GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4 at Lake Erie Monsters 3 (SO)

Dec. 20, 2014

CLEVELAND - Teemu Pulkkinen prevented Lake Erie from completing a two-goal comeback by scoring the winning goal in the sixth round of the shootout as the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Monsters 4-3 Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

It was the second time Pulkkinen got the puck past Monsters goalie Roman Will, as he tied the game earlier in the first period 1-1 when he skated and fired a low wrister inside the blue line through Will’s legs at 17:31. Mitch Callahan got the assist when he caused a turnover in the neutral zone and passed the puck to Pulkkinen prior to scoring.

Prior to Pulkkinen’s goal, the home team got on the scoreboard first at 10:54 when Mike Sgarbossa followed up a shot from Andrew Agozzino and flicked the puck over Jared Coreau for his fifth goal of the year.

The opening period ended with the Griffins taking a lead when Landon Ferraro was credited with his ninth goal of the season following a deflection Will following Ferraro centering the puck at 19:05. Tomas Nosek earned the assist on the goal.

Grand Rapids (14-10-3-0) extended its’ lead to 3-1 in the second period after Louis-Marc Aubry’s third tally of the campaign at 6:23. Aubry stole the puck from Kyle Stollery and fired a shot inside the far goal post under Will’s stick.

Lake Erie (13-10-2-3) began its’ comeback during a five-on-three power play at 11:12 of the middle frame when Maxim Noreau scored his seventh goal of the season when he took a pass from Colin Smith and blasted a slap shot through traffic past Coreau.

The Monsters tied the game with less than five minutes remaining in regulation when Smith tipped a pass from Michael Schumacher past Coreau for his eighth goal of the year.

Overtime produced a few scoring chances by both teams, with the biggest chance coming from Andy Miele late in overtime when he made a move around Will but he was able to swing his pad inside the goalpost just as Miele was about to stuff the puck inside the net.

The shootout produced a goals from Miele in the first round and Tomas Vincour in the second round. Miele scored on a deke while Vincour put a shot on Coreau but it rolled past him and crossed the goal line before Coreau could cover it.

Eight straight players missed between the two teams before Pulkkinen got Will to expose the top half of the net following a deke to score the forehanded winner.

Coreau made 34 saves to improve his record to 6-0 this season while Will’s record is now 2-4-1 after making 25 saves in the loss. Grand Rapids failed to score on one power play while Lake Erie scored once on three power play chances.

Grand Rapids will finish its two-game road swing in Rosemont, Ill. Monday to face Chicago at 8 p.m. EST.

Notes: Grand Rapids improved its record in shootouts this year to 2-0. Lake Erie’s record in the shootout is now 0-3… Coreau tied the franchise record of six consecutive wins to begin the season, following Petr Mrazek in 2012-13 and Tom McCollum last season.

Three Stars: 1. GR Pulkkinen (goal, shootout-clinching goal); 2. LE Noreau (goal, assist); 3. LE Agozzino (goal).

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4 at Lake Erie Monsters 3 (SO)

Dec. 20, 2014

CLEVELAND - Teemu Pulkkinen prevented Lake Erie from completing a two-goal comeback by scoring the winning goal in the sixth round of the shootout as the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Monsters 4-3 Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

It was the second time Pulkkinen got the puck past Monsters goalie Roman Will, as he tied the game earlier in the first period 1-1 when he skated and fired a low wrister inside the blue line through Will’s legs at 17:31. Mitch Callahan got the assist when he caused a turnover in the neutral zone and passed the puck to Pulkkinen prior to scoring.

Prior to Pulkkinen’s goal, the home team got on the scoreboard first at 10:54 when Mike Sgarbossa followed up a shot from Andrew Agozzino and flicked the puck over Jared Coreau for his fifth goal of the year.

The opening period ended with the Griffins taking a lead when Landon Ferraro was credited with his ninth goal of the season following a deflection Will following Ferraro centering the puck at 19:05. Tomas Nosek earned the assist on the goal.

Grand Rapids (14-10-3-0) extended its’ lead to 3-1 in the second period after Louis-Marc Aubry’s third tally of the campaign at 6:23. Aubry stole the puck from Kyle Stollery and fired a shot inside the far goal post under Will’s stick.

Lake Erie (13-10-2-3) began its’ comeback during a five-on-three power play at 11:12 of the middle frame when Maxim Noreau scored his seventh goal of the season when he took a pass from Colin Smith and blasted a slap shot through traffic past Coreau.

The Monsters tied the game with less than five minutes remaining in regulation when Smith tipped a pass from Michael Schumacher past Coreau for his eighth goal of the year.

Overtime produced a few scoring chances by both teams, with the biggest chance coming from Andy Miele late in overtime when he made a move around Will but he was able to swing his pad inside the goalpost just as Miele was about to stuff the puck inside the net.

The shootout produced a goals from Miele in the first round and Tomas Vincour in the second round. Miele scored on a deke while Vincour put a shot on Coreau but it rolled past him and crossed the goal line before Coreau could cover it.

Eight straight players missed between the two teams before Pulkkinen got Will to expose the top half of the net following a deke to score the forehanded winner.

Coreau made 34 saves to improve his record to 6-0 this season while Will’s record is now 2-4-1 after making 25 saves in the loss. Grand Rapids failed to score on one power play while Lake Erie scored once on three power play chances.

Grand Rapids will finish its two-game road swing in Rosemont, Ill. Monday to face Chicago at 8 p.m. EST.

Notes: Grand Rapids improved its record in shootouts this year to 2-0. Lake Erie’s record in the shootout is now 0-3… Coreau tied the franchise record of six consecutive wins to begin the season, following Petr Mrazek in 2012-13 and Tom McCollum last season.

Three Stars: 1. GR Pulkkinen (goal, shootout-clinching goal); 2. LE Noreau (goal, assist); 3. LE Agozzino (goal).