GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Peoria Rivermen scored three times in a 5:10 span of the opening period on Sunday en route to a 5-1 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins (18-14-0-1), who suffered their third straight defeat and fifth setback in the last six games (1-4-0-1), have lost three consecutive home games in regulation for the first time since Nov. 10-21, 2007, getting outscored 15-6 in the process. They’ll try to get back on track Monday when they finish a 3-in-3 by taking on the Milwaukee Admirals in an 8 p.m. start at the Bradley Center, where they’ve lost their last seven visits (0-6-1-0).

Peoria (18-11-1-2) jumped out quickly, as Pascal Pelletier ripped a shot from the top of the right circle that banked in off the crossbar behind Daniel Larsson at 11:39. Lars Eller then sent a blast into the top right corner from the high slot at the 13-minute mark, and Julian Talbot scooped a loose puck through a crowd from the left side at 16:49.

A string of Grand Rapids penalties early in the second threatened to allow the Rivermen to blow the game wide open, but the Griffins killed off a four-minute, 26-second Peoria power play, including a full two-minute, 5-on-3 advantage that kicked off the home team’s penalty kill. Shortly thereafter, the Griffins appeared to get on the board with a power play goal of their own, but referee Mark Lemelin ruled that Francis Pare’s shot hit the crossbar and never crossed the goal line.

With 1:52 remaining in the period, Barry Tallackson made it a 4-0 contest by scoring on a shorthanded breakaway.

In the third, moments after Peoria netminder Ben Bishop robbed Michael Nylander with a point-blank glove save during a 5-on-3 Grand Rapids power play, the Griffins finally spoiled his shutout bid on Jakub Kindl’s low rocket from the left point at 7:14.

Talbot tallied his second goal during a power play with 42 seconds left to complete the scoring.

Bishop grabbed third star honors with 20 saves, while Larsson turned aside 28 shots in defeat.

The robust crowd of 8,519 included 3,600 local unemployed workers and their families who attended at no cost through the “Griffins Give Back” program that was coordinated through the Grand Rapids offices of Michigan Works.

Three Stars: 1. PEO Talbot (two goals, assist); 2. PEO Pelletier (goal, assist); 3. PEO Bishop (W, 20 saves)