GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 1 at Milwaukee Admirals 2

Nov. 13, 2013

MILWAUKEE — The Grand Rapids Griffins’ seven-game winning streak was broken with a 2-1 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The game marked the first regulation loss of the last 15 road games for the Griffins, dating back to the playoffs, and their first this season. The Griffins fell to 9-3-1-1, with two of their three regulation losses coming at the hands of the Admirals.

Despite the loss, the Griffins’ 20 points keeps them in first place in the Midwest Division with the Admirals right behind them in second place (7-2-2-1, 17 pts.).

With the action accumulating early in the game in the Grand Rapids zone, Admirals rookie Colton Sissons fired a quick wrist shot toward the net, which was blocked by Tom McCollum. However, a slow whistle allowed the puck to trickle through McCollum’s pads and into the net, giving the Admirals a one-goal cushion 1:15 into the first frame.

The Admirals dominated the majority of the first period, and they held a 13-3 shot advantage until Milwaukee’s Mikka Salomaki was called for holding at 14:55, giving the Griffins their first stab at the power play. Though Grand Rapids was unable to capitalize on its one-man advantage, the Griffins lessened the shot disadvantage to 7-13.

In the second period, the Griffins continued to put the pressure on the Admirals’ net. They outshot the home team 15-3 in the period, and their relentless offense finally paid off with a tally by Mitch Callahan with 1:29 remaining in the frame.

The Griffins rushed the Admirals zone with a four-on-two advantage, and Callahan passed the puck to Andrej Nestrasil in the left circle. Nestrasil fed the puck toward Magnus Hellberg’s crease, and it found its way through a mess of skates to the stick of Callahan, who knotted the game 1-1.

After a period of back-and-forth play, Mark Van Guilder tallied the winning goal for the Admirals at 15:22 of the final frame. Kevin Henderson took a shot from the left circle, but the puck was knocked down into the slot where Van Guilder got his stick on it to put away the rebound.

McCollum stopped 30 of 32 shots in the loss, and Hellberg turned away 28 of 29 shots.

The Griffins return home for their third meeting this season with the Rockford IceHogs at 7 p.m. on Friday at Van Andel Arena.

Three Stars: 1. MIL Sissons (goal); 2. MIL Hellberg (W, 28 saves); 3. MIL Van Guilder (game-winning goal)