Red Team 4 vs. White Team 2

Jan. 15, 2013

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins joined forces with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday to help the parent club prepare for the NHL regular season, and several Griffins factored into the scoring in a 4-2 Team Red victory over Team White in front of a packed Compuware Arena.

Four of the game’s six goals were scored by active members of the Griffins, as the game involved mixed rosters as well as a post-game shootout.

Trevor Parkes opened the scoring in the final minute of the first period, converting after generating several chances for Team White during his first few shifts. Triston Grant knocked the puck off the stick of Riley Sheahan, springing Parkes in alone on Red Wings netminder Jonas Gustavsson, burying his opportunity to give his squad the one-goal advantage.

The second period brought the sellout crowd to life, featuring the bulk of the game’s offense. Detroit forward Drew Miller evened the score at one after pouncing on a loose puck in front of Jimmy Howard’s crease, after linemate and ex-Griffin Cory Emmerton helped feed the puck in front.

Current Griffins accounted for the game’s next two goals, one for each side. Grand Rapids captain Jeff Hoggan capitalized on another frantic goalmouth scramble, banking a shot off the back of Gustavsson from behind the net to provide a 2-1 advantage. A former Griffin and current Griffin combined for Team Red to even the score at two, after Louis-Marc Aubry tipped a Jonathan Ericsson blast behind Howard.

Minted with the captain’s ‘C’ in a press conference prior to the game, Henrik Zetterberg put Team Red on top for good. Ericsson’s long breakout feed was received by Damien Brunner, who cut towards the goal for a strong scoring chance on Howard. His chance was denied, but Zetterberg collected the rebound and scored from a sharp angle to put Team Red up 3-2 in the late stages of the second frame.

Grand Rapids veteran defenseman Nathan Paetsch added the insurance for Team Red after one an individual effort from Tomas Tatar, taking a feed in the high slot and placing a shot past the blocker of Howard and just inside the post.

Despite the two-goal lead, the game went to a shootout following 60 minutes of regulation. Team White struck back in the skills competition, as the Griffins alumnus Howard steered aside five consecutive shootout opportunities to help his side take a 3-0 win. Valterri Filppula and Todd Bertuzzi each converted on their opportunities, while Brendan Smith brought the crowd to its feet with a spectacular one-handed move.

The Griffins will resume their regular season schedule tomorrow night, flying out following the scrimmage to Charlotte to take on the Checkers on Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., before concluding the road trip in Rockford on Saturday at 8:05 p.m. EST.

Box Score
First Period
1-0 White – Trevor Parkes (Triston Grant) – 19:17

Second Period
1-1 Red – Drew Miller (Jordin Tootoo, Cory Emmerton) – 1:25
2-1 White – Jeff Hoggan (Kyle Quincey, Brendan Smith) – 5:24
2-2 Red – Louis-Marc Aubry (Jonathan Ericsson, Niklas Kronwall) – 6:40
3-2 Red – Henrik Zetterberg (Damien Brunner, Jonathan Ericsson) – 14:18

Third Period
4-2 Red – Nathan Paetsch (Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan) – 10:18

Shootout
White – Valtteri Filppula (Goal)
Red – Henrik Zetterberg (No Goal)
White – Todd Bertuzzi (Goal)
Red – Damien Brunner (No Goal)
White – Brendan Smith (Goal)
Red – Gustav Nyquist (No Goal)
White – Landon Ferraro (No Goal)
Red – Niklas Kronwall (No Goal)
White – Kyle Quincey (No Goal)
Red – Cory Emmerton (No Goal)