Grand Rapids Griffins Central Logo

Home
Roster
Depth
The System
Transactions
Message Board
History
Contact Us
Archive
Training Camp
RSS Feed
D Leads Rally as Griffins Sink Wolfpack 3-2
Rare goals by Galvin and Kindl key griffins victory...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com

Jakub Kindl led the way with a goal, the game winner, and an assist as the Grand Rapids Griffins rallied to take down the Hartford Wolfpack in their first ever meeting. Grand Rapids got help from from their special teams, with the AHL's second ranked penalty killing unit killing off all five Wolfpack powerplays, and adding 2 man advantage markers of their own with the leagues #2 unit. Darren Helm also added a goal and an assist, while Tom Galvin set a new career high with his second goal of the season. Goaltender Jimmy Howard, returning from an injury, made 20 saves for the win, his fourth of the year.

Play in the first period was pretty even with Hartford holding a slight edge. Parenteau opened the scoring just shy of the seven minute mark when he snapped a shot from the top of the slot over Howard's shoulder, stick-side. The Griffins couldn't get much going on the powerplay, passing the puck around until they lost it with no-one taking a shot. Galvin knotted the score at 1 late in the period when he let a point shot go that dribbled past Wiikman who was screened on the play. Howard got roughed up on the next play, leading to Abdelkader wading into the scrum, but cooler heads prevailed. Shots on Goal: GR 10 - Hartford 8.

The Wolfpack took the lead again early in the second with Moore scoring on a great give and go play with Parenteau. Ericsson thought he had tied the game a few minutes later when he lasered a point shot that looked to have beaten Wiikman five-hole and then come right back out, but play continued without a goal being awarded. Darren Helm tied the score on the powerplay at the 6:31 mark, taking a pass from Kindl and blasting a rocket of a shot from the circle that overpowered Wiikman's catching glove on its way into the net. Shots on Goal: GR 13 - Hartford 9.

Kindl gave GR their first lead of the game at the 12 minute mark of the third, when his powerplay point blast found its way between Wiikman's skate and the post. A big scrum broke out in front of the Griffins bench after the goal leaving the Griffins down with Abdelkader and Tardif in the box. The Grand Rapids penalty killers were perfect again and killed off the penalties. The wolfpack rallied a little late in the period, putting some sustained pressure in the GR zone before pulling their goalie for the extra skater. The Griffins held them off for the win. For the Game: GR 30 - Hartford 22.





Lines:
Leino - Helm - Wilson
Ritola - Abdelkader - Tardif
Emmerton - Oulahen - Downey
Mursak - McGrath - Gagnon

Pairings:
Pyett - Ericsson
Galvin - Kindl
Stafford - Kolosov

Starter: Howard
Backup: Larson

Scratches:
Gelech
Lemieux
Pare
Haydar - Injured
Jozsa
Atherton

PP:
Ritola - Abdelkader - Tardif
Stafford - Kindl

Leino - Helm - Wilson
Pyett - Ericsson

PK:
Oulahen - Gagnon
Galvin - Ericsson

Leino - Helm
Stafford - Kindl

Ritola - Abdelkader

Observations:

Solid all-around effort in a pretty even game. Darren Helm and the penalty killers had a great night.

Jimmy Howard had another strong outing, making three in a row. If he can keep this up, he can erase the memory of his up and down play last season.

Even though he didn't show up on the scoresheet, Ritola had a strong outing, moving the puck well and creating turnovers on the forecheck.



Official Game Sheet