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Griffins Smoke Marlies in Shootout 4-3
Pare scores backbreaker in 6th round...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
The Griffins continued to be the comeback kids as they climbed out from a 2-0 hole to take a 4-3 win over the Toronto Marlies. Frankie Pare won the game in the sixth round of the shootout, ripping a shot over Munro's shoulder. Jeremy Williams (3), Patrick Rissmiller (1), and John Vigilante scored for the Griffins in regulation, while Michael Nylander also tallied in the shootout. Rookie netminder Thomas McCollum, making his first home start, stopped 25 hots and came up huge in the shootout.
Pretty even first period, lots of speed and hitting. Grand Rapids best chance came late in the period when Williams and Ehrhardt had a two-on-one, but he Williams ripped it off the post. Shots on Goal: GR 7 - Tor 8.
The early stages of the period was slanted a bit towards Toronto with more sustained pressure on the GR zone. Hanson did a great job, sucking McCollum over before passing the puck to Tlusty for an easy back door goal. Less than a minute later, Kindl and Piche both went to the same side of the ice leaving Hamilton alone for an easy goal, high stick side. Grand Rapids answered back 19 seconds later when Williams stole the puck at the line, streaked in and lasered a puck over Munro.The last five minutes of the period was all Grand Rapids as they peppered the Marlies goaltender with great shots. Shots on Goal: GR 19 - Tor 9.
Crosty a little testy in front sparring with Perry. Marlies carrying play in the 1st half of the third. Newbury and Deveaux got tied up and exchanged pushes and shoves before being broken up. The Marlies got called for two quick penalties leading to a Griffins five-on-three powerplay. Kindl set up Rissmiller at the side of the net for a wrister that beat Munro high. The Griffins went ahead on a Tic-tac-toe passing play to Vigilante at the side of the net. The gritty forward banged it home home, high, for his 1st of the campaign. Later in the period Toronto tied things up just as a penalty expired. Hanson picked up the puck behind the net and put it out in front to Deveaux on the corner of the crease where it was chipped in, high glove side. Shots on Goal: GR 10 - Tor 9.
After a scoreless overtime it was on to the shootout. Williams went first for the Griffins and rang a shot off Munro's chest. Tlusty was first for Toronto but McCollum came up big with a stick save. Round two saw Newbury deke and Munro didn't fall for it, and Bozak miss the net. Nylander went next and made a great move, tucking the puck in past a sprawled out Marlies netminder. Mikus was stopped by a McCollum stick save, leaving Gr with a one goal lead. Rissmiller ripped a shot off the post, followed by Zigomanis knotting the score at one with a goal scored 5 hole. Evan McGrath made a nice move stopped by Munro and Deveaux's shot was nagged by a quick glove. Frankie Pare put GR ahead to stay when he ripped a shot over Munro's shoulder. Mitchell tried to go five hole to tie things up, but McCollum stoned him for the win. Shots on goal: GR 3 - Tor 2. For the Game: GR 40 - Tor 28.
The Shootout:
Lines:
Vigilante/Newbury/Ritola/Pare - Nylander - Tardif
Ritola - Newbury - Mursak
Rissmiller - Pare - Williams
Emmerton - McGrath - Mursak/Williams/Tardif/Vigilante
Pairings:
Kolosov - Janik
Kindl - Ehrhardt
Crosty - Pyett
Piche
Starter: McCollum
Backup: Larsson
Scratches:
Lemieux - Back
Axelsson - Illness
Walsh
Tatar - Charley Horse
Delmore - Knee
PP:
Rissmiller/Newbury - Nylander - Tardif
Williams - Kindl
Ritola - Newbury - Pare
Kindl - Pyett
PK:
Ritola - Newbury/Vigilante
Kindl - Ehrhardt/Pyett
Rissmiller - Williams/Vigilante
Kolosov - Pyett/Janik
Mursak - Nylander
Observations:
Good first game, the Griffins had a lot of energy, and late in the game played some good defense.
BR>
McCollum looked very impressive, especially in the shootout.
Ehrhardt making his home debut was also impressive. he was solid in his own end, and a good skater.
Mursak had another strong game, very scrappy and battled all night.
Mattias Ritola had a great night and was double and triple shifted in the late stages of the game. He was very effective at both ends of the ice, and put on a clinic stealing the puck from Marlies players during the game.
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