12:48. Grand Rapids remained on the 5-on-4 man-advantage and scored its second power-play goal of the night from Rychlovsky with 5:29 remaining. Becher passed from the left-wing corner to Rychlovsky for his first AHL point. 

The Griffins extended their lead to three at 10:48 in the second frame when Hanas cashed in his fifth goal of the year. Milwaukee lost the puck behind the red line and Hanas collected it inside the left circle for the score. The Admirals got their first tally with a power-play goal of their own in the final seconds of the period at 19:56 when Kieffer Bellows found an opening past the stick of Husso. 

Milwaukee brought the score within one on a short-handed goal with 14:38 remaining. A Griffin turnover gave Joakim Kemell the puck and he snapped it past the glove of Husso. However, Doucet secured the Griffins’ fourth short-handed goal of the year at 17:32 to put Grand Rapids back up by two. Doucet leaked out in front of Milwaukee defenders when the puck was cleared out of Grand Rapids’ zone and put the game out of reach. The Admirals pulled Chrona with 2:03 to play but couldn’t find the back of the net, as the Griffins skated off with a 4-2 win. 

Notes

• The Griffins are tied for first in the AHL with four short-handers. 
• Grand Rapids has scored 23 goals in its last five games (4.60 per game). 
• Through five career games with the Griffins, Husso has a 4-0-0 record with two shutouts, a 1.13 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 2 1 1 - 4
Milwaukee 0 1 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Snively 5 (Rafferty), 12:48 (PP). 2, Grand Rapids, Rychlovsky 2 (Becher, Lagesson), 14:31 (PP). Penalties-Bellows Mil (slashing), 10:54; Matier Mil (slashing), 12:34.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Hanas 5   10:48. 4, Milwaukee, Bellows 6 (Ufko, Hinostroza), 19:56 (PP). Penalties-Watson Gr (fighting), 7:55; Marino Mil (fighting), 7:55; Schaefer Mil (charging), 8:33; Seger Gr (tripping), 14:45; Snively Gr (hooking), 19:45.

3rd Period-5, Milwaukee, Kemell 5   5:22 (SH). 6, Grand Rapids, Doucet 3   17:32 (SH). Penalties-Gravel Mil (holding), 4:36; Dello Gr (tripping), 6:57; Lagesson Gr (high-sticking), 16:17; Watson Gr (tripping), 17:57; Bellows Mil (misconduct), 20:00.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 13-4-7-24. Milwaukee 11-14-7-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 2 / 4; Milwaukee 1 / 5.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Husso 3-0-0 (32 shots-30 saves). Milwaukee, Chrona 4-2-0 (24 shots-20 saves).
A-6,321

Three Stars 

1. GR Husso (W, 30 saves); 2. GR Hanas (game-winner); 3. MIL Bellows (power-play goal)

Record/Next Game 

Grand Rapids: 11-3-1-0 (23 pts.) / Fri., Nov. 22 vs. Iowa 7 p.m. 

Milwaukee: 9-3-0-1 (19 pts.) / Sat., Nov. 23 at Cleveland 4 p.m. CST 

Photo by Brianna Nevins/Admirals