NORFOLK, Va. – In a game overshadowed by two potentially serious injuries, Jimmy Howard backstopped the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 2-1 win over the Norfolk Admirals at the Norfolk Scope on Friday. Howard turned aside a career-high 47 shots and the Griffins clinched a playoff spot with the victory.

The Griffins’ netminder made several spectacular stops, including a season-high 21 saves during the first period. Rikku Helenius surrendered two goals on 34 shots in net for the Admirals (29-36-3-5). Darren Haydar extended his point streak to four games (3-3-6) with an assist in the second period. With the win, Grand Rapids (42-19-6-6) laid claim to the team’s 10th playoff spot and climbed to within four points of first-place Manitoba.

Both Ryan Oulahen and referee Chris Cozzan left the game on stretchers after suffering injuries during play. With 5:24 left in the first period, Norfolk’s Radek Smolenak was upended and his skate caught Cozzan on the neck. Play was suspended while Cozzan received medical attention, and the remaining time was added to the second period. Later in the game, Oulahen went down in the same spot on the ice after a hit near the boards and was taken off the ice by stretcher. (Update: Oulahen dislocated his left hip and will be out indefinitely.)

At the 10:28 mark of the first, a long shot from the point was knocked down in the slot and Pete Zingoni found Juraj Simek on the right side of the net to put the Admirals up 1-0. Zingoni emerged from the slot with the puck and sent in to Simek, who wristed it past Howard to break the scoreless tie. That lead lasted only 26 seconds, and then Mike Walsh sent the teams back to square one. Garrett Stafford knocked down a clearing attempt in the Norfolk zone and unleashed a shot from the right point that Walsh tipped past Helenius to make it 1-1.

Cory Emmerton put the Griffins ahead for the first and final time 5:01 into the middle stanza. Justin Abdelkader took out his man on the boards and Haydar swept in to take possession of the puck. He skated toward the goal and fed Emmerton, who one-timed it home for his second goal in as many games.

Late in the third, the Admirals pressured Grand Rapids, but Howard stood tall to keep the Griffins on top. The final minutes of the game included a 6-on-4 with an empty net that saw a frenzied attack by Norfolk turned away by a strong Griffins defense.

Three Stars: 1. GR Howard (47 saves); 2. GR Emmerton (GW goal); 3. NOR Simek (Goal)