STARRY NIGHT
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Six days after their own nine-game winning streak was snapped, the Grand Rapids Griffins put an end to the Texas Stars’ 12-game point streak on Friday with a 4-1 win at Van Andel Arena.
Daniel Larsson made 24 saves to establish his own career high with six straight victories, helping Grand Rapids improve to 9-1 at home and spoil the Stars’ first-ever visit to West Michigan with its 10th win in the last 11 games.
The Griffins (11-5-0-0), who received two-point efforts from Patrick Rissmiller, Doug Janik and Tomas Tatar, will play just their second road game since Oct. 18 on Saturday, when they visit Toronto for a 4 p.m. tilt with the Marlies.
Following a scoreless opening period, the Griffins erupted for three goals in the second against the AHL’s stingiest defense. Just 1:53 into the frame, Janik fired a blast from the left point that was tipped home by Jan Mursak, but Texas (13-3-2-2) answered with a power play marker at 6:37 as Colton Sceviour beat Larsson with a wrist shot during a rush.
Grand Rapids converted its own power play at 9:24, when Rissmiller’s would-be centering pass from the left side bounced off a prone Dan Jancevski and past Stars netminder Matt Climie, marking just the third time in the visitors’ last 11 contests that they allowed as many as two goals in a game.
The Griffins were not finished, as Kris Newbury set up shop at the top of the crease to bang the rebound of Andy Delmore’s shot inside the right post at 12:29. For the Stars, it was only the third time this season and the first since Oct. 23 that they surrendered three goals in a single period.
Jakub Kindl capped off the scoring with 3:32 remaining in the third, beating Climie’s glove with a rocket from the top of the right circle. The Stars’ netminder, who made 25 saves in a 2-0 win over the Griffins in Austin on Oct. 15, made 32 saves in the loss.
During Larsson’s six-game run, which followed consecutive losses to begin the season, he’s posted a 1.64 goals against average and a 0.947 save percentage.
Three Stars: 1. GR Rissmiller (power play goal, assist); 2. GR Larsson (W, 24 saves); 3. GR Mursak (goal)
GriffVision Video Highlights |
GriffVision Video Interviews: Janik Rissmiller Fraser |
WOOD Radio Highlights: Mursak goal Rissmiller goal Kindl goal |
Post-Game Sound Bites: Janik Fraser Rissmiller |
Photo Gallery |
Official Game Report |