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Peoria Blanks Griffins 2-0
Rivermen's Allen perfect againÉ
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
January, 1st, 2011
League leading netminder Jake Allen turned in another dominant performance, just outdueling Griffins ace Joey MacDonald for the win. Grand Rapids, playing without five regulars, mustered 30 shots on goal but could not get one by Allen. The Griffins had the only two powerplays in a rough game, including a 7 minute man advantage after Graham Mink attacked Sebastien Piche by the net. MacDonald stooped 23 of 24 shots and was on the bench when Peoria added the empty netter.
Good Grand Rapids pressure early, especially by the Emmerton line who had some great chances and time of possession. Tardif dropped the gloves with Carroll in front of the Peoria bench, easily taking him to the ice. Pare had a breakaway but fired the puck into Allen. Straub was hobbled by a shot and left the game, not to return. Shots on Goal: GR 8 - Peo 11.
Owens and Cundari had a staged bout at center ice, dropping the gloves and dancing around before coming to blows. Piche and Tardif took offense with a Rivermen player between the benches, touching off a big scrum. After the next play, Kolosov was pushing and shoving along the boards as the animosity level elevated yet again. Ehrhardt stung Shattock in front with a major league point shot. Piche got blindsided in the corner by Mink who then attacked the Griffins blueliner while he lay on the ice. Mink got a major and was thrown out of the game giving the Griffins a 7 minute powerplay. Shots on Goal: GR 11 - Peo 6.
Peoria had a shorthanded breakaway, but MacDonald just got a stick on it and it hit the post and came right back out. The rivermen finally broke the deadlock with a goal with just 8 minutes left. Nigro got position in traffic and converted a pass from Spina. The third period was all end-to-end action with very little neutral zone play. Amadio tried to turn the tide with a huge open ice hit. MacDonald was summoned to the bench for the extra skater and Peoria added an empty netter for a 2-0 win. Shots on goal: GR 11 - Peo 8. For the Game: GR 30 - Peo 25.
Lines:
Minard - Emmerton - Filppula
Owens - Andersson - Straub
Johnson - Tardif - Pare
#21 Daavettila - Raedeke - Coetzee
Pairings:
Kolosov - Ehrhardt
Amadio - Pyett
Piche - Meech
Starter: MacDonald
Backup: Pearce
Scratches:
Smith - Injury
Lashoff - Injury
Janik - Injury
PP:
Johnson - Tardif - Andersson
Pyett - Ehrhardt
Minard/Tardif - Emmerton - Filppula
Pare - Meech
PK:
Observations:
Tough loss! I kept waiting for the guys to tie it up and send it to OT for another shootout win, but it was not meant to be.
Pare had another big night and was very involved, making thing happen. He has really turned up his play a notch the last stretch of games.
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