ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Gabriel Seger’s first two-goal game as a professional gave the Grand Rapids Griffins a 4-2 win over the Rockford IceHogs on Friday at the BMO Center. 

The Griffins tallied nine goals in two nights after scoring four total in their previous three-game skid. With two assists in the outing, Dominik Shine now has eight points in his last seven games (3-5—8). Sheldon Dries cashed in his second goal in two games and Josiah Didier tallied his first of the year with an empty netter. Sebastian Cossa collected 27 saves on 29 shots and improved to 5-3-1 this season with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage through nine contests. The 23 goals allowed through 12 games by Grand Rapids are the second fewest in franchise history, as it allowed 21 in 2004-05.

Just 1:10 into the first frame, Cossa got knocked down and Rockford found the back of the net, but after the referees discussed the play the goal was called off. Shine almost cashed in the Griffins' third short-handed tally in the last two outings on a breakaway chance at 14:50 when his shot went through the five-hole of Drew Commesso, but the puck hit the right post and bounced away. 

Neither team found paydirt in the second period despite a flurry of chances on both sides. The Griffins found themselves on a 5-on-3 disadvantage with 7:45 remaining and the IceHogs almost took the lead when a strike by Frank Nazar hit the post at 12:10. The Griffins went on to kill off all four power-play opportunities for Rockford. 

The scoreless drought was broken by Grand Rapids at 2:38 in the final frame thanks to Seger’s first goal of the night. Brogan Rafferty sent a pass from the right-wing boards out in front of the net and Seger shot underneath the pads of Commesso to light the lamp. Less than three minutes passed before Seger scored again to put the Griffins up 2-0 with 14:36 left to play. Antti Tuomisto fired a shot from the blue line and Seger deflected it past the netminder. 

Nazar put the IceHogs on the board at 10:19 when he skated behind Griffins' defenders and tallied a short-handed goal. Rockford evened the score with 6:14 remaining when a strike above the left circle from Michigan State University graduate Artyom Levshunov found the back of the net. However, the tie was short lived, as Dries gave the Griffins the lead back at 14:54. Shine found Dries just inside the left circle and he snapped the puck inside the right goalpost. 

The IceHogs pulled Commesso with 2:41 left to play and attempted to even the score, but the Griffins turned away their attempts. Didier cashed in the empty netter with six seconds remaining and Grand Rapids skated away with the 4-2 win. 

Notes 

• Cross Hanas skated in his 100th game as a Griffin. 
• Grand Rapids improved to 7-0-1-0 when scoring the game’s first goal. 

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 0 4 - 4
Rockford 0 0 2 - 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Levshunov Rfd (holding), 7:49; Danielson Gr (tripping), 9:27; Tuomisto Gr (tripping), 12:29; Cates Rfd (holding), 19:51.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Cates Rfd (holding), 2:07; Danielson Gr (high-sticking), 11:21; Lagesson Gr (holding), 12:15; Korchinski Rfd (holding), 17:28.

3rd Period-1, Grand Rapids, Seger 2 (Rafferty), 2:38. 2, Grand Rapids, Seger 3 (Tuomisto), 5:24. 3, Rockford, Nazar 4 (Slaggert), 10:19 (SH). 4, Rockford, Levshunov 1 (Slaggert, Dach), 13:46. 5, Grand Rapids, Dries 4 (Shine), 14:54. 6, Grand Rapids, Didier 1 (Shine), 19:54 (EN). Penalties-Dach Rfd (slashing), 8:47.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 10-10-9-29. Rockford 8-10-11-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 5; Rockford 0 / 4.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 5-3-1 (29 shots-27 saves). Rockford, Commesso 2-2-0 (28 shots-25 saves).
A-3,523

Three Stars 

1. GR Seger (two goals); 2. Dries (game-winner); 3. RFD Landon Slaggert (two assists)

Record/Next Game 

Grand Rapids: 8-3-1-0 (17 pts.) / Wed., Nov. 13 vs. Rockford 11 a.m. 

Rockford: 3-5-0-0 (6 pts.) / Sat., Nov. 9 vs. Iowa 7 p.m. CST 

Photo by Jenna Spanola/Rockford IceHogs