Calder Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Quarterfinals – Game 2 – Toronto Leads Series, 2-0

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 at Toronto Marlies 5

April 26, 2015

TORONTO – T.J. Brennan’s power play goal with 6:36 remaining broke a 2-2 tie before the Toronto Marlies added a pair of empty-net goals in the final minute to escape with a 5-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday at Ricoh Coliseum.

After losing an early 2-0 lead, Grand Rapids was unable to capitalize on a five-minute power play during the third period that included a two-man advantage for two full minutes, setting the stage for Brennan’s late heroics.

The Griffins, who now trail 0-2 in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, must win the final three games of this best-of-five series in order to advance to the second round for the third straight year under coach Jeff Blashill. The series shifts to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 this Wednesday, April 29 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Saturday and Game 5 next Sunday.

Borrowing the Marlies’ storyline from Game 1, the Griffins scored in the opening minute and built a two-goal cushion. Teemu Pulkkinen connected on a one-timer from the right faceoff dot just 42 seconds into the contest for his third goal of the postseason, before Andy Miele cleaned up a mad scramble around Christopher Gibson’s net at the 5:25 mark to give Grand Rapids its third power play goal of the series.

Captain Jeff Hoggan earned the first assist on each goal, making him just the 12th player to amass 20 playoff points during his Griffins career.

The Marlies answered with their own power play goal before the period expired, as Matt Frattin pounced on a loose puck at the top of the crease and swept a backhand past Jared Coreau with 3:06 remaining before intermission.

Frattin scored again early in the second period to make it a 2-2 game, beating Brian Lashoff in a race to the puck and snapping a shot inside the far corner from the right circle at 2:35.

The score remained deadlock into the third period, when Viktor Loov’s vicious check to the head of Zach Nastasiuk with 13 minutes left earned him a match penalty and put the Griffins on a five-minute power play. A delay of game penalty to Connor Brown midway through that advantage then gave Grand Rapids two full minutes of 5-on-3 time, but the visitors were unable to convert despite constant pressure around the Toronto net.

That failure to score proved deadly during a subsequent Marlies power play. After the Griffins had whiffed on an opportunity to clear the puck from their zone, Brennan launched a rocket from the point that sailed through traffic and a screened Coreau for a 3-2 Toronto lead.

Coreau went to the bench in favor of an extra attacker with two minutes left in the game, and empty-net goals by Brown at 19:03 and Greg McKegg at 19:47 sealed the Griffins’ fate.

Coreau, who joined Petr Mrazek (2013), Jimmy Howard (2006) and Mathieu Chouinard (2001) as the only rookie goalies to start a playoff game for the Griffins, turned back 21 of 24 shots on the night. Gibson, his fellow first-year counterpart, made 26 saves to earn his second win in as many days.

Notes: This marks the seventh time in history that the Griffins have trailed 0-2 in a playoff series and just the second time they’ve faced this deficit in a best-of-five (the 1998 IHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, an eventual 0-3 loss to Cincinnati). Grand Rapids lost all six prior series…The Griffins had been 5-1 all-time in the playoffs at Ricoh Coliseum before suffering their two losses this weekend.

Three Stars: 1. TOR Brennan (game-winning goal, two assists); 2. TOR Frattin (two goals); 3. TOR Gibson (W, 26 saves)

Calder Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Quarterfinals – Game 2 – Toronto Leads Series, 2-0

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 at Toronto Marlies 5

April 26, 2015

TORONTO – T.J. Brennan’s power play goal with 6:36 remaining broke a 2-2 tie before the Toronto Marlies added a pair of empty-net goals in the final minute to escape with a 5-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday at Ricoh Coliseum.

After losing an early 2-0 lead, Grand Rapids was unable to capitalize on a five-minute power play during the third period that included a two-man advantage for two full minutes, setting the stage for Brennan’s late heroics.

The Griffins, who now trail 0-2 in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, must win the final three games of this best-of-five series in order to advance to the second round for the third straight year under coach Jeff Blashill. The series shifts to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 this Wednesday, April 29 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Saturday and Game 5 next Sunday.

Borrowing the Marlies’ storyline from Game 1, the Griffins scored in the opening minute and built a two-goal cushion. Teemu Pulkkinen connected on a one-timer from the right faceoff dot just 42 seconds into the contest for his third goal of the postseason, before Andy Miele cleaned up a mad scramble around Christopher Gibson’s net at the 5:25 mark to give Grand Rapids its third power play goal of the series.

Captain Jeff Hoggan earned the first assist on each goal, making him just the 12th player to amass 20 playoff points during his Griffins career.

The Marlies answered with their own power play goal before the period expired, as Matt Frattin pounced on a loose puck at the top of the crease and swept a backhand past Jared Coreau with 3:06 remaining before intermission.

Frattin scored again early in the second period to make it a 2-2 game, beating Brian Lashoff in a race to the puck and snapping a shot inside the far corner from the right circle at 2:35.

The score remained deadlock into the third period, when Viktor Loov’s vicious check to the head of Zach Nastasiuk with 13 minutes left earned him a match penalty and put the Griffins on a five-minute power play. A delay of game penalty to Connor Brown midway through that advantage then gave Grand Rapids two full minutes of 5-on-3 time, but the visitors were unable to convert despite constant pressure around the Toronto net.

That failure to score proved deadly during a subsequent Marlies power play. After the Griffins had whiffed on an opportunity to clear the puck from their zone, Brennan launched a rocket from the point that sailed through traffic and a screened Coreau for a 3-2 Toronto lead.

Coreau went to the bench in favor of an extra attacker with two minutes left in the game, and empty-net goals by Brown at 19:03 and Greg McKegg at 19:47 sealed the Griffins’ fate.

Coreau, who joined Petr Mrazek (2013), Jimmy Howard (2006) and Mathieu Chouinard (2001) as the only rookie goalies to start a playoff game for the Griffins, turned back 21 of 24 shots on the night. Gibson, his fellow first-year counterpart, made 26 saves to earn his second win in as many days.

Notes: This marks the seventh time in history that the Griffins have trailed 0-2 in a playoff series and just the second time they’ve faced this deficit in a best-of-five (the 1998 IHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, an eventual 0-3 loss to Cincinnati). Grand Rapids lost all six prior series…The Griffins had been 5-1 all-time in the playoffs at Ricoh Coliseum before suffering their two losses this weekend.

Three Stars: 1. TOR Brennan (game-winning goal, two assists); 2. TOR Frattin (two goals); 3. TOR Gibson (W, 26 saves)