TOLEDO, Ohio -- In their first preseason game since 2016, the Grand Rapids Griffins came away with a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Monsters at the Huntington Center, highlighted by a two-goal performance from Sheldon Dries.

In addition to Dries, rookie Kienan Draper tallied the Griffins’ final goal and Michal Postava received the nod in net and totaled 15 saves on 16 shots. The Griffins did not see a power play in the contest, but the penalty kill went 3-for-3 with a shorthanded tally. 

Despite holding a 7-4 shot advantage, the Griffins trailed 1-0 after the first period. Shortly after a bout between Ronnie Attard and James Malatesta, Cleveland’s Boston Buckberger struck first at 13:13 of the opening frame.  

Grand Rapids got on the scoreboard 4:29 into the second period when Dries collected a rebound in the crease and stuffed it inside the right post. Dries tallied his second goal of the period with 2:24 remaining while shorthanded. Shai Buium ripped the puck from the left point and Dries redirected it past Evan Gardner to claim a 2-1 lead going into the final stanza. The Griffins outshot the Monsters 12-4 in the second. 

Draper lit the lamp 6:43 into the third period with a shot from the high slot. The Monsters pulled their netminder with 2:23 remaining for a 6-on-4 power play but failed to generate a goal and the Griffins skated away with a 3-1 victory. 

Notes

• Cleveland has been the Griffins’ opponent for nine of their last 10 preseason games, dating back to 2012.
• This marked Grand Rapids’ first appearance at the Huntington Center since a preseason clash with the Lake Erie Monsters on Oct. 6, 2012.
• Grand Rapids outshot Cleveland, 33-16. 

Box Score
Cleveland 1 0 0 - 1
Grand Rapids 0 2 1 - 3

1st Period-1, Cleveland, Buckberger 1 (McCue, Singleton), 13:13. Penalties-Malatesta Cle (fighting), 12:48; Attard Gr (fighting), 12:48.

2nd Period-2, Grand Rapids, Dries 1 (Shine), 4:29. 3, Grand Rapids, Dries 2 (Buium), 17:36 (SH). Penalties-Shine Gr (cross-checking), 15:53.

3rd Period-4, Grand Rapids, Draper 1 (Sutter, Lagesson), 6:43. Penalties-Butler Gr (slashing), 10:40; Leonard Gr (slashing), 16:11.

Shots on Goal-Cleveland 4-4-8-16. Grand Rapids 7-12-14-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Cleveland 0 / 3; Grand Rapids 0 / 0.
Goalies-Cleveland, Gardner 0-1-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Grand Rapids, Postava 1-0-0 (16 shots-15 saves).
A-3,097

Preseason Record/Next Preseason Game
Grand Rapids: 1-0-0-0 / Sun., Sept. 27 at Cleveland 3 p.m. in Toledo
Cleveland: 0-1-0-0 / Sun., Sept. 27 vs. Grand Rapids 3 p.m. in Toledo

Photo by Macy Mineni/Griffins