ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Rookie Trey Augustine earned his first professional victory on Saturday, making 27 saves in the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 4-2 win over the Rockford IceHogs at the BMO Center in the first game of a weekend home-and-home between the teams.

Fueled by a three-goal second period, the Griffins survived a late push from the IceHogs to improve to 4-1-1-0, with Augustine making several key stops in the final minutes to preserve a one-goal lead before John Leonard scored into an empty net to salt away the game. Leonard (2-0–2), Ondrej Becher (0-2–2), Dominik Shine (0-2–2) and Jacob Bryson (0-2–2) led the way for the Griffins on offense.

Grand Rapids was the aggressor during a high-octane first period, outshooting Rockford 15-4. The Griffins stifled the IceHogs, registering eight shots before Rockford mustered its first at the 13:26 mark, and fended off two man-advantages for the home team. However, despite three power-play opportunities of its own, Grand Rapids was unable to convert over the opening 20 minutes of play.

The offensive persistence finally paid off for the Griffins early in the second period, when Jacob Truscott drove to the goal line and backhanded a shot toward the net. Carter Bear was waiting at the edge of the crease to jam the puck past Stanislav Berezhnoy to give Grand Rapids the lead 3:53 into the frame.

Less than a minute later, the Griffins took advantage of a Berezhnoy misplay to strike again. Off a Jesse Kiiskinen dump-in, the goalie went behind his net to retrieve the puck but fumbled it due to pressure from Becher, who quickly tapped it out front for a Dylan James blast into the vacated net. James’ goal, his fourth in just eight career AHL games, gave Grand Rapids a 2-0 advantage at the 4:28 mark.

During a 5-on-3 Griffins power play near the end of the period, Leonard took a pass from Bryson and slid to the top of the circles before sniping a shot into the top left corner with 1:35 remaining. It was the first power-play goal allowed this season by Rockford, which had killed off its opponents’ first 23 opportunities.

With 9:13 left in the game, Rockford scored its first goal when Nick Lardis took a centering pass from Gavin Hayes and popped a shot past Augustine from the right hashmarks to cut Grand Rapids’ lead to 3-1. At the 13:35 mark, Brett Seney trimmed the margin to one by potting a juicy rebound off a Hayes shot from the right circle.

With 2:25 remaining, the Griffins committed a penalty and Rockford pulled its goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage. Augustine dashed to the right post to rob Lardis’ one-timer with his left pad with 1:46 on the clock, and the former Michigan State Spartan again stoned Lardis on a try from the left circle with 30 seconds left. Leonard then scored the empty-netter on a power play with 15 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach and seal the 4-2 win.

Notes

• Grand Rapids’ league-leading penalty kill went 6-for-6 and has allowed only one goal in 24 times shorthanded this season. 
• Leonard’s two goals were his first of the season. He missed the Griffins’ first four games due to injury before making his season debut against Chicago last Sunday.

Box Score
Grand Rapids 0 3 1 - 4
Rockford 0 0 2 - 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Buium Gr (hooking), 6:28; Savoie Rfd (tripping), 8:47; Bear Gr (high-sticking), 12:45; Spellacy Rfd (slashing), 14:54; Lardis Rfd (hooking), 18:25.

2nd Period-1, Grand Rapids, Bear 2 (Truscott, Shine), 3:53. 2, Grand Rapids, James 2 (Becher), 4:28. 3, Grand Rapids, Leonard 1 (Bryson, Becher), 18:25 (PP). Penalties-Butler Gr (fighting), 3:14; Cumby Rfd (fighting), 3:14; Lagesson Gr (holding), 11:23; Kiiskinen Gr (fighting), 14:26; Furlong Rfd (fighting), 14:26; Lagesson Gr (holding the stick), 15:31; Lardis Rfd (tripping), 17:05; Mackey Rfd (cross-checking), 17:36.

3rd Period-4, Rockford, Lardis 1 (Hayes, Anhorn), 10:47. 5, Rockford, Seney 2 (Hayes, Lardis), 13:35. 6, Grand Rapids, Leonard 2 (Shine, Bryson), 19:45 (PP EN). Penalties-Bryson Gr (tripping), 2:57; Bear Gr (interference), 17:35; Felcman Rfd (hooking), 18:21.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 15-15-7-37. Rockford 4-12-13-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 2 / 6; Rockford 0 / 6.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Augustine 1-1-1 (29 shots-27 saves). Rockford, Berezhnoy 1-1-0 (36 shots-33 saves).
A-4,320

Three Stars
1. GR Leonard (two goals); 2. GR Becher (two assists); 3. GR Augustine (W, 27 saves)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 4-1-1-0 (9 pts.) / Sun., Oct. 18 vs. Rockford 4 p.m.
Rockford: 1-4-0-0 (2 pts.) / Sun., Oct. 18 at Grand Rapids 3 p.m. CDT

Photo by Kristin Ostrowski/Rockford IceHogs